Al Leong, the actor and stuntman best known for his role as the terrorist Uli in the 1988 film "Die Hard," was hospitalized last week after suffering a stroke in California, TMZ reported on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. Sources close to the family told TMZ that Leong was rushed to the hospital following the stroke, though those sources declined to say whether he remains hospitalized or to provide details about his condition. The family is requesting privacy at this time, according to the report.
Leong's career in film and television spans more than four decades, beginning with his first film appearance in 1981 as a circus performer at a funeral in "Going Ape." In 1986, he took the role of a Wing Kong Hatchet Man in "Big Trouble in Little China." The following year brought his first major part: Endo, a mercenary specializing in torture for a shadow company, in the 1987 film "Lethal Weapon," which starred Mel Gibson and Danny Glover.
His breakout role came in 1988 as Uli in "Die Hard." The character was a member of the group of terrorists who seized Los Angeles's Nakatomi Plaza, and he is ultimately shot and killed by Bruce Willis's character, the NYPD officer John McClane. In 1989, Leong secured the part of Genghis Khan in the comedy "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure," which starred Keanu Reeves.
Beyond his film work, Leong appeared in television series including "T.J. Hooker," "The Fall Guy" and "Knight Rider." A martial arts expert who has showcased his fighting skills on screen, he was inducted into the Martial Arts History Museum Hall of Fame in 2014.
No further information about Leong's medical status has been made public. The family's request for privacy means additional updates may not be forthcoming in the immediate term.
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Ava Hart
Ava Hart is a pop culture junkie and loves to share what's happening in Hollywood and what trends are taking the world by storm.
