Before internet memes and the word viral, there were Chuck Norris jokes. The action star was the OG 'influencer'

Chuck Norris, the world-renowned martial artist and action star whose onscreen toughness birthed an era of internet mythology, passed away on Thursday, March 19, 2026. He was 86. His family confirmed the news on Friday, stating that the actor died peacefully following a sudden medical emergency at his home in Hawaii. The news comes just ten days after Norris celebrated his 86th birthday on March 10, marking the occasion with a final social media video of himself sparring with a trainer and declaring, ‘I don’t age. I level up.

Chuck Norris built a formidable career in the 1970s and 80s through films like Way of the Dragon, where he famously battled Bruce Lee and the long-running series Walker, Texas Ranger.

Birth of a digital legend

Chuck Norris achieved a unique kind of immortality in the mid-2000s when he inspired a series of satirical factoids known as Chuck Norris ‘facts’. According to a report by the Independent, a ‘Chuck Norris Facts’ generator created by college student Ian Spector went viral, transforming the actor into a hyperbolic, superhuman folk hero.

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The facts included satirical claims like ‘Chuck Norris doesn't wear a watch; he decides what time it is’ or ‘Chuck Norris once threw a grenade and killed 50 people, then it exploded’, which capitalized on his stoic, invincible persona. According to Dictionary.com, the trend began on the Something Awful forums and was further popularized by late-night host Conan O'Brien, who frequently mocked the dramatic tropes of Walker, Texas Ranger.

Embracing the absurdity

Unlike many celebrities who shy away from internet parody, Chuck Norris leaned into the phenomenon. Though he initially expressed surprise, he eventually embraced the memes as a way to connect with younger generations. Flattered by the absurd facts, he even published The Official Chuck Norris Fact Book, a collection of his favorite jokes interspersed with real-life anecdotes and the personal ‘Code of Ethics’ he lived by in 2009. As per The Independent, his favourite fact was, ‘They once tried to carve Chuck Norris’ face into Mount Rushmore, but the granite wasn’t hard enough for his beard’.

Chuck Norris acknowledged that he had become a ‘mythical superhero icon’ to many who had never even seen his original films. He even utilized the meme's popularity for philanthropic efforts, such as his Kickstart Kids program, and made a self-aware cameo in the 2004 film Dodgeball.

Chuck Norris built his reputation through martial arts, long before Hollywood fame. A former Air Policeman in the U.S. Air Force, he began training while stationed in South Korea and went on to become a champion fighter. The cause of his death has not been revealed yet, although he had reportedly fallen ill a day before his death while on the Hawaiian island of Kauai.