- Jet Li as Huo Yuanjia. Lu Yuhao played the younger Huo Yuanjia.
- Dong Yong as Nong Jinsun, a businessman and childhood friend of Huo Yuanjia. Zhu Qilong played the younger Nong Jinsun.
- Nakamura Shidō II as Anno Tanaka, a Japanese champion
- Collin Chou as Huo Endi, Huo Yuanjia's father
- Betty Sun as Yueci, a village girl who took care of Huo Yuanjia when he was in a state of depression. She is called Moon in the U.S. release.
- Nathan Jones as Hercules O'Brien, the American wrestler
- Paw Hee-ching as Huo Yuanjia's mother
- Mike Leeder as Randall, the match referee
- Ian Powers as Dante, the bellboy
- Anthony De Longis as Anthony Garcia, the Spanish fencer
- Brandon Rhea as Colonel Han Herzon, the Belgian lancer
- Jean-Claude Leuyer as Peter Smith, the British boxer
- Somluck Kamsing as Beicha, the Thai boxer. He appears only in the director's cut.
- Masato Harada as Mr. Mita, the Japanese diplomat
- John T. Benn as the American businessman
- Philippe Millieret as the French businessman
- John Paisley as the British businessman
- Michelle Yeoh as Ms. Yang, the narrator of Huo Yuanjia's story in the opening scene. She appears only in the director's cut.
- Hu Xiaoling as Huo Yuanjia's daughter. She is known as Jade in the U.S. release.
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- Chen Zhihui as Qin Lei, a rival martial arts master who was killed by Huo Yuanjia. He is known as Master Chin in the U.S. release.
- He Sirong as Qin's wife
- Ma Yin as Qin's daughter
- Ting Leung as Laifu, the Huo family servant
- Qu Yun as Granny Sun, Yueci's grandmother. She is known as Grandma in the U.S. release.
- Ma Zhongxuan as Zhao Jian, Huo Yuanjia's childhood rival. Shang Yapeng played the younger Zhao Jian.
- Jacky Heung as Qin's godson, who kills Huo Yuanjia's family to avenge his godfather
- Zhao Zhonggang as Zhao Zhiqiang, Zhao Jian's father who defeated Huo Endi in a match at the start of the film
- Zheng Shiming as Xia Xiang
- Chen Fusheng as Xu Dashan
- Wang Qi as Gui
- He Jun as Bang, the town idiot
- Liu Licheng as Qiang
- Qian Yi as the referee at Huo and O'Brien's match
- Sun Yueqiu as accountant
- Yi Shixiong as Liu Zhensheng, Huo Yuanjia's student
- Ma Jing, Wei Binghua, Zhao Tieying, Xu Yonghai and Song Shuo as Huo Yuanjia's students
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