Michel Qissi's journey in the world of martial arts and action films began when he was just seven years old, as he started training in boxing. It was during this time that he met and befriended a young Jean-Claude Van Varenberg, who was studying Shotokan Karate. The two would go on to trade techniques in their respective systems, growing up together and sharing a passion for action films and the dream of becoming action stars themselves one day.
In 1982, Qissi and Van Damme made the decision to venture to Hollywood together in search of a career in action movies. After securing an interview with Menahem Golan of Cannon Pictures, they landed a three-picture deal, with the first film being the highly successful Bloodsport. Qissi went on to work as Van Damme's personal trainer on the film Cyborg (1989),but unfortunately, he did not have a part in the cast.
However, Qissi did get the opportunity to work as a choreographer on the film Kickboxer (1989). It was during this time that he overheard the production crew mention that they needed a tall Asian-looking guy with a background in Muay Thai. Recognizing that he had studied Muay Thai years earlier in Thailand, Qissi volunteered for the part and was cast as Tong Po. Despite not being credited, he was dubbed as Tong Po and even received a makeup job to make him appear Asian.
Qissi's final film with Van Damme was Lionheart (1990),also known as AWOL, in which he played a legionnaire sent to bring Van Damme back to the army. He later reprised his role as Tong Po in the sequel Kickboxer 2: The Road Back (1991).
In addition to his work with Van Damme, Qissi also went on to direct and star in a few of his own films, including Terminator Woman (1993),which he also wrote. He collaborated with writer Jeanette Agaronoff on this project. Qissi also directed Extreme Force (2001),a film in which he starred alongside Hector Echavarria as Kong Li, a character that bore a striking resemblance to Tong Po.
