William Wayne Blanks (born September 1, 1955) is an American actor, martial artist and fitness personality.

He was a nationally ranked competitor in semi-contact and point karate during the 1980s,[4][5] winning a bronze medal at the 1981 World Games,[3] before creating the Tae Bo exercise program.

[2] During the 1980s, Blanks was a top competitor of the point competition, semi-contact, and sport karate circuits, notably against Steve Anderson.

[12] He represented the United States at the 1981 World Games in Santa Clara, California, and won a bronze medal in the Men's Kumite Open (Heavyweight).

Blanks also appeared in the opening scene of Tony Scott's The Last Boy Scout, where he plays a doomed pro-football player.

[17] In the late 1980s, Blanks developed the Tae Bo workout, while running a karate studio in Quincy, Massachusetts.

He later attracted celebrity clients such as Paula Abdul, and the popularity of the workout quickly grew, becoming a pop culture phenomenon after Blanks began releasing mass-marketed videos.

Blanks Jr. produced several best-selling DVDs,[23] including Cardioke and Fat Burning Hip Hop Mix.