An action recognition system and method are provided. The action recognition system includes an image capture device configured to capture an actual image depicting an object. The action recognition system includes a processor configured to render, based on a set of 3D CAD models, synthetic images with corresponding intermediate shape concept labels. The processor is configured to form a multi-layer CNN which jointly models multiple intermediate shape concepts, based on the rendered synthetic images. The processor is configured to perform an intra-class appearance variation-aware and occlusion-aware 3D object parsing on the actual image by applying the CNN thereto to generate an image pair including a 2D and 3D geometric structure of the object. The processor is configured to control a device to perform a response action in response to an identification of an action performed by the object, wherein the identification of the action is based on the image pair.