Jackie Chan knew he had to be more than just an action star to stay relevant in the film industry.
Jackie Chan has been making history in the entertainment industry for decades. His breakthrough 1978 movie “Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow” solidified his place as an action hero, performing incredible stunts that often resulted in him breaking bones! He quickly became a household name across East Asia and beyond; now, he is recognized worldwide for his outstanding accomplishments and contributions to cinema.
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Few people worldwide haven’t heard of Jackie Chan—a testament to his tremendous success as an actor and slapstick kung-fu comedian. His work has earned him global acclaim, yet he felt something more was necessary to remain a striking force within the film industry. This motivated Chan further, pushing him to create some of his most iconic works, such as “Drunken Master.”
In GQ Magazine’s 2017 profile of Chan, the Hong Kong-based actor discussed how he strived for something different in each movie – a different script, character, and version of Jackie Chan. He wanted to be seen as an action star and a performer who could do it all! While his expertise lies within this genre, he hopes that his variety of movies shows us enough about him on an artistic level.
From comedies to action thrillers, Jackie Chan’s ever-evolving performance continues to captivate audiences with each new movie he stars in.
Speaking with GQ, the “Rush Hour” actor discussed how difficult it was for East Asian actors to remain relevant and memorable; he suggested that to achieve this feat, performers should diversify their roles and explore different film genres. He seemed especially inspired by Sylvester Stallone’s career trajectory as an example of what could be achieved through such dedication.
“If I’m [to] continue on in the film industry … I have to change. Otherwise, you gone. You see—in Japan. Korea. America. China. Hong Kong. How many action star all gone? Only few can stay. Stallone’s different. He’s a legend. Other action stars already gone.”
Chan also enlightened us about the success of Hollywood icons like Clint Eastwood, Al Pacino, and Robert De Niro in dominating multiple roles within the film industry—having transitioned from acting to directing and producing movies. This is something that has piqued his interest as well.
“So that’s why I’m looking for a different script, different character, different Jackie Chan. I want the audience to look at Jackie Chan as an actor. Not the action star. Actor who can fight. Look at Clint Eastwood. If he continues to ‘Make my day’? Gone. So he changes to directing. He changes some other things. Look at Al Pacino. Robert De Niro. I wanna be an Asian Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino.”
The actor wants more for his movies.
Chan desires to create films that will make history and linger in the minds of generations long after their release, much like “Titanic” and “Avatar,” capturing new fans each time they are shared. Chan famously said:
“I want the movie not just finished, released, gone … I don’t want to make a movie, boom, finish, release one month, gone.”
Jackie Chan has been in the film industry for over half a century, from appearing in over a hundred motion pictures to directing his works. Despite risking injury time and again due to performing all of his stunts himself, he never ceases to be ambitious. Whenever he is seen on screen, Chan always portrays a righteous character, either struggling against the forces of evil or going up against tremendous odds. Yet now and then, he will surprise us with a poignant performance in films like “The Foreigner” or “The Karate Kid” that transcends his action-packed roles—as if to remind us about what we have already known all along: Jackie Chan can do anything!
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