During his childhood, he suffered from terrible poverty. He was not academically bright. He failed to pass Primary One. He is JACKIE CHAN.
He said he had struggled with life at first as a stuntman, not being able to read or write and having little education because he was too busy pulling pranks and picking fights “just for fun”. His father sent him to boarding school at a young age where he was forced to learn martial arts.
Becoming Bruce Lee’s stuntman
In 1971, he was signed on to work as a stunt double for films featuring none other than Bruce Lee himself. Jackie was stars truck as he stood behind the camera, watching Lee deliver lightning-fast blows.
At one point, Bruce accidentally hit Jackie in the head with a stick while filming. The young actor recalls taking the opportunity to pretend he was in serious pain, in an effort to keep Bruce’s attention on him for as long as possible.
Innovating the Hong Kong movie industry
At 21 years old, Jackie Chan was called back to Hong Kong to star in a movie called New Fist of Fury, directed by Lo Wei. His previous stunt work had finally been noticed, and so the budding star was featured in a string of Kung Fu movies. None were successful.
Jackie was hurt, miserable, and forced to rethink his plan of action. He decided he didn’t want to become the “next Bruce Lee”. He wanted to be the first Jackie Chan. Jackie Chan has continued to stun and delight audiences with his innovative antics.
However, he didn’t reach his Hollywood A-list status solely through his ability to throw a mean punch.
Breaking into Hollywood and hard-earned success
By now, Jackie Chan was the highest-paid actor in Hong Kong and had reached celebrity status across Asia. He was “too famous” to be touched by the Triad and the unintended feud soon settled.
In the 1980’s, Jackie Chan success had earned him full creative control over his movies. He took on more than anyone on the set, from directing to performing the theme songs. But Asia wasn’t the limit. Jackie wanted to make it in Hollywood.
Since then, Jackie Chan has starred in a series of blockbusters which finally put him on the Hollywood A-list. From Rush Hour to Kung Fu Panda, his roles have continued to entertain audiences worldwide.
Looking back on his harsh childhood training and countless movie failures, Jackie Chan can’t help but smile. He doesn’t regret any of his hurdles, as one way or another, they all inspired him to think differently and work even harder.
With his cheeky smile and worn-out jeans, the simplicity and can-do attitude of this avid soccer fan is nothing less than charming. He shares his words of wisdom to others in imperfect English, hoping to inspire someone to keep fighting for their dreams. When asked how anyone can get to where he is now, Jackie smiles and simply says,
Never give up.
