In-Conversation with Jackie Chan

Jackie Chan’s winning combination of cheeky humour and dazzling action stunts – almost all of which he does himself – has made him, in the words of one academic critic, the most recognised star in the world. Born in Hong Kong in 1954, Chan was sent at the age of seven to a Peking Opera School, where he soon excelled in acting, singing, acrobatics and several strands of martial arts. A huge boom in martial arts movies kept him busy from his teens until the success of Drunken Master (1978) propelled him into Hong Kong’s A-list; 20 years later, Rush Hour did the same thing for him in the United States. In 2021, it was calculated that his films had grossed over US$2.17 billion in China and US$1.84 billion in North America, although fans are usually keener to list the injuries he has sustained by leaping from buildings, sliding down roofs and – most painfully of all, according to Jackie – being hit in the face by a num-chuk by Bruce Lee. He has directed 10 films himself and, as a trained singer with a parallel career as a recording artist, sung many of his films’ theme tunes; unsurprisingly, given his range of skills, he currently holds the record for the most credits on a single film. His numerous honours include an Oscar presented in 2016 to mark his “extraordinary achievements” in film.