Will you believe it if we tell you that despite working in three Kung Fu Panda films together, Jack Black once admitted he has never actually met Jackie Chan (in person)?
Black and Chan’s long-awaited reunion could have been one of those moments that will live in memory forever. Well, no, it took place in a very covert manner. Yes, the dynamic duo finally met in a probably highly unplanned and secretive manner after dazzling audiences for many years with their incredible talent in one of the most successful franchises—the Kung Fu Panda films.
The duo first appeared together in Kung Fu Panda, an action-comedy blockbuster, in 2008. With their flawless comedic timing and mastery of the martial arts, their chemistry captivated audiences and cemented their status as entertainment legends with the success of the movie.
Jack Black and Jackie Chan Finally Met After 10 Years of Collaboration?
With their characters, Po Ping and Monkey growing in popularity, Jack Black and Jackie Chan continued to enthrall audiences in two more Kung Fu Panda sequels over time.
In one of his earlier appearances on TBS’ Conan talk show, Black expressed regret at having never met the actor in person despite working with him for such a long time:
“We have worked together literally for 10 years, side by side, on one of the most successful franchises of all time. But never met the man—never so much as a high five; not even a glance from across the room. We have never been within hundreds of yards of each other.”
Then, recounting an incident from “a couple of weeks ago”, when he had the opportunity to meet the Little Tiger of Canton actor, he said:
“So recently, like a couple of weeks ago, in China, in Shanghai, and I’m doing a junket, doing some interviews, talking about the movie, and then a dude comes up and says, ‘Mr. Chan would like to speak with you.’ I was like, ‘yeah, I am following’.”
He recalled how he left mid-interview to meet Chan while sharing that experience:
“Then I left the middle of the interview, and we went to a special elevator. [Oh my god] This is happening because I have been dying to meet him and we get to a special hotel suite penthouse. Jackie Chan is famous everywhere, but in Shanghai, he is like a god.”
He was so overwhelmed by their meeting that he paused to add:
“And then I saw this man, and his aura was just glowing. We had like this powerful shake and we had like amazing eye contact, transferal of energies and he said, ‘think of a movie; we’d do it.’”
Jack Black Wanted To Know What Jackie Chan Had For Breakfast
Being one of the most adored acting teams in movie history, Jack Black and Jackie Chan have been enthralling audiences all over the world for many years. From their initial partnership in the action-comedy blockbuster Kung Fu Panda to its exhilarating sequels, their partnership has experienced astounding success.
Despite co-starring in all three Kung Fu Panda films with the Rush Hour actor, Black, 54, once admitted to SI Kids that he has yet to meet the legendary martial artist:
“You know what’s crazy? This is the third Kung Fu Panda movie and I have still not met Jackie Chan. Impossible right? But not impossible, because when we go into record we go in alone and they put our voices together for the movie. If we ever do meet, I will have many questions for Jackie.”
As he recalled in the interview, he even planned what he would do after meeting Chan:
“First, I’d ask him why did he steal my name? And then I’d ask him, What is his secret to his long, long career? What does he eat for breakfast? That’s what I’d ask him.”
Black did not even hesitate to mention the following when asked who his Kung Fu idols were:
“You gotta go with Bruce Lee. He’s the first megastar kung fu master. And he wasn’t just an actor, you know. He was a real kung fu champion. But I also really like Jackie Chan. He’s awesome. He’s been doing it for 40 years – it’s impossible. He’s been doing kung fu movies longer than Kobe’s been in basketball.”
The three computer-generated animations that make the Kung Fu Panda franchise are Kung Fu Panda (2008), Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011), and Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016). Meanwhile, a fourth film is in development, with a release date set for March 8, 2024.
You can stream Kung Fu Panda films on Netflix.
