Jackie Chan accomplished a feat that no Asian actor of his era could match – he became a renowned Hollywood action star. Chan impressed the American audience with his slick stunt scenes and physical comedy. The Police Story actor gained a substantial following in North America following the release of his 1995 film, Rumble in the Bronx.
Chan secured leading roles in successful movie franchises such as Rush Hour and Shanghai Noon, alongside American actors Chris Tucker and Owen Wilson. However, the journey to stardom was far from smooth for The Karate Kid actor in Hollywood.
Jackie Chan Struggled With This One Thing That Overshadowed His Stunt Skills
Jackie Chan hailed from Hong Kong and spoke his native language of Cantonese. When he transitioned to Hollywood, one of the most challenging barriers was his language skills. While Chan made every possible effort to learn English, the industry was not always very kind to Chan about it. The Project A actor opened up about this issue during his appearance on the Chinese variety show, Memories Beyond Horizon, alongside the cast members.
While talking to the aspiring actors on the show, Chan shared his difficulties in cracking through the ranks of Hollywood. One contestant in the show asked about his insecurities to which Chan explained the English language issue he faced at the start of his career. The Armour of God actor revealed to the contestants on Memories Beyond Horizon:
“When I went to America to film, my English was terrible… I had to spend a month just to memorize a single line — even when I was sleeping, I would read the line in my dreams. Many words that I wanted to say, I couldn’t. It was very frustrating.”
While the Kung Fu Yoga actor shared his experience, the screen even displayed one of his blooper scenes from Rush Hour, where he mistakenly said “cheese” instead of “freeze”. Further, Chan explained that when he pronounced the dialogue “Get rid of the gun” correctly, the entire crew was more delighted than when he perfected his stunt sequences.
Jackie Chan Even Contemplated Quitting The American Showbiz
Jackie Chan’s English skills came under scrutiny several times and were subjected to ridicule by a section of the audience at the time. The crew members of his action movies cared more about his dialogue delivery than his fantastic, edge-of-the-seat action scenes. Chan revealed that he had to practice with an English teacher every day, even during breaks between takes. This took a toll on The Myth actor to the extent that he even considered quitting the industry. Chan shared on the show:
“No one cared about whether my action sequences and scenes were good. They only praised me when I got my lines right! After that, I had to immediately return to my car to practice with my English teacher, and as I was practising, I told myself, ‘I can’t continue like this.’ So I gave up on American showbiz.”
The Shanghai Knights actor also became frustrated with the limited range of roles he was offered in Hollywood. But The Foreigner actor made a triumphant return to Hollywood, breaking all the language barriers and establishing an identity for himself in the industry. The Accidental Spy actor also wanted the young aspiring actors on the show to look out for themselves, be it in any industry. Chan shared with the contestants of the show:
“Truthfully, I’ve already crossed many difficult bridges and made it easier for you to live out your lives [as actors], so you can avoid taking these harder routes and head in the right direction.”
Jackie Chan emerged as a sensation in Hollywood, a dream few actors can realize. While he almost crumbled under the pressure, Chan’s courage helped him to turn his limitations into assets. His commitment to passing on this courage to the next generation of Chinese actors is truly commendable.
Source: Memories Beyond Horizon YOUKU SHOW – YouTube
