Jackie Chan has achieved in Hollywood what many actors could only dream of. He emerged as a known action star in the industry after coming from a different film industry, armed with only broken English. The Karate Kid actor opened up about the pathetic state of ‘real’ action stars while promoting his recent film about a stunt performer, Ride On. Chan teared up at the fact that he has no potential successors in the film industry.
Chan blamed the industry for this situation as they prioritized looks over genuine talent. While his revelation addressed his native industry Hong Kong, the same holds for Hollywood where there is no actor capable of stepping into his shoes.
Jackie Chan Tearfully Claims That No Actor Can Succeed Him
Jackie Chan recently revealed the challenging nature for emerging talents to catch up to his legacy, considering the industry’s focus on looks rather than abilities. During a promotional interview for his recent film, Ride On, Chan shared that he had always wanted to find a worthy successor but it was made difficult by the industry standards. According to the Police Story actor, even with all the martial arts skills in the world, stunt actors faced significant barriers to success.
Chan shared that the big studios hesitate to invest 50 to 60 million yuan (approximately $7 million to $9 million) in a movie starring a skilled martial artist. The Accidental Spy actor choked up while sharing this unfortunate state of the industry, where attractive and popular stars easily find gigs, leaving stunt actors, who risk their lives, in the shadows. Chan shared in his interview (via 8days):
“I used to really want to find a second Jackie Chan but it’s very difficult. For those who are good at martial arts, is there a boss out there who’s willing to find a good director, and fork out 50 to 60mil yuan (S$11mil to S$9mil) to produce a movie [for them]? They won’t.”
Despite his sad reflection on the state of stunt actors, the Kung Fu Yoga actor remains optimistic about a brighter future for those in the profession. Chan shared that he looked forward to the second coming of the golden era of action films.
Jackie Chan’s Emotional Scene In Ride On Went Viral
Jackie Chan’s tears were probably real in one scene from the movie, Ride On, where he played an old-school stunt performer. In the scene, Chan’s character Lao Luo takes an emotional ride down memory lane with his on-screen daughter played by Liu Haocun. The clip went viral and many fans believed that it was real and that Haocun was Chan’s actual daughter.
The footage used in the scene was Chan’s real-life stunts in movies like Project A and Police Story. It showed Chan getting hurt while performing the stunts in the film. Haocun’s character asks Chan, “Were you in any pain?”, to which he responds with, “a lot.” The clip ends with both characters breaking down in tears.
Ride On is now available for streaming on Hoopla. Chan is set to appear in the Hollywood projects, Kung Fu Panda 4 and Rush Hour 4.
