When one resorts to doing most of their stunts on their own, there are bound to be some physical repercussions. And in Jackie Chan’s case, things are more than just a few broken ankles, which isn’t surprising following the Rush Hour Star’s fixation with pulling off the riskiest stunts on his own.
And while the Hong Kong legend has parted ways with stunts in recent years, this wasn’t before some near-death experiences, which left the actor gravely injured. But nothing comes close to the severity of his situation on the set of the 1986 movie Armour of God, for which the actor had to undergo an 8-hour brain Surgery.
Jackie Chan Fell Headfirst on a Rocky Surface After a Stunt Gone Wrong in Armour of God
From sustaining an eye injury in Drunken Master to wounding his neck after falling from the top of a clock tower in Police Story, suffering injuries on set was just another Tuesday for him back in the day. But arguably, the most dangerous accident, which almost took his life, occurred on the set of action-adventure Armour of God.
In the movie, for the action scene that needed him to jump into a tree branch from the castle wall, Jackie Chan was adamant about a retake after he wasn’t satisfied with the first shot. Unfortunately, during the second take, the branch broke, leading him to fall headfirst onto the rocky surface below. And what followed was an 8-hour brain surgery that involved fitting a plastic plate into his head. Although it didn’t have any long-lasting impact on his health, the injury did leave him hard of hearing in one ear.
Also read: “I’ve secret door everywhere”: Jackie Chan’s Secret Home in Hong Kong is Inspired From a Batcave
Jackie Chan Once Shed Light on His Only Fear
Surprisingly, for a guy who has grown numb to near-fatal injuries, Jackie Chan’s biggest fear involves syringe needles. While the actor had no problem breaking his bones to ensure the utmost entertainment for his viewers, the Rush Hour Star once jokingly revealed that it’s the normal health procedure that petrifies him the most. He said,
“I’ve always been afraid of injections. I have never feared for anything else except the syringe. Snakes, roaches and rats can’t scare me, but I will be terrified by the sight of syringes. Imagine a needle in your flesh and a tube of liquid injected in your body… So scary!”
Chan being Chan, the traumatic brain surgery did little to stop him from jumping back onto the bandwagon of risking his life for entertainment, as he’d return for a sequel to Armour of God in 1991.
