Jackie Chan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Yang Berbahagia Datuk
Jackie Chan
SBS MBE PMW
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Chan in 2012
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| Member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference | |||||||||||||||||||||
| In office March 2013 – March 2023 |
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| Born |
Chan Kong-sang
7 April 1954 British Hong Kong |
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| Spouse | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 2, including Jaycee Chan | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation |
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| Awards | Full list | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Musical career | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Genres | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Years active | 1962–present | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Birth name | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 陳港生 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 陈港生 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | Chan the [Hong] Kong-born | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Stage name | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 成龍 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 成龙 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | Becoming the Dragon | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Real name | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 房仕龍 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 房仕龙 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Jackie Chan (born April 7, 1954, as Chan Kong-sang) is a world-famous actor, stuntman, and film director from Hong Kong. He is known for his amazing acrobatic fighting style and funny movies. Jackie Chan has starred in over 150 films during his career, which has lasted more than sixty years. He is loved by fans all over the world for his daring stunts and unique humor.
Contents
Early Life
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Jackie Chan was born in Hong Kong. His parents, Charles and Lee-lee Chan, were refugees. This means they had to leave their home because of the Chinese Civil War. His birth name, Chan Kong-sang, means "born in Hong Kong." When he was a baby, people called him "Bao Bao," which means "cannonball." This was because he was a very energetic child!
His parents worked for the French Consul in Hong Kong. Jackie spent his early years living on the consul's property. When Jackie was six, his family moved to Canberra, Australia. But the next year, his parents sent him back to Hong Kong. He went to attend the China Drama Academy.
Education and Training
From age seven, Jackie studied at the China Drama Academy. This was a special school for Peking Opera. It was run by a teacher named Master Yu Jim-yuen. Life at the academy was very hard. Students had to work a lot and were given little food. They were also punished if they made mistakes. But Jackie worked hard and became very good at martial arts, acrobatics, singing, and acting.
While at the academy, Jackie joined a performance group. It was called "The Seven Little Fortunes." This group included some of Jackie's best friends, like Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao. They trained and performed together. They showed off their skills in many shows. Jackie's stage name then was Yuen Lo.
Early Career
Jackie started his film career when he was very young. He first appeared in the movie Big and Little Wong Tin Bar (1962) at age five. As a child actor, he had small parts in other films. This helped him gain experience in the movie world.
After finishing school in 1971, Jackie worked as a stuntman. A stuntman is someone who performs dangerous actions for movies. One of his first jobs was in the Bruce Lee film Fist of Fury (1972). He even did a very high fall. Many people, including Bruce Lee, were impressed by his bravery.
Breakthrough Films
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In the mid-1970s, Jackie began getting bigger roles. These were in kung fu movies. But he did not want to be just like Bruce Lee. Instead, he created his own special style. He mixed martial arts with comedy.
His big break came in 1978 with the film Snake in the Eagle's Shadow. This movie was very popular. It showed off Jackie's funny and acrobatic fighting. Later that year, he starred in Drunken Master. This was another huge success. These films made Jackie a major star in Hong Kong movies.
Rise to Global Fame
In the 1980s, Jackie got more control over his films. He often worked as a producer and director. He even wrote and sang the theme songs for his movies. He started doing more difficult and dangerous stunts. These stunts became his special trademark.
Some of his most famous films from this time are the Project A series and the Police Story series. Project A (1983) brought a new style of action comedy. It had amazing stunts. Police Story (1985) was another big hit. It showed Jackie's incredible fight scenes and brave stunts.
Hollywood Success
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Jackie tried to become famous in Hollywood in the early 1980s. But his first few films there were not very successful. However, he did not give up. In 1995, his film Rumble in the Bronx became a hit in North America. This made him a well-known star.
This success led to more Hollywood roles. He starred in the Rush Hour series with Chris Tucker. He also made the Shanghai Noon series with Owen Wilson. These movies were very popular. They made Jackie Chan a household name around the world.
Later Career
Even after becoming famous in Hollywood, Jackie kept making films in Hong Kong. He also tried different types of roles. These included more serious, dramatic parts. In 2010, he starred in The Karate Kid. This was a new version of the 1984 film. In it, he played a kung fu master.
In 2011, Jackie made his 100th film, 1911. This was a historical drama about the Chinese revolution. He still makes movies today. He continues to show his talents in action, comedy, and drama.
Musical Career
Besides acting, Jackie Chan is also a great singer. He took singing lessons as a child. This was at the Peking Opera School. In the 1980s, he started releasing music albums. Since then, he has become a successful singer in Hong Kong and Asia. He has released over 20 albums. He has sung in Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese, Taiwanese, and English. Many of his films also feature his songs as their main theme music.
Stunt Work
Jackie Chan is famous for doing his own stunts. No matter how dangerous they are, he performs them himself. He has been hurt many times during his career. These injuries include broken bones, dislocations, and cuts. Even with the risks, he insists on doing his own stunts. He wants to give his audience the most exciting and real experience.
In 1983, Jackie created the Jackie Chan Stunt Team. This group of skilled stunt performers works with Jackie. They help him create his amazing action scenes. The team is known for their incredible skills. They are also known for being willing to do daring stunts.
Philanthropy
Jackie Chan is also known for his charity work. He has been involved in many good causes for over twenty years. In 1988, he started the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation. This foundation helps young people who are in need. It offers medical services, disaster relief, and scholarships.
In 2004, he created the Dragon's Heart Foundation. This helps children and older people in poor areas of China. The foundation builds schools and gives help to those who need it. Jackie is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. He has worked to support protecting nature, animals, and helping after disasters.
Personal Life
In 1981, Chan met Taiwanese actress Joan Lin. They got married in Los Angeles in December 1982. Their son, Jaycee Chan, was born the next day. Joan Lin stopped acting after their marriage. However, she had a small role in CZ12 (2012), playing Chan's wife.
Jackie is a big fan of the Italian actors Bud Spencer and Terence Hill. He got ideas for his movies from their work.
Awards and Recognition
Jackie Chan has received many awards and honors. He has stars on both the Hong Kong Avenue of Stars and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2016, he received an honorary Academy Award. This was for his "extraordinary achievements" in film.
He has also won many Hong Kong Film Awards, MTV Movie Awards, and People's Choice Awards. In 2015, he earned two Guinness World Records. One was for having the most credits in one movie (Chinese Zodiac). The other was for doing the most stunts by a living actor.
United Kingdom :
- Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) (1989)
Federal Territory (Malaysia) :
Commander of the Order of the Territorial Crown (PMW) – Datuk (2015)
- 2002 motion pictures star at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard on the Walk of Fame.
- The Jackie Chan Action Movie Awards, held at the Shanghai International Film Festival since 2015, is named after Jackie Chan.
Impact
Jackie Chan is more than just an actor. He is a cultural icon. His special mix of martial arts, comedy, and brave stunts has inspired many filmmakers and performers. He helped bring kung fu movies to people all over the world. He has also inspired people of all ages to follow their dreams.
Interesting Facts About Jackie Chan
- Chan is seen as one of the most famous and important martial artists in movie history.
- In 2015, Forbes magazine said he was worth about $350 million. By 2016, he was the second-highest-paid actor in the world.
- In the 1970s, Chan worked as a construction worker. A fellow worker named Jack helped him. Because of this, Chan was nicknamed "Little Jack," which later became "Jackie."
- Chan speaks Cantonese, Mandarin, English, and American Sign Language. He also knows some German, Korean, Japanese, Spanish, and Thai.
- He loves football. He supports the Hong Kong national football team, the England national football team, and Manchester City.
- The animated TV show Jackie Chan Adventures (2000–2005) is about a made-up version of Chan.
- Jackie is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
Jackie Chan Quotes
- "The best fights are the ones we avoid."
- "Life will knock us down, but we can choose whether or not to stand back up."
- "Nothing makes me more determined to succeed than someone telling me something's impossible."
- "You don't need a reason to be nice to someone."
- "I never wanted to be the next Bruce Lee. I just wanted to be the first Jackie Chan."
- "Being still and doing nothing are two completely different things."
Filmography
See also
In Spanish: Jackie Chan para niños
- Hong Kong action cinema
