Jackie Chan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yang Berbahagia Datuk Jackie Chan SBS MBE PMW
Chan in 2024
Member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
In office March 2013 – March 2023
Personal details
Born	Chan Kong-sang (1954-04-07) 7 April 1954 (age 71) British Hong Kong
Spouse	Joan Lin ​ (m. 1982)​
Children	2, including Jaycee Chan
Occupation	Martial artist actor director writer producer action choreographer singer stunt director stunt performer
Awards	Full list
Signature
Musical career
Genres	Cantopop Mandopop Hong Kong English pop J-pop
Years active	1962–present
Birth name
Traditional Chinese	陳港生
Simplified Chinese	陈港生
Literal meaning	Chan the [Hong] Kong-born
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Chén Gǎngshēng Bopomofo ㄔㄣˊ ㄍㄤˇ ㄕㄥ Wade–Giles Chʻen2 Kang3-sheng1 Tongyong Pinyin Chén Gǎng-sheng IPA [ʈʂʰə̌n kàŋ.ʂə́ŋ] Yue: Cantonese IPA [tsʰɐ̏n kɔ̌ːŋ sɐ́ŋ] Jyutping can4 gong2 sang1
Stage name
Traditional Chinese	成龍
Simplified Chinese	成龙
Literal meaning	Becoming the Dragon
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Chéng Lóng Bopomofo ㄔㄥˊ ㄌㄨㄥˊ Wade–Giles Chʻeng2 Lung2 Tongyong Pinyin Chéng Lóng IPA [ʈʂʰə̌ŋ lʊ̌ŋ] Yue: Cantonese IPA [sȅŋ lȍŋ] Jyutping sing4 lung4
Real name
Traditional Chinese	房仕龍
Simplified Chinese	房仕龙
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Fáng Shìlóng Bopomofo ㄈㄤˊ ㄕˋ ㄌㄨㄥˊ Wade–Giles Fang2 Shih4-lung2 Tongyong Pinyin Fáng Shìh-lóng IPA [fǎŋ ʂɻ̩̂.lʊ̌ŋ] Yue: Cantonese IPA [fɔ̏ːŋ sìː lȍŋ] Jyutping fong4 si6 lung4

Jackie Chan (born Chan Kong-sang on April 7, 1954) is a world-famous martial artist, actor, and filmmaker from Hong Kong. He is known for his unique fighting style, which mixes amazing acrobatics with comedy. He is also famous for performing his own dangerous stunts in his movies.

Chan has been in the movie business for over sixty years and is considered one of the most important martial artists in film history. His movies have earned billions of dollars all over the world. He became a huge star in America with the hit movie Rush Hour and has also voiced characters in popular animated films like Kung Fu Panda.

He is one of the most recognized movie stars in the world. Chan has received many awards for his work, including an honorary Academy Award. He has stars on both the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Hong Kong Avenue of Stars.

Early Life and Training

Jackie Chan was born in Hong Kong. His parents, Charles and Lee-lee Chan, had moved there from mainland China. When he was a boy, his father moved to Australia for work. Jackie was sent to the China Drama Academy, a special school for Peking Opera.

At this school, he trained for ten years in martial arts, acrobatics, singing, and acting. The training was very tough. He became one of the best students in a group called the Seven Little Fortunes. At the school, he became good friends with Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao. The three of them would later star in many movies together and were known as the "Three Dragons."

When he was a teenager, he briefly joined his parents in Australia and worked in construction. A builder named Jack was kind to him, and he earned the nickname "Little Jack," which later became "Jackie."

Film Career

How He Got Started

Chan began his movie career as a child actor in small roles. When he was a teenager, he worked as a stuntman. He even appeared in two Bruce Lee movies, Fist of Fury and Enter the Dragon.

In 1976, a film producer offered him a leading role. They tried to make him the "next Bruce Lee," but the serious style didn't fit him. The movies were not successful. Chan knew he needed to create his own unique style.

Creating a New Style

Chan's big break came in 1978 with the movie Snake in the Eagle's Shadow. For the first time, he was allowed to do his own style of action. He mixed amazing kung fu with funny moments, creating a new genre called comedic kung fu. The audience loved it.

That same year, he starred in Drunken Master, which made him a huge star in Asia. He then started directing his own movies, like The Fearless Hyena.

Success in Hong Kong and Asia

Throughout the 1980s, Chan's movies became incredibly popular. He, Sammo Hung, and Yuen Biao starred in hit films like Project A. This movie was the first to feature the official Jackie Chan Stunt Team. It also showed off his signature style: amazing stunts, martial arts, and physical comedy.

In 1985, he made Police Story, a crime film famous for its dangerous stunts. In one scene, he slid down a metal pole covered in lights, suffering burns and injuring his back. He also starred in successful sequels like Police Story 2 and Armour of God.

Hollywood Breakthrough

Chan on the USS Kitty Hawk in 2002.

Although he was a huge star in Asia, Chan had trouble finding success in America at first. In 1995, his movie Rumble in the Bronx was released worldwide and finally got the attention of American audiences.

His biggest Hollywood success came in 1998 when he starred with Chris Tucker in the action-comedy Rush Hour. The movie was a massive hit and made Jackie Chan a true Hollywood star. He went on to make two popular sequels. He also starred in other successful American films like Shanghai Noon with Owen Wilson.

A Global Superstar

Chan on the set of CZ12 in 2012.

Chan continued to make movies in both Hollywood and Hong Kong. He starred in more serious films like New Police Story and action-comedies like Rob-B-Hood. In 2008, he starred with fellow martial arts legend Jet Li for the first time in The Forbidden Kingdom.

He also began doing more voice acting. He voiced Master Monkey in the Kung Fu Panda movies and Splinter in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. In 2010, he played the wise mentor Mr. Han in the remake of The Karate Kid starring Jaden Smith.

For his 2012 film CZ12, he earned two Guinness World Records: one for "Most Stunts Performed by a Living Actor" and another for "Most Credits in One Movie."

Amazing Stunts and Acting Style

Jackie Chan trying on a fighter pilot's helmet.

Jackie Chan is famous for performing his own stunts. He does this with the help of his skilled Jackie Chan Stunt Team, which he started in 1983. His stunts are known for being very creative and dangerous.

Some of his most famous stunts include:

• Falling from a tall clock tower in Project A.
• Sliding down a pole covered in exploding lights in Police Story.
• Jumping from a rooftop to a small balcony in Rumble in the Bronx.

Because his stunts are so dangerous, he has been injured many times. He has broken his nose, cheekbones, fingers, and even fractured his skull. Many of his films show these painful mistakes in the outtakes during the closing credits.

Unlike the serious characters played by Bruce Lee, Chan's characters are usually kind, funny, and a little clumsy. They are regular guys who get into trouble but always find a way to win. This likable personality has made him popular with audiences of all ages.

Other Work and Personal Life

Music and Charity

Chan singing with Qin Hailu in Shanghai in 2006.

Besides acting, Chan is also a talented singer. He has released many albums and often sings the theme songs for his own movies. He even sang "I'll Make a Man Out of You" for the Chinese version of Disney's Mulan.

Chan is also known for his charity work. He is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and started the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation in 1988. His foundations help young people, build schools in poor areas, and provide aid after natural disasters. He has said he plans to give away half of his money to charity.

Family

In 1982, Chan married Taiwanese actress Joan Lin. They have a son, Jaycee Chan, who is also an actor and singer. Chan also has a daughter. He is a big fan of football and supports the Hong Kong and England national teams.

Legacy and Impact

Jackie Chan's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Jackie Chan with Indian actor Vijay in 2008.

Jackie Chan has had a huge impact on the film industry and pop culture. Many filmmakers, like Quentin Tarantino and Edgar Wright, have praised his work. His action style has influenced countless movies, including The Matrix, Kung Fu Panda, and John Wick.

He has been mentioned in songs, TV shows, and video games. The popular anime Dragon Ball was inspired by his early films. The movement known as parkour was also inspired by his amazing acrobatic skills.

Chan has received many honors for his work. He has stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Hong Kong Avenue of Stars. In 2016, he received an honorary Academy Award for his incredible contributions to film.

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."

Images for kids

• 

  Jackie Chan at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.

• 

  Chan at a press conference for the movie Little Big Soldier in 2010.

• 

  William, Prince of Wales, with Jackie Chan at a conference on The Illegal Wildlife Trade in 2014.

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  Chan's handprints on the Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong.

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  Chan at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival.

Filmography

Discography

Awards and nominations

See also

In Spanish: Jackie Chan para niños

• Hong Kong action cinema
• Jackie Chan Hill