Do not try to be Jackie, Jackie is the one and only…
Honored with a star on the Walk of Fame in Los Angeles and another on Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong
Jackie Chan, by real name Cheng Long (成龙), was born on April 7, 1954, in Victoria Peak, Hong Kong.
He is an actor, director, script writer, fighting coreographer, producer, martial arts expert, entrepreneur, singer and stuntman. He starred in over 100 movies and received 29 awards.
He debuted in 1960, with the movie ‚Big and Little Wong Tin Bar’.
During years, the famous actor was involved and promoted a series of charity projects.
In 1988, he founded the charity foundation bearing his name, Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation.
In 2004, Chan started his activity as a GoodWill Ambassador from UNICEF during a visit to Cambodia. After the 2008 devastating earthquake in the Chinese province Sichuan, he donated €1 mil to benefit the distressed people.
Jackie Chan opened his own production company – JCE Movies Limited- in 2003 and one year later, he launched his clothing line, featuring a Chinese dragon as a logo, along with the word ‚Jackie’.
He is also the owner of a sushi restaurant chain in Hong Kong, South Korea, Hawaii and Las Vegas, as well as of a string of coffee shops in Beijing, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and the Philippines.
Good-humoured and pleasant to be around to, Jackie Chan will give one piece of advice to his young fans, ‚Do not try to be Jackie, he is the one and only. Instead, please be good with computers.’
While in Bucharest to launch his most recent movie – The Chinese Zodiac – Jackie Chan gave us an exclusive interview, to be read below.
What made you start making movies? Why action/comedy?
I came from a very poor family and my parents put me in the Peking Opera School in Hong Kong when I was 6. I didn’t have a choice because I didn’t have education. I followed Sammo Hung to become a stunt guy, then stunt double, then stunt director, then actor and director. Why action comedy?! It’s because I was not Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee’s movies were very serious. I need to be different from him. So when he kicked high, I kicked low; he was serious and I was funny; and he was a super hero, and I was an ordinary guy who will get hurt.
Which success brought you the greatest happiness?
I would say when audience all over the world loves my movie.
Name your favorite actor/ favorite movie?
Just to name a few, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton. But I forgot the movie names.
Do you consider yourself a successful man?
I consider myself a lucky man.
Do you like gambling? If yes, which is your favorite place to
gamble?
No, I don’t like to gamble. Because when I was 18 before my
father returned to Australia, he reminded me three things he did not
like me to involve. Not to join the gangster in Hong Kong, No gambling and No drugs.
What do you know about Romania?
As a guy from Hong Kong, I know Romania through Olympics, World Cup and Tennis tournaments. I really look forward to visit Mamaia and the Dracula Castle, but unfortunately I only stay here for 6 hours.
