The famous actor, director and martial artist Jackie Chan has been winning people's hearts with his talent and wonderful stunts for many years. He is little known as a singer, however, he has already recorded more than 20 albums of songs. Jackie Chan's biography was complex, and the path to success was difficult and full of work. Looking at photographs of the fit and energetic actor, many wonder how old Jackie Chan is. As of 2019, his age is 65 years.
Childhood and youth
Chan is Chinese by nationality and was born on April 7, 1954. The future actor was born in Hong Kong. The boy's mother and father, Lily and Charles Chan, were poor political emigrants from China at that time. Their financial situation was so difficult that when their son was born, Charles had to borrow money from friends to pay for medical care. Soon the parents managed to find work at the French embassy.
As a child, Jackie was a lively and active child. The father began to teach his son to practice kung fu early. He believed that this would help instill in him perseverance, patience and courage. A few years later, the Chan family had to leave for Australia due to ongoing political persecution. They took their son with them, but soon took him back to Hong Kong and enrolled him in the Peking Opera School at the Chinese Theater Academy. Jackie studied there for 10 years.
At school they studied martial arts, acting, vocals, and acrobatics. Strict discipline reigned there; those who were guilty were punished with a stick. Unfortunately, general education subjects were not studied there. The boy didn’t really like studying there, but his parents were far away.
Jackie studied hard and soon became one of the best students in school. He even joined the “Seven Lucky Men” ensemble of the best students who gave performances in Hong Kong and abroad. Then he, together with two boys from the ensemble, organized the show group “Three Brothers” or “Three Dragons”.
After graduation, it turned out that there was nowhere to work, as Chinese opera had become unpopular in Hong Kong. The boy, who could not read and write well, was left with either physical labor or work as a stuntman. Chan chose the second and soon realized that cinema was his calling.
Mao costume
© Steve Granitz
© Frederick M. Brown
Jackie Chan is proud of his origin and tries in every possible way to emphasize this. Since the 1990s, his favorite red carpet ensemble has been the Mao suit. This model has a long history. It all started in 1912, when the Republic of China was founded: at that time, the ruling elite tried to abandon the national clothing of past years and change into European style. Local technologists began to think about how to modernize Chinese folk costume so that it resembles a Western costume. This is how sets of wide trousers and a jacket with patch pockets appeared. Supporters of the Communist Party began to wear these costumes. Later, political leaders demanded a slight change in the appearance of the suit in order to give it symbolism: from seven buttons, five remained (they designated the branches of government), and three fasteners appeared on the cuffs, personifying the folk principles of China.
For a long time, the ensemble was called the “Sun Yat-sen” in honor of one of the country’s most revered political figures, Sun Yat-sen, and then this two-piece became known as the Mao suit, because Mao Zedong constantly wore it. Initially, things were sewn from a single piece of wool or cotton fabric: this is how the Chinese emphasized the unity of the state. But now you can find models made of satin and silk (for example, like on Jackie Chan). Of course, such costumes are now practically never worn in everyday life. They are usually worn on public holidays or special occasions. As you understand, it is not necessary to wear the entire set, but you can wear the jacket separately. You'll have to go to China for a real Mao suit, but perhaps a similar jacket with patch pockets will satisfy you.
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First steps in cinema
To achieve recognition, the actor had to go through a difficult path. Jackie's young life was difficult. In Hong Kong, he starred in episodes and performed stunt tricks. But soon his talent, hard work and acrobatic skills were noticed at the film studio and they began filming him in leading roles. Jackie Chan's height (174 cm), tall for an Asian, played a significant role. The actor received his first role as the main character in the film “The Little Tiger from Kwantung ,” filmed in 1971. He did not get his next role soon - in the comedy “All in the Family” (1975).
Hong Kong cinema was in decline at that time, and it was difficult to find roles, so Jackie went to live with his family in Australia. There he attended Dixon College, where he received his high school education while working in construction. The hard and hopeless work did not suit him, but it was impossible to hope for the best.
Fortunately, in 1976 he was invited to Hong Kong to star in the film “The New Fist of Fury.” In this film, the director tried to emphasize the similarity of the young actor with Bruce Lee. But the picture was not particularly successful, since Chan was not very good at hand-to-hand combat. Nevertheless, he starred in several more similar films. Gradually, Jackie began to develop his own genre of comedy with adventures and street fights, where he demonstrated martial arts and complex stunts.
Career rise
Fame and success came to the young actor after filming the film “The Drunken Master” (1978). There he played a simple-minded and careless young man who defeats his enemies in street fights and achieves success. Gradually, Chan himself becomes a director. He comes up with stunts and scenes in films in which he demonstrates martial arts.
In the eighties, the young director organized his own group of stuntmen and worked with them in his films. He makes the films “Big Brawl”, “Cannonball Race”, “Patron”. They were well received by the public, but they did not bring Chan the fame he dreamed of. Jackie wanted to conquer Hollywood, but he failed, despite many attempts.
The long-awaited recognition came to him in 1995 after the screening of the film Rumble in the Bronx. Then the actor literally woke up famous. Subsequent films made with his participation immediately became hits. Chan became the idol of many; his photos appeared on the walls of houses. Spectators eagerly awaited the appearance of his paintings. Soon new films were released. Their list:
- "First hit";
- "Mr. Cool";
- "Rush Hour" in two parts;
- "Shanghai Noon"
These films generated millions in profit and became Hollywood hits. Many are interested in how the actor achieved such success. There is nothing surprising here. Chan experimented in every painting. He looked for something new, changed his role, and used special effects.
Not all of his films were successful; some were economic failures. The following are considered unsuccessful:
- "The tuxedo";
- "Around the world in 80 Days".
But Jackie did not lose heart and continued filming. The following films brought him success and good fees.
Acting is not Chan's only talent. Little is known about his vocal abilities, but his repertoire includes at least 100 songs. Jackie sings songs in Chinese, English and Japanese. He often writes soundtracks for his films, but, unfortunately, they are often changed in Europe and America.
Multi-colored thick shirts
© Stephane Cardinale - Corbis
© Franziska Krug
Who was definitely ready for self-isolation was Jackie Chan. In his wardrobe there are several warm shirts that make you want to sit at home and not go out anywhere. However, they are also suitable for everyday life. For example, you can wear white trousers, sneakers, a light T-shirt and a funky corduroy shirt and go for a walk or to a bar with friends. If you don’t like a model made of this textured material, then replace it with a version made of thick cotton, flannel or wool. The main thing is, don’t be afraid to choose bright shirts, like Jackie Chan.
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Personal life of the actor
Jackie Chan married Taiwanese actress Lin Fengjiao in the early eighties. Perhaps she is famous in her country, but in Russia she is known as the wife of a beloved and talented actor. They had a son, Jaycee.
But the family life of the acting couple was not cloudless. Actress Elaine Wu Qili claims that she and Chan had an extramarital affair and even have a common daughter, Etta Wu Zholin. But the actor himself does not officially acknowledge this connection. Despite the betrayals and vicissitudes of fate, the Chan family remains an example of strong relationships. He and his wife have been together for many years and have no plans to separate. Jackie Chan's son continued the tradition in the family; he also acts in films and sings.
Another fact from the life of our favorite actor: not a single company wants to give him insurance due to the high risk. Chan often puts his life in danger on set. During his life he received many wounds:
- traumatic brain injuries;
- broken ribs, nose, cheekbones, ankles, sternum;
- fractures of fingers and toes;
- pelvic dislocation.
Some injuries almost caused the death of the actor. In The Drunken Master, he injured the corner of his eye in a fall, which required him to undergo surgery. Due to repeated fractures to his right ankle, the actor can only land on his left foot.
Jackie Chan's extensive filmography includes more than 100 film titles. His activities about. In 2011, the news became known that he would no longer act in action films due to his advanced age. But in 2020, the film “The Foreigner,” a Chinese-British production, was released, where Chan starred with Pierce Brosnan. He plays a serious dramatic role there, again demonstrating martial arts.
Today, the actor lives a quiet life with his family. He is full of energy and creativity. The latest photos posted on Instagram show that he looks good. Chan retained the slender and fit figure that distinguished him in his youth. Its weight is 62 kg.
The public's favorite is not only an actor, but also a famous businessman. He is the owner of a line for the production of cookies and chocolate, a chain of sushi restaurants, sports clubs, and produces his own brand of clothing and shoes. He also wrote several books dedicated to autobiography.
The actor earned an impressive fortune from film royalties. He lives modestly, leads a healthy lifestyle and spends little on himself. According to him, when he, a guy from a poor family, first started receiving large sums of money, he didn’t know what to do with them. The actor bequeathed half of his fortune to charitable foundations.
Jackie Chan today can be called a true living legend. He achieved enormous success thanks to his own perseverance and talent. Millions of people love him, admire him, and imitate him. More than one generation of viewers has known films with the actor’s participation.
Can you guess where Jackie Chan is? And get to know everyone else?
Chan admits that at first, he did not take charity into account. “When I started, people kept asking me to participate in events, and I was too busy, and the answer was always no,” he says, “Then I finally agreed. I remember how confused I was. The kids came up to me and asked what I brought them, and I didn’t know. I didn't do it. Someone else did it for me. They all thanked me and I was ashamed." This was 25 years ago.
Around the same time, Jackie was in Yugoslavia (the film Armor of God) filming a dangerous stunt. He is in the book of records for performing the most difficult stunts, and he has fallen many times, breaking almost every bone in his body. That day he fell on his head and was close to death. “This was one of the first times in my life when I began to think about what I had actually done, for myself, for the country, for society? I thought if I recovered, I would do a lot more for everyone else.”
Note: “The Armor of God” was filmed in Yugoslavia, and after a twenty-hour flight, Jackie had not fully recovered from changing his belts. The “simple trick,” as he puts it, involved jumping from a wall to a tree. This is what Jackie himself says: “I jumped the first time and everything went fine, but I was not happy with the result. The second time I jumped, I missed the branch and fell to the ground. There was a cameraman down there who was filming the stunt from an acute angle, and if he hadn't run away, I would have definitely fallen on top of him, and we would both have been hurt, but not badly. Instead, I fell on my head and hit a rock. A piece of my skull broke off and embedded itself in my brain, and blood immediately began to flow from my ears. The film crew immediately started calling and finding out where there was a hospital nearby that performed brain surgery. And 8 hours later I was on the operating table. The operation was successful and I recovered quickly. Now I have a hole in my head that is covered with a plastic plug to hold my brains in.”
In 2004, he opened his second foundation, the Dragon Heart Foundation, which builds schools and helps children and the elderly in remote parts of China. The most cunning plan for this foundation is to unite children from all over the world to contribute, and he collects all the funds. But global trust is more important than the dollar received. "I want to show you something super special," he says in his Clear Water studio, where one hallway is filled with autographed photographs of celebrities: Robert De Niro, Kevin Costner, Madonna, James Brown and a Miss World or two. On the other side are movie posters and awards.
And Chan leads me to his real treasure. “Look at this,” he says, pulling out a pile of posters colored in crayon and covered with collages, many with dollar bills on them. These are donations from children all over the world. Some are collected by entire classes, others bring directly home or break their piggy banks. “Now, I need to double everything,” he says. “I will never spend any of this. Someday I'll have a museum and hang them on the wall."
Jackie talks about cinemas in China. His historical epic 1911, covering 100 years of Chinese history, will be released soon; In addition, the patriotic film is Jackie Chan's 100th film. He recently opened a huge 17-screen Cineplex in Beijing, and has plans for dozens more. He has his own clothing line, cafe and Jackie Chan gyms. There are many more enterprises, he simply does not have time to keep track. While he was talking on the phone, I noticed several Segways on the studio grounds. I'm sure he has distribution rights.
A pioneer in philanthropy among Hong Kong stars. Jackie Chan serves as an example to such actors as Jet Li, who also took up charity work. It's easy to see why he works so hard. “When I was a child, I was poor and wanted absolutely everything. So when I had money, I started buying many things. Now I want to give everything. When I give something to someone and I see their face, it just makes me happy."
Chan believes that in China, donations will also gain momentum. Bill Gates and Warren Buffett have received lukewarm responses to a global program to have tycoons give half of their assets to charity when they die. Jackie Chan agreed. "China is an ancient country, but people have just started getting money," he says. “I think they will follow the same path; This is just the beginning."
In the simple wisdom of Jackie Chan, the path forward is also simple. “I do small things. I try to do good things every day. If everyone did something good, think what a wonderful world it would be.”
