Jackie Chan biography, net worth, oscar, age, son, wife, height, ethnicity 2025

Jackie Chan Bio

Jackie Chan (birth name Chen Gangshen, also transcribed as Chan Kong-sang) is a legendary Hong Kong, Chinese and American actor, stuntman and martial artist, as well as a singer and philanthropist.

He's famous for starring in films like "Drunken Master", "Dragon Lord", "Once a Cop", "Rumble in the Bronx", "Rush Hour", "Armor of God", "Rob-B-Hood" and countless others. He's appeared in more than 100 films.

Beyond his film achievements, Jackie Chan is a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, Member of the Order of the British Empire, and Honorary Oscar winner for his outstanding contribution to cinema. His net worth is about $520 million.

Family and childhood

Jackie Chan was born in Hong Kong on April 7, 1954. His parents Charles Chan (1914-2008) and Lee-Lee Chan were political refugees who fled China for Hong Kong. Charles was a "Kuomintang of China" party activist. During the civil war, he worked as a secret agent for this conservative party, but after the communists' victory, his spy activities were exposed. He was then branded a public enemy and became an outlaw. There's also evidence that the future actor's mother dealt drugs, selling opium.

In Hong Kong, the family started fresh but constantly struggled financially. They even had to borrow money from friends to pay for Lee-Lee's delivery. Soon the parents found work at the French Embassy: Charles as a cook and Lee-Lee as a maid.

His father began training young Jackie in kung fu from early childhood. He believed that martial arts would teach any child how to be patient, strong, and courageous. His mother tenderly called him Pao-Pao (Cannonball) because he would rush around the house, knocking over everything in his path.

At age 5, Jackie started primary school but failed his first year and was dismissed. In 1960, when the boy was only 6, his parents again faced persecution from China and were forced to relocate once more. This time they chose Australia as their refuge. Charles landed a job as senior chef at the United States Embassy. He decided it would be better for Jackie to stay in Hong Kong and learn a useful trade. Charles enrolled the boy at the China Drama Academy, where Chan would spend the next 10 years.

Jackie Chan while studying at the China Drama Academy

The school offered classes in martial arts, acrobatics, voice training, and acting. Students were prepared for careers in Traditional Chinese Opera. The school maintained strict discipline and even used corporal punishment. Chan didn't like the school, but he had no choice – his parents were far away, and he barely saw them. So the boy studied hard and even became a member of the "Seven Little Fortunes," performing in Hong Kong theaters and abroad.

Jackie Chan evolution

He later became close friends with fellow group members Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao. They created a musical band known as "Three Brothers" or "Three Dragons". During his studies, while still a teenager, he managed to appear in films like "Fist of Fury" and especially "Enter the Dragon" starring Bruce Lee.

At 17, he successfully graduated from the China Drama Academy, but by then Traditional Chinese Opera had lost its popularity, leaving graduates with few options. Making matters worse, the school didn't teach general subjects at all. Chan couldn't even read and write properly. He faced two options: rough, low-paying manual labor or a career as a movie stuntman.

Early career

According to Zoomboola.com, Jackie Chan first landed a leading role in 1971. It was a film "The Cub Tiger from Kwangtung", where he performed under the pseudonym: Chan Yuen Lung. The movie wasn't released until 1973, but Jackie didn't receive any role offers either before or after filming.

Jackie Chan began his career as a stuntman

With no stunt work available, the young actor agreed to take the lead in the adult comedy "All in the Family" (1975). This is the first and the only time Jackie appeared in erotic scenes. Moreover, this is the only film with Jackie Chan that does not contain any martial arts or stunts. The Hong Kong film industry was struggling during this period. So Jackie failed to find a new job and moved to Australia in early 1976.

In Australia, the young man completed a condensed course at Dixon College while making ends meet at a construction site. He often worked in a pair with a man named Jack. Australians found his Chinese name Gangsheng difficult to pronounce. So they decided to call him by the name of his older friend – "Little Jack" or "Jackie". That is the way he got his present name.

His alias Jackie Chan got while working in Australia

The young man was not much satisfied with Australian life: work at the construction site was too rough and did not give any satisfaction. He could hardly expect anything better. Relief came with a letter from Willy Chan, the coworker of a famous Hong Kong producer Lo Wei. They had seen Jackie's stunt work in one of his films and decided to offer him the lead role in "New Fist of Fury" (1976). Chan enthusiastically returned to Hong Kong, and Willy eventually became his manager and best friend.

In "New Fist of Fury," Lo Wei promoted Jackie by emphasizing his similarities to the legendary Bruce Lee. The movie didn't receive much appreciation. Jackie couldn't seamlessly replicate Bruce Lee's close-combat fighting style. Nevertheless, Lo Wei made several similar films starring Jackie Chan, with Jackie creating numerous stunts himself. Gradually, the young actor created a new genre – comedy mixed with martial arts, street fights, and plenty of dangerous stunts.

Jackie Chan on «Shi di chu ma» set (1979)

The first success came to Jackie Chan after such films as "Snake in the Eagle's Shadow"' and "Drunken Master" by Yuen Woo-Ping. In "Drunken Master" Jackie played the role of Chinese national hero Wong Fei-hung. He portrayed Wong as a naive and reckless youngster.

Jackie Chan in his youth and now (1981 VS 2015)

Later, he returned to Lo Wei's studio and started developing the successful "Drunken Master" comedy style. He applied this genre in such films as "Spiritual Kung Fu" (1978) and "Half a Loaf of Kung Fu" (1980) and appeared as a co-director in "The Fearless Hyena" (1979). Nevertheless, after shooting "Fearless Hyena 2" (1983), Jackie and Willy left Lo Wei's studio and joined the larger Golden Harvest Studio.

International success

By the early 1980s, Jackie Chan was already a successful actor with his own unique style and persona, but his success was limited to the Asian region. Jackie dreamed of conquering the whole world, especially the USA. He repeatedly tried to break into the American cinema market with films like "The Big Brawl" (1980), "The Protector" (1985), and "Armor of God" (1986). But these films failed to generate significant box office returns in the United States.

During filming of "Armor of God," Jackie fell from a tree while performing a dangerous stunt. He suffered a skull fracture and serious head injury. The accident raised serious concerns about his survival, but the actor recovered quickly.

During production of "Project A" (1983), Chan officially formed the "Jackie Chan Stunt Team," which he worked with for years to come (he was awarded the annual prize of World Stunt Academy "Taurus" in 2002). All this time he was in high demand in the Asian Cinema market. Between 1983 and 2007, Chan received annual nominations at the Hong Kong Film Festival for best actor or best stunt director. He won the award five times.

Jackie Chan is crying in a meeting with old stuntmen-friends

Real success in the United States finally came to Jackie in the mid-1990s, following the release of "Rumble in the Bronx." American critics raved: "He does things like nobody else. He has confident movements full of grace. The fight choreography is staged with humor (without any cruel barbarity). He's just having fun. If we just let ourselves get swept up in this atmosphere, we'll be thoroughly entertained."

Jackie Chan had woken up famous after «Rumble in the Bronx» premiere

The marketing emphasized that Chan performs all his own stunts. One poster even listed all the injuries Jackie had sustained on set. Jackie Chan really did rack up countless injuries—he pushed himself to the limit and was willing to risk his life for the perfect shot. That same year, the actor won an MTV Movie Award for his cinematic achievements. Chan went on to make several internationally acclaimed Hong Kong films, including "Thunderbolt" (1995), "Police Story 4: First Strike" (1996), and "Mr. Nice Guy" (1996).

Finally in 1998, he made a decisive move and filmed his first thoroughly American movie "Rush Hour" starring Chris Tucker. The movie gained a lot of popularity and became one of the box-office hits. Chan and Tucker's chemistry earned them an "MTV Movie Award" for Best Duo. Two sequels followed with the same cast – "Rush Hour 2" (2001) and "Rush Hour 3" (2007). Despite commercial success, the third film received harsh criticism. Critics called it a rehash of the first two films.

At the turn of the millennium, Jackie Chan began experimenting with different roles to diversify his career. His first successful departure was "Gorgeous" (1999). Jackie played a hero with his signature kung fu skills, but this time as a hopeless romantic and dreamer. Comedy western "Shanghai Noon" had great success. Jackie's partner on the set was an American comedy actor Owen Wilson.

Dangerous Jackie Chan's stunts

The following three years brought a string of disappointments. These films relied heavily on expensive special effects over Chan's trademark style. "The Tuxedo" (2002) was criticized for its boring plot and lackluster stunt work. "The Medallion" (2003) was dismissed as an "expensive cheapie." "Around the World in 80 Days" drew criticism for straying too far from Jules Verne's original novel.

After a series of Hollywood failures, Jackie Chan returned to Hong Kong and found redemption with "New Police Story" (2004). This time he successfully combined stunts and fights with the drama of a police officer who lost his friends. Shortly after, "Rob-B-Hood" (2006) was released, where Jackie's famous comic charisma elevated a kidnapping storyline.

On the set of "The Forbidden Kingdom" (2008), Chan bonded with legendary martial arts star Jet Li. Critics gave mixed reviews: "The fighting scenes are awesome, but there's too much filler between them."

Jet Lee and Jackie Chan (The Forbidden Kingdom)

In 2010 Chan starred with Jaden Smith (Will Smith's son) in "The Karate Kid", a remake of 1984 original. This was his first dramatic American film.

Jackie Chan as sensei of Will Smith's son

In 2011, his "100th" film "1911" was released. He served as co-director, executive producer, and lead star.

There are more than 100 lines in Jackie Chan's filmography

At the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, Jackie Chan announced his retirement from action movies, citing his age as a limiting factor. He later clarified that while not completely retiring from action films, he would perform fewer stunts and prioritize his health.

Jackie Chan is still to proceed his career

After that, Chan starred in "Police Story 2013" (2013), "Dragon Blade" (2015), "Skiptrace" (2016). In December 2016, the Chinese comic thriller "Railroad Tigers" was released. Jackie starred there with his son Jaycee. On November 12, 2016, Jackie Chan won an Honorary Oscar for "Extraordinary achievements in cinematography".

Musical career

From early childhood, Chan studied vocals at Peking Opera School. He started producing records professionally in the 1980s and became a successful singer in Hong Kong and all over Asia. He has released 20 albums since 1984 and has performed vocals in Cantonese, Mandarin, Taiwanese, as well as Japanese and English. He often sings the theme songs of his films, but these songs were usually replaced in European and US releases.

Jackie Chan is singing Adele's song

In 2007, Chan recorded "We Are Ready," the official warm-up song for the 2008 Summer Olympics. He performed this song at the 2008 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony. Moreover, he performed "Hard to say goodbye" along with many other Chinese artists at the 2008 Summer Olympics closing ceremony.

Political activities and public work

Jackie Chan promotes a healthy lifestyle: he does not smoke, does not drink alcohol, or even coffee. In addition, he strongly opposes drug usage. Chan supports Chinese President Hu Jintao's declaration that illegal drugs should be eradicated and their users punished severely. In 2014, when his own son Jaycee had been arrested for cannabis use, Jackie confessed that he was "shocked, smashed and shamed".

In December 2012, Chan caused displeasure when he called Hong Kong a "city of protests," suggesting that demonstrators' rights should be limited. A bit later, Chan said that the US was the "most corrupt" country in the world. These words caused a storm of criticism. Journalists accused Chan of criticizing the US to make China look better, claiming he had personal motives and negative attitudes toward the American cinema market.

6-month jail term for Jackie Chan's son

Despite some controversial statements, the actor has a reputation as someone who cares deeply and actively participates in charity. As early as 1988, he founded the "Jackie Chan Charity Foundation" to provide grants to Hong Kong students and aid people affected by natural disasters or diseases.

The actor organized the "Dragon Heart Charity Foundation" in 2005. Its activities focus on helping children and elderly people in China's remote regions. It has managed to build school buildings, purchase school books and uniforms, and provide the poor with warm clothes and disabled people with wheelchairs. In 2011, the foundation expanded and started working in Europe.

In 2004, Chan financially helped people affected by the tsunami in the Indian Ocean. After the 2008 Sichuan earthquake he donated 10 million Yuan. Moreover, he donated to UNICEF and two other children organizations more than 4 million Hong Kong Dollars.

Private life of Jackie Chan

When it comes to his personal life, the famous actor keeps things pretty private. He is Buddhist by religion. On December 1, 1982, Jackie Chan married Joan Lin, a Taiwanese actress. Two days later, on December 3, they welcomed their son Chan Joming. Today he's known as Jaycee Chan, a popular singer and actor.

The father-son relationship hasn't always been smooth. In 2011, Jaycee was offended when his father confirmed that half of his fortune would be donated to charity. Jackie said about his son: "If he is capable of something he will earn this money by himself, if not he would waste it".

In 2014, Jaycee was arrested for cannabis use. Father did not help him and said that the young man should take responsibility for his actions. Still, six months later Jaycee was released from prison and patched things up with his father.

Jackie Chan's son apologizes for drug offenses

Despite his long marriage to Joan, Jackie has a daughter from an extramarital affair, Etta Ng Chok Lam (born 1999). Her mother, actress Elaine Ng Yi-Lei, winner of the 1990 Miss Asia Award, decided to raise her daughter without Jackie's involvement. Chan admits, "I made a mistake that many men have made all over the world."

Jackie Chan ex-mistress and his extramarital daughter

Jackie Chan holds Guinness World Record for "Most stunts by a living actor". Due to his frequent injuries, Chan has been blacklisted by insurance companies. He hasn't been able to get life or health insurance for years.

Jackie Chan's daughter tried to commit suicide

In 2011, several news agencies reported that the 56-year-old actor had died in a Los Angeles hospital after suffering a heart attack. Before the official denial, US president Barack Obama managed to express his condolences. For several hours, the whole world mourned the news. Fortunately, the report turned out to be a hoax. The actor himself perceived the situation with humor.

Jackie Chan now

In October 2017, the British-Chinese thriller "The Foreigner" hit theaters, starring Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan. Chan tackled a serious dramatic role while still incorporating his signature stunts.

That same month, the Russian-Chinese fantasy film "Viy 2: Journey to China" premiered. Chan had a smaller role in this international production, which boasted an impressive cast: Jason Fleming, Rutger Hauer, Arnold Schwarzenegger from the "Western" side and Pavel Volya, Anna Churina and Andrey Merzlikin from the Russian side.

Jackie Chan's star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Jackie Chan has stars on Hong Kong's Avenue of Stars, Hollywood's Walk of Fame, and even Moscow's Old Arbat. He's authored several autobiographies: "Dragon inside" (1997), "I am Jackie Chan: My life in action" (2015), "Never grow up, never get older" (2018). Countless other biographies have been written about the action star.

In 2020, he was filming the new movie 'Beijing: Wan Jiu Zhao Wu' alongside Chen Bolin. Rumors continue to swirl about a fourth 'Rush Hour' installment.

Jackie Chan: latest news and articles

Jackie Chan was awarded an honorary black belt in karate

30 May 2025

Jackie Chan admitted that he is afraid he won't be able to star in the 4th part of "Rush Hour" due to his age

29 May 2025

71-year-old Jackie Chan looks youthful in the photos from the new photoshoot

14 May 2025

Wesley Stewart

Jackie Chan is not the best. He is the only one! He could make on the screen his unique and recognizable style.

2021-04-21 10:17:21
Megan Munoz

He is getting old but I don`t actually know how old he is. Chan is still young and smooth:)

2021-04-14 16:37:59
Karen Holmes

Jackie Chan is a literally a cult actor. He still have some of his spirit from that time.

2021-04-07 17:51:20
Kenneth Lee

Even in my childhood I was in shock that Jackie Chan was making all the stunts by himself in the movies. Brilliant actor!

2021-03-02 13:04:16
Matthew Myers

The actor from my childhood. He made a lot of crazy stunts is breathtaking. Everybody wanted to be like him :)

2021-01-22 17:41:37

Photos: Jackie Chan