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Jackie Chan accomplished a feat that no Asian actor of his era could match – he became a renowned Hollywood action star. Chan impressed the American audience with his slick stunt scenes and physical comedy. ThePolice Storyactor gained a substantial following in North America following the release of his 1995 film,Rumble in the Bronx.
Chan secured leading roles in successful movie franchises such asRush HourandShanghai Noon, alongside American actors Chris Tucker and Owen Wilson. However, the journey to stardom was far from smooth forThe Karate Kidactor in Hollywood.
Also Read:Even a Broken Ankle Couldn’t Stop the Action God, Jackie Chan Did the Scary Stunt, Which Sent Him to Hospital, Again With the Help of a Specially Designed Shoe
Jackie Chan Struggled With This One Thing That Overshadowed His Stunt Skills
Jackie Chanhailed from Hong Kong and spoke his native language of Cantonese. When he transitioned to Hollywood, one of the most challenging barriers was his language skills. While Chan made every possible effort to learn English, the industry was not always very kind to Chan about it. TheProject Aactor opened up about this issue during his appearance on the Chinese variety show,Memories Beyond Horizon, alongside the cast members.
While talking to the aspiring actors on the show, Chan shared his difficulties in cracking through the ranks of Hollywood. One contestant in the show asked about his insecurities to which Chan explained the English language issue he faced at the start of his career. TheArmour of Godactor revealed to the contestants onMemories Beyond Horizon:
“When I went to America to film, my English was terrible… I had to spend a month just to memorize a single line — even when I was sleeping, I would read the line in my dreams. Many words that I wanted to say, I couldn’t. It was very frustrating.”
While theKung Fu Yogaactor shared his experience, the screen even displayed one of his blooper scenes fromRush Hour, where he mistakenly said“cheese”instead of“freeze”. Further, Chan explained that when he pronounced the dialogue“Get rid of the gun”correctly, the entire crew was more delighted than when he perfected his stunt sequences.
Also Read:“Soon, I hope so”: Jackie Chan May Have Turned Down Sylvester Stallone’s ‘The Expendables’ Offer, But He Has Been Hopeful to Work With The Rocky Star For Years
Jackie Chan Even Contemplated Quitting The American Showbiz
Jackie Chan’s English skills came under scrutiny several times and were subjected to ridicule by a section of the audience at the time. The crew members of his action movies cared more about his dialogue delivery than his fantastic, edge-of-the-seat action scenes. Chan revealed that he had to practice with an English teacher every day, even during breaks between takes. This took a toll onThe Mythactor to the extent that he even considered quitting the industry. Chan shared onthe show:
“No one cared about whether my action sequences and scenes were good. They only praised me when I got my lines right! After that, I had to immediately return to my car to practice with my English teacher, and as I was practising, I told myself, ‘I can’t continue like this.’ So I gave up on American showbiz.”
TheShanghai Knightsactor also became frustrated with the limited range of roles he was offered in Hollywood. ButThe Foreigneractor made a triumphant return to Hollywood, breaking all the language barriers and establishing an identity for himself in the industry.The Accidental Spyactor also wanted the young aspiring actors on the show to look out for themselves, be it in any industry. Chan shared with the contestants ofthe show:
“Truthfully, I’ve already crossed many difficult bridges and made it easier for you to live out your lives [as actors], so you can avoid taking these harder routes and head in the right direction.”
Also Read:Not Jackie Chan, Goku’s Super Saiyan In Dragon Ball Is Modeled After A Chinese Martial Arts Legend: “His slanting pose with that scowling look in his eyes”
Jackie Chan emerged as a sensation in Hollywood, a dream few actors can realize. While he almost crumbled under the pressure, Chan’s courage helped him to turn his limitations into assets. His commitment to passing on this courage to the next generation of Chinese actors is truly commendable.
Source:Memories Beyond Horizon YOUKU SHOW – YouTube
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3017
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
