The superstar underwent surgery while working on Kung Fu Yoga - and resumed filming immediately
Photos: Courtesy of Golden Village
Ask any of his colleagues and they'll tell you the same thing: Jackie Chan is a superhero. Every movie he appears in is accompanied by a story about the star sustaining injury, but gritting his teeth and resuming filming barely hours after getting patched up.
Kung Fu Yoga was no different. The movie sees Chan and a pan-Asian cast - including Bollywood actress Disha Patani, Hong Kong actor Aarif Rahman and South Korean idol Lay Zhang - venturing from Dubai to Iceland for an epic historic adventure.
Along the way, Chan was admitted into hospital for surgery. Still, production proceeded on schedule, and the movie releases in cinemas here on 26 Jan.
Weekender takes some time with Chan during his visit to Singapore to find out more about his heroic hustle.
What do you think about having a ‘successor’?
In the past, when there were no special effects, you had to be good at kung fu to be an action star. Who else can break a leg in the morning, and clock in for work in the afternoon? I went for surgery and immediately resumed filming in the ice-cold water.
Now, actors are now treated with a lot more care, filming stops with every little injury and everyone rushes over to make a big fuss over a small cut. It’s not anyone’s fault – just that times have changed. In that sense, it’s hard for me to find a ‘successor’.
Tong: There’s only one Jackie Chan. His style of acting and fighting can’t be imitated.
Despite having many injuries and undergoing surgery, you continue to film. What keeps you going?
I told Aarif this: You did well, and you must keep it up. But not for two more films – for 40 to 50 years. When I received my honourary Oscars, it wasn’t because of what I did in the past one or two years.
It’s unheard of for action stars to receive any kind of award – we just aren’t fated for it – so I’m not doing what I do for the accolades. I kept doing it for years because I love it. In the end, someone actually noticed, and it finally made me feel that I was right in persisting for so long.
You’ve been filming for 56 years. Do you have any goals you hope to achieve from now?
I want to establish myself as an actor who can perform stunts, and not just as an action star. I aspire to be like Clint Eastwood, Dustin Hoffman.
I just hope to return something to my fans around the world who have been supporting me – be it filming a new movie, performing a different stunt or role or filming in a new location. I feel this is the best present that I can give.
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