Jackie Chan
The dragon who became a legend: Jackie Chan's eight-decade journey from stuntman to global icon.
Jackie Chan was born Chan Kong-sang on 7 April 1954 in British Hong Kong. He also goes by the Chinese name Fang Shilong and the stage names Jackie Chan and Sing Lung. A Hong Kong martial artist, actor, and filmmaker, he is famous for his slapstick humor, acrobatic fighting, comic timing, and dangerous stunts—which he usually does himself. His film career has lasted eight decades, and his movies have earned more than $6 billion worldwide. Many consider him one of the most iconic and influential martial artists in cinema history. Chan began as one of the Seven Little Fortunes at the China Drama Academy, where he trained in acrobatics, martial arts, and acting. He started in Hong Kong cinema as a stuntman before becoming an actor. His big break came with the action comedy *Snake in the Eagle's Shadow* (1978), followed by similar hits like *Drunken Master* (1978) and *The Young Master* (1980). He directed his first film, *The Fearless Hyena* (1979), which did well at the box office. During the 1980s, he was one of the "Three Dragons" alongside Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao; the trio appeared together in six Hong Kong films. *Project A* (1983) marked the official start of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team and established his signature blend of elaborate, risky stunts, martial arts, and slapstick. He refined this style in modern settings with *Wheels on Meals* (1984) and *Police Story* (1985). *Rumble in the Bronx* (1995) had a successful worldwide release and introduced Chan to North American audiences. By the mid-1990s, he was the most popular action movie star in Eurasia. Chan found Hollywood success playing Chief Inspector Lee in the buddy cop comedy *Rush Hour* (1998), a role he repeated in two sequels. He then worked on both American and Chinese films, including the *Shanghai* series (2000–2003), *New Police Story* (2004), *Rob-B-Hood* (2006), *Little Big Soldier* (2010), *Shaolin* (2011), and *The Shadow's Edge* (2025). *The Forbidden Kingdom* (2008) was his first film with fellow martial arts star Jet Li. He played martial arts mentor Mr. Han in two *Karate Kid* movies: the 2010 remake *The Karate Kid* and *Karate Kid: Legends* (2025). For *CZ12* (2012), he earned two Guinness World Records: "Most Stunts Performed by a Living Actor" and "Most Credits in One Movie." He played against type in *Shinjuku Incident* (2009) and *The Foreigner* (2017). His voice acting includes all three Chinese versions of *Mulan* (1998), the first three *Kung Fu Panda* films (2008–2016), and *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem* (2023). One of the world's most recognizable and influential film personalities, Chan was called by film scholar Andrew Willis in 2004 perhaps "the most recognized star in the world." He has stars on the Hong Kong Avenue of Stars and the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and he received an honorary Academy Award in 2016. Chan has been referenced in songs, movies, TV shows, and video games. There is an award named after him: the Jackie Chan Action Movie Awards. He is an operatically trained singer who has released pop albums and performed theme songs for some of his films. He is also a philanthropist; Forbes named him one of the top 10 most charitable celebrities in 2011. In 2016, Forbes ranked him the second-highest-paid actor in the world. **Early life** Chan was born on 7 April 1954 in British Hong Kong as Chan Kong-sang to Charles and Lee-lee Chan, political refugees from the Chinese Civil War. Around 1937, his father, originally named Fang Daolong, briefly worked as a secret agent for Lieutenant General Dai Li, the chief spy in Kuomintang-ruled China. Fearing arrest by the communist government, his father fled to British Hong Kong in the 1940s and changed his surname from Fang to Chan—his wife's surname. Chan discovered his father's past and adopted Fang Shilong as his Chinese name in the late 1990s, the name he would have had according to his family's genealogy book, which supposedly traces back to Tang dynasty statesman Fang Xuanling. His ancestral roots are in Wuhu, Anhui. Chan spent his early years on the grounds of the French consul's residence in Victoria Peak, British Hong Kong, where his father worked as a cook. He attended Nah-Hwa Primary School on Hong Kong Island but failed his first year, after which his parents withdrew him. In 1960, his father moved to Canberra, Australia to work as head cook for the American embassy, and Chan was sent to the China Drama Academy, a Peking Opera School run by Master Yu Jim-yuen. He trained rigorously for the next decade, excelling in martial arts and acrobatics. He became part of the Seven Little Fortunes, a performance group of the school's best students, and took the stage name Yuen Lo in honor of his master. He became close friends with Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao; the three were later known as the Three Brothers or Three Dragons. After entering the film industry, Chan and Sammo Hung trained in hapkido under grand master Jin Pal Kim, and Chan earned a black belt. As a martial artist, he is also skilled in multiple forms of kung fu and has trained in karate, judo, boxing, taekwondo, and Jeet Kune Do. In 1971, Chan joined his parents in Canberra, Australia, where he briefly attended Dickson College and worked as a construction worker. A fellow builder named Jack mentored him, earning Chan the nickname "Little Jack," later shortened to "Jacky." In the 1980s, the spelling changed to "Jackie," which has remained.
- born
- 7 April 1954, British Hong Kong
- field
- Martial arts, acting, filmmaking
- nationality
- Hong Kong
- known_for
- Slapstick, acrobatic fighting style, performing his own stunts
Lore & Background
Starting as one of the Seven Little Fortunes at the China Drama Academy, where he was trained in acrobatics, martial arts and acting, Chan entered the Hong Kong film industry as a stuntman before making the transition to acting. His breakthrough came with the action comedy Snake in the Eagle's Shadow (1978). He then starred in similar action comedies such as Drunken Master (1978) and The Young Master (1980). He made his directorial debut with The Fearless Hyena (1979), which was a box office success. Throughout the 1980s, he was part of the 'Three Dragons' along with Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao; the three starred in six Hong Kong films together. Project A (1983) saw the official formation of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team and established Chan's signature style of elaborate, dangerous stunts combined with martial arts and slapstick humor, a style he further developed in a more modern setting with Wheels on Meals (1984) and Police Story (1985). Rumble in the Bronx (1995), which had a successful worldwide theatrical run, brought Chan into the North American mainstream. By the mid-1990s, he was the most popular action movie star in Eurasia. Chan gained Hollywood success for portraying Chief Inspector Lee in the American buddy cop action comedy film Rush Hour (1998), a role he reprised in two sequels. He went on to work both in American and Chinese films, appearing in the Shanghai film series (2000–2003), New Police Story (2004), Rob-B-Hood (2006), Little Big Soldier (2010), Shaolin (2011), and The Shadow's Edge (2025), among others. The Forbidden Kingdom (2008) marked his first collaboration with fellow martial arts star Jet Li. He has played martial arts mentor Mr. Han in two Karate Kid films, the 2010 remake The Karate Kid and Karate Kid: Legends (2025). For CZ12 (2012), he earned two Guinness World Records for 'Most Stunts Performed by a Living Actor' and 'Most Credits in One Movie'. He played against type in Shinjuku Incident (2009) and The Foreigner (2017). His voice acting work includes all three Chinese versions of Mulan (1998), the first three films in the Kung Fu Panda franchise (2008–2016), and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023).
Reader's Guide
Chan was born on 7 April 1954 in British Hong Kong as Chan Kong-sang to Charles and Lee-lee Chan, political refugees from the Chinese Civil War. In circa 1937, Chan's father, originally named Fang Daolong, briefly worked as a secret agent for Lieutenant General Dai Li, the chief spy in Kuomintang-ruled China. For fear of being arrested by the communist government, Chan's father fled to British Hong Kong in the 1940s and changed his surname from Fang to Chan. Chan was his wife Chan Lee-lee's surname. Chan discovered his father's identity and adopted Fang Shilong (房仕龍) as his Chinese name in the late 1990s, the name he would have been named according to his kin's genealogy book, which allegedly traces back to Tang dynasty statesman Fang Xuanling. Chan's ancestral roots are located in Wuhu, Anhui. Chan spent his formative years within the grounds of the French consul's residence in the Victoria Peak, British Hong Kong, as his father worked as a cook there. Chan attended the Nah-Hwa Primary School on Hong Kong Island, where he failed his first year, after which his parents withdrew him from the school. In 1960, his father emigrated to Canberra, Australia to work as the head cook for the American embassy, and Chan was sent to the China Drama Academy, a Peking Opera School run by Master Yu Jim-yuen. Chan trained rigorously for the next decade, excelling in martial arts and acrobatics. He eventually became part of the Seven Little Fortunes, a performance group made up of the school's best students, gaining the stage name Yuen Lo (元樓) in homage to his master. Chan became close friends with fellow group members Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao, and the three of them later became known as the Three Brothers or Three Dragons. After entering the film industry, Chan along with Sammo Hung got the opportunity to train in hapkido under the grand master Jin Pal Kim, and Chan eventually attained a black belt. As a martial artist, Chan is also skilled in multiple forms of Kung fu. He is also known to have trained in other martial art forms such as Karate, Judo, Boxing, Taekwondo, and Jeet Kune Do. Chan joined his parents in Canberra, Australia in 1971, where he briefly attended Dickson College and worked as a construction worker. A fellow builder named Jack took Chan under his wing, thus earning Chan the nickname of 'Little Jack', later shortened to 'Jacky'. In the 1980s, the spelling
Did You Know?
- Chan's father was originally named Fang Daolong and briefly worked as a secret agent for Lieutenant General Dai Li in Kuomintang-ruled China.
- Chan's stage name Sing Lung means 'becoming the dragon' in Chinese.
- Chan earned two Guinness World Records for CZ12 (2012): 'Most Stunts Performed by a Living Actor' and 'Most Credits in One Movie'.
- Chan is an operatically trained vocalist who has released several pop music albums and performed theme songs for some of his films.
- In 2016, Forbes ranked Chan the second-highest-paid actor in the world.
Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)
"I feel the pride of being a Chinese everywhere, the Five-starred Red Flag is respected worldwide." — Jackie Chan "I'm jealous that you are CCP [Communist Party of China] members. The CCP is really great. The CCP's promises don't take 100 years, they are fulfilled in decades. I want to be a CCP member." — Jackie Chan "More than 120 takes. Those kinds of things ... You [say] "Wow, Jackie's good." It's not good. You can do it. Except, do you have the patience or not?" — Jackie Chan
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