Interview with Sonu Sood

Nice interview with Sonu Sood. A few details about Kung Fu Yoga are revealed with lots of gushing about Jackie. Confirmation that filming will take place in India in December.

Bollywood actor Sonu Sood describes Jackie Chan, one of the world’s most recognised faces and a martial arts superstar, as an “absolute legend”.

He should know.

The two filmed in Dubai for more than 30 days for the Indo-Chinese production Kung Fu Yoga.

“He’s a great guy and he’s one of the most humble actors I have come across. And I have worked with actors like Mr [Amitabh] Bachchan, Shah Rukh [Khan], Salman [Khan], and they are all nice. But Jackie Chan is that guy who would pick up glasses and bottles lying on the road or that guy who would help in picking up tents once the filming production is over. He doesn’t act like a star,” said Sood in an interview with tabloid! on Sunday.

We are at his suite at the Shangri-La hotel on Shaikh Zayed Road and just like the row of bags packed and stacked near the door, Sood’s carrying truckloads of fond memories with him as he wraps up his 37-day filming schedule in Dubai with Chan. Words such as “inspiration”, “humility” and “warmest person” spill out when Sood speaks about the Rush Hour star.

“I have learnt a lot from him. If he’s hosting a dinner, he will make sure that he goes up to everyone and inquire if they are having a good time or not. He has this quality where he will take over the whole space. When we go out for movie or dinner, everybody may be doing their own thing, but he comes in and connects the dots, makes links by chatting with everyone. He makes sure that everyone finishes their food and the conversation just happens,” said Sood. There were even times when an amiable Chan, one of the world’s top-paid actors, would even eat off his colleague’s plate and make them feel at ease.

The Indian actor, who has featured in hits such as Dabangg and Happy New Year, plans to return the goodwill when Chan visits India to film the remaining portions of Kung Fu Yoga by acting as his guide.

The Indo-Chinese venture, which is the result of a landmark co-production treaty between China and India in September 2014, is directed by Stanley Tong of Police Story fame. After calling it a wrap in Dubai on October 30, the Kung Fu Yoga crew will head to Beijing in December, followed by a shooting stint in Jodhpur in India’s northwestern state of Rajasthan.

“He has asked me to take care of him when he comes to India and I have promised that I will give him the most memorable experience of his life … It just takes you five minutes to see how sincere he is,” said Sood. He describes acting in a Chan film as a “dream come true”.

“I am a huge fan of Jackie Chan and I have seen the Police Story series so many times. I still remember buying those video cassettes and those DVDS. Imagine now I am working with an actor who was in it and a director who made Police Story. For me, life has come full circle. This guy from Punjab has fulfilled his dream,” said Sood.

His dream may have come true, but getting to this point has been difficult and paved with hard work. For instance, the picture of Sood on a horse in a desert wearing an ornate Indian tunic doing the rounds as a part of Kung Fu Yoga filming in Dubai may look jubilant, but it was a tough one to pull off.

“For that scene, I was sitting on a horse the whole day. It was difficult and your muscles get bruised, but when you are in front of a camera and it begins to roll, you just forget the pain, the heat and the stress. You are just in your character. And when you are surrounded by great people, you just learn to enjoy your work thoroughly,” said Sood.

Though he isn’t keen to reveal details of his role, Sood claims that he has a significant role to play in Kung Fu Yoga. He’s not a villain, but a worthy opponent to Chan in this film.

Actors such as Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Aamir Khan were earlier rumoured to have been roped in for this project. “There were many names — many of whom were superstars — who were considered for the role. When I asked the director and the team why they chose me, they said the director saw my profile, my pictures and how fit I was, that he became convinced that I was right for the part. They felt that I looked convincing as a guy who could hit Jackie and still bring about humour and present a larger-than-life image,” said Sood.

The high-octane car chase scenes filmed recently in Downtown Dubai sum up the spirit of the film. “We had fifty or sixty cars like Lamborghini, Bugatti, Maserati and Infiniti chasing each other at high speed. You name the car, it was there. I was driving a Hummer that rams into these cars. With the help of some superb action coordinators, we did it. This can only happen in Dubai, a dream city to work in,” said Sood.

He says Kung Fu Yoga has a slick, larger-than-life heroes and adrenalin-charged stunt scenes. But what made it all extra special was that Sood was returning to Dubai for work.

“Come to think of it, some of the most special films in my career were City Of Life and Happy New Year. For both these films, I stayed over a month in Dubai and just when I was thinking that I need one more film like that, that’s when Kung Fu Yoga happened.”

SOURCE: GULFNEWS.COM

Interview For "Who Am I"

Japanese interview conducted in English to promote "Who Am I?"

Another Dragon Blade Interview

Not sure when this was recorded but interesting:

A Restless Warrior With Many Layers

Excerpts from an exclusive interview with BIOGRAPHY.COM

...[Dragon Blade] still features the amazing fight choreography and cinematography that only Chan knows how to design. "Today's audiences also want emotion, and, in fact, having a strong plot helps the action sequences develop much more naturally," Chan tells Bio. "We tried our best to tone down the fancy fighting styles that you normally see in Chinese action films because this film is about ancient Romans with their own fighting traditions. For the Romans, fighting is all about force; about brute power."

...

"I would like audiences to consider me as an actor who can do action, not just as an action star," he says. "And I really look forward to trying more dramatic roles. In the future, I will still continue to do action comedy, but also other new genres, too."

...

On the set, Chan takes his producer credit seriously. He sees everything as his responsibility, including cleaning the studio along with the crew, recycling empty bottles, vacuuming, tidying up the common room, and making sure that everyone is happy with their accommodations. A self-proclaimed "neat freak," Chan laughs when his friends jokingly proclaim he has OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).

...

SOURCE: BIOGRAPHY.COM

NY Post Article

Selected extracts from an article in the NY Post today. To read the full article follow the link below.

...

The Hong Kong-born star, now 61, is still making movies — most of which are released in Asia — but nonstop action isn’t necessarily his thing anymore.

“All those years ago I was jumping off tall buildings and leaping off moving buses. So stupid,” Chan tells The Post.

“So, I’ve had to change. It’s not about getting older.”

Nowadays, his films fall in many different genres.

“When you look at my previous films, I was fighting from the opening credits to the closing credits,” he says.

“But now [audiences] care about the plot, so I’ve had to adjust my style. And I’ve realized that with a strong story, even a single punch can make the audience cheer.”

...

“I don’t consider myself an action star anymore,” Chan says.

“I’ve been trying to broaden my range, including my role in ‘Dragon Blade.’ I hope that people consider me an actor who does action rather than just an action star. You can expect to see me in many different roles in my forthcoming films.”

...

What most Americans — who predominantly know Chan for the “Rush Hour” films — may not realize is that the actor is among the more well-known and influential figures in China, with a sprawling business empire and a sizeable fortune.

...

In the early 2000s, Chan hired a consultant to help him make money off his name, hoping to change his luck after the actor lost “several million, then millions again” in the 1980s investing in car repair shops, gift shops and restaurants. Chan was soon hawking a branded line of chocolates and oatcakes, and had satellite California Fitnesses in Asia named for him.

He now owns a fast-growing chain of movie theaters, Jackie Chan Cinema, that has 213 screens across China. The first location, which opened in Beijing in 2010, claims to be the country's largest, with 17 screens and 3,500 seats.

...

His Jackie Chan Design sells shirts, hats, accessories and other clothing emblazoned with a red-and-black logo.


He launched a chain of coffee shops in 2006 and once had a sushi chain, the now-shuttered Jackie’s Kitchen. He even opened a Segway dealership in Hong Kong. The venture was designed to bring clean technology to Asia.

Chan also has a second career as a singer and has released more than 20 albums.

The future star was born in Hong Kong, and at age 7, began studying at the Chinese Opera Institute. There, Chan learned both music and martial arts, often rising at 5 a.m. and practicing until midnight.

When he’s not singing or acting, Chan says he likes to focus on charity work.

“Life is too short,” he says. “With every injury, I came to cherish life more. I know that I am blessed, so I try to help the poor and people in need.”

He’s been an advocate for animals and has recorded anti-poaching PSAs.

“I actually like to watch documentaries on television, especially on Discovery Channel and National Geographic,” says the nature-loving Chan.

“They sometimes inspire me and my work.”

Like fellow rich guys Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, Chan has pledged to donate half of his fortune to charity after his death.

He also holds a seat on the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, a diverse board of some 2,000 prominent citizens that advises the country’s legislature.

SOURCE: NY POST

Jackie Interview

A short interview with Jackie by Parade magazine.

How is Dragon Blade different from other Jackie Chan films?

When you look at my previous movies, all I did was fight! From the opening credits to the closing credits. The audience was excited when I jumped from a tall building or leaped from a moving bus. It was all fresh. But now, with this new film, I’ve come to realize that if the plot is really good then the audience will cheer even if there is only one single punch!

Who do you play?

I play Huo An, the adopted son of the legendary general Huo Qubing. He was a real historical figure, the founder and commanding officer of the Silk Road Protection Squad of the Western Regions in China. Huo An is a man who detests war, but he lives in a time when peace can only be gained by fighting.

Have you ever been seriously injured?

The most serious injury I had was during the shooting of Armour of God II. It was actually just a simple stunt, jumping from a slope. But I was seriously injured and had a surgery to my brain. I still have a metal plate in my head and can feel the indentation from the impact.

Do you feel you are making progress in changing attitudes in China when it comes to conserving wildlife?

As an ambassador of WildAid, I have been supporting the saving of all kinds of creatures including tigers, sharks, rhinos and elephants. I think China is undergoing a big change in its attitudes in regards to conserving wildlife, but it will take time.

What is the most important lesson life has taught you?

As I have been injured so many times, I have come to cherish life more. I focus more on environmental protection activities and charity work. I deeply understand that I am very blessed. So I have been actively participating in all kinds of charitable works and contributed myself to help the poor and people in need.

SOURCE: PARADE.COM

Interview With He Jun Part 2

Here is Part 2 of the Interview. As before please use your own translator.

Li Bai and He Jun

——前言：

上期采访，著名动作导演、成家班骨干精英何钧回忆了他的入行经历：因为师兄一句话偶然踏入影视圈，通过在武行界几年的摸爬滚打不断积累经验，之后凭借《燕尾服》的惊艳一跳顺利进入成家班。那么，在进入成家班后，何钧又面临着怎样的挑战？他是如何完成从武行到武术指导的蜕变？他为何身居幕后、甘当绿叶不愿走向台前？本期采访，何钧将针对观众的一系列的困惑进行详细解答，同时还将围绕成家班的历史、现状以及未来建设畅谈自己的想法。本期采访精彩之至，不容错过。

——首次“交战”成龙却误伤对方 紧张无措像犯错小孩

李白：在拍完《燕尾服》后，您又跟随大哥拍摄了《皇家威龙》。我看到您在这部戏里有不少的戏份，而且还跟大哥有直接的对手戏。

何钧：我第一次跟大哥对打就是在这部《皇家威龙》，我印象蛮深的。记得那场戏是在图书馆，我给外国士兵做替身。有一个动作是我拿着剑刺向大哥，然后大哥拿起一个椅子一挡。这个动作对我的力度是有要求的，需要把剑刺进椅子。但是我一失手把大哥的虎口直接给刺穿了。

李白：您把大哥刺伤了？

何钧：对。当时拍第一条的时候，因为力度不够，剑没有刺进椅子。拍第二条的时候，我就心里一直想：这次必须得狠点儿。我生怕刺不穿椅子，所以手上加大了力度。然而力度是有了，准星没找好，剑直接奔着大哥的手刺过去了，然后就把大哥的手刺伤了。

李白：您当时是什么反应？

何钧：那一瞬间我蒙了，拿着剑一动不动，看着所有人都到大哥那里去了。当时大哥的手血流不止，医生赶紧消毒、止血。我也不敢上前去看，就一直在那杵着，好像是犯错的小孩子一样等着大哥来训我。

李白：哈哈哈，脑补一下当时的画面，你的样子一定很可爱！

何钧：我本来就很紧张了，没想到志哥走过来跟我讲了一句：“你死定了，成龙你都敢刺伤！”我听完以后真是想哭都哭不出来。你想，大哥可是国际巨星啊，地位在这摆着呢，我刚进成家班没多久就把他刺伤了，以后还怎么混。

李白：然后呢，大哥有什么反应？

何钧：大哥处理完伤口后，转过身若无其事的说了句：“没事，继续来。”我愣了一下心想：“还来？”志哥在旁边跟我讲：“哎呀，我刚跟你开玩笑啦，大哥真的没事，你们继续吧！”我也是蛮意外的，没想到大哥会是这样的反应。跟着他这十几年来，他真的是一点架子都没有，像遇到的这种伤对于他来讲都是家常便饭，小菜一碟，更不会因为这种误伤去职责别人。我当时本来很紧张，看到大哥这样的态度，我心里的石头终于落地了，然后及时调整了下心态，又重新拍了一条，这一次是很顺利的完成了动作。其实很多武行碰到类似的情况，如果演员耍大牌或者把你骂一顿，那你真的就没有信心继续拍下去了。

李白：成家班向来以拼命著称，流血受伤已成家常便饭，今时今日虽有较好保护措施，但是依旧存在危险。你们怎么样去把控安全系数？

何钧：其实每次在拍戏我们都会衡量安全系数，如果觉得太冒险，那么我们就换一种方法去拍。每次我们（成家班）设计动作的时候，大家都会凑在一起想招数、想动作，集思广益，如果想出来的这个动作比较危险，我们会想办法克服，当然也会对这个动作的危险性进行评估，比如说我们知道这个动作会受伤，那么受伤的程度会是怎样、是否在我们可承受的范围内等等，我们都会去考虑、去讨论。只要大家觉得这种动作OK，那我们就想办法做出来。

——日积月累，完成武行到武指的脱变

李白：何老师您给大哥做过替身么？

何钧：这个没有。其实说到替身啊，大哥不是没有用过替身，但是他是所有动作演员里用替身最少的。说句公道话，没有人（演员）不用替身，没任何一个演员敢说他没用过替身。你像大哥跳钟楼，他有过替身（火星），但是他一样都有去做，还有《皇家威龙》，也有一个跳船的戏，成家班的跳一次，大哥跳一次，为什么呢？因为我们要保证用最好的，有可能有些动作大哥不如替身做得好，那就用替身的；而有些动作大哥做的最好，那就用大哥的。这都需要他们都做完动作之后来比较，哪个好就用哪个。对于外界的一些质疑，我觉得没必要解释什么。大哥拍《功夫之王》的时候，腰都伤成那样了还是要打，后来实在是痛的不行了，八爷说干脆拍的近一点吧，然后我们几个在后面顶住大哥，大哥在前面打，一直没有停过。放眼全世界，除了大哥，还有谁能做到这样？

李白：您进入成家班以后一直做武行和替身，什么时候开始做武术指导的？

何钧：进了成家班拍了两三部戏之后吧。我记得是《80天环游世界》拍完之后，志哥跟我说，你做替身、做武行是做不了一辈子的，你得在现场学，多看、多观察。其实进成家班前，我在片场做完替身工作后就睡觉去，根本不会管现场（流程），而进了成家班，看到大家的工作状态，慢慢的养成了另外一种习惯，就是去了现场，不会是去找地方睡觉，而是东看看西看看，这个（器械）摸摸那个摸摸。在这个氛围的熏陶下，慢慢的会发觉在现场睡觉简直就是浪费时间，哪怕睡觉也会睡得不舒服、不踏实，提心吊胆的。在现场你待得时间越多，学的东西越多。我还真是从进成家班开始起养成这样习惯的，因为成家班的工作量是很大的，你也没时间去睡觉。在现场可以学怎么摆镜头，包括套招的时候，所有人都围过来，每个人都可以提出自己的意见，这在无形之中就是作为武术指导的一种提高。那时候在现场我还会找摄影，没事儿跟人家聊聊天，等熟了之后，就可以慢慢的偷师一些东西。

李白：也就是说做武术指导不仅要会套招，还需要了解许多镜头的知识？

何钧：对，动作肯定是要和镜头配合的。什么样的招配什么样的镜头。如果一个广镜头去拍两个人的小动作，那就什么都看不见。

李白：在设计动作的时候，您是偏重于围绕电影的剧情结构以及人物性格去设计，还是偏向于演员自身的动作特点去设计？

何钧：刚才讲了我们需要懂镜头，同时也要去了解角色的性格，他是什么样的背景和性格就决定了他是怎么样的打法，在了解了这些之后再去套招，你就有了依据，而不是单纯的什么样的招好看就去套什么招。有的时候漂亮的招数未必符合角色背景。

李白：您做武术指导的电影里，最满意的是哪一部？

何钧：没有最满意的。因为做动作设计就好像是家庭装修一样，总觉得这里还可以改一下，那里还可以再装饰一下，永远都达不到最满意，但是我会努力的做到无限接近最满意的标准。

李白：除了大哥的戏之外，您会接外面的戏吗？

何钧：会。大哥一直都希望我们可以出去锻炼，没有说你只能拍成龙的戏。比如《中国游记》、《硬汉》等等，我都是做武术指导。但是就我而言，我肯定是以大哥的戏为主。大哥给了我很多机会，也教会了我很多东西。

——享受幕后，甘当绿叶，无兴趣做演员

李白：何大哥有没有想过从幕后走到台前？您在《宝贝计划》的演出很出彩。

何钧：没有。我喜欢做幕后。说实在的，做演员我真没有什么兴趣。可能跟自己的性格也有关系，因为我也不是那种比较喜欢出风头的人，不喜欢抛头露面。我喜欢去设计、去导演、去拍戏。我喜欢幕后，也很享受幕后，我可以把我之前所学的东西运用进去，这种感觉是不一样的。

最早踏入这一行的时候，我只想做一个好武行，等我做武行做的不错的时候，看到替身可以替各种演员做各种动作，穿主角的衣服，可以很精细的做头发，我就想做替身，因为我觉得很潇洒。当我做了一个合格的替身之后，看到武术指导在现场把所有武行召集在一起套招，我就会觉得：哇！好帅，好有气势！然后我就想做一个好的武术指导。其实刚开始做武行的时候，根本没想多做指导的事儿，这都是一层一层的积累，一步一步走过来的。

李白：其实提到《宝贝计划》，我看到何大哥饰演了很多角色，比如婴儿房旁通风报信的路人，还有跟伍刚一起搭档的白衣打手。而且在结尾和大哥、古天乐的打戏中你也多次出镜。

何钧：对的。我们一部戏会替很多人，也会“死”很多次。“死”了以后爬起来换衣服继续上。

——谈成家班选人标准：高规格，严要求，功夫重要，人品更重要

李白：成家班现在有多少成员？

何钧：现在啊，我算算，成家班除了我，还有伍刚、冠华、艾伦、吕世佳、苏航、李磊、车国斌、张金爽、王振威、Max、Andy、Mr Lee等等，差不多十多个吧。

李白：包括《我看你有戏》里新加入的聂荣鑫？

何钧：聂荣鑫啊，上一部戏我们有带他去俄罗斯。这个小孩子是学散打的，以前拍过三年电视剧，加入成家班后可能有点紧张，第一次跟我们拍戏就是去俄罗斯，也没见过这么大阵势，整个人有点蒙。但是我看这个小孩子特别有心，特别想做好，就是缺乏经验。

李白：成家班作为享誉国内外的动作特技团队，很多武林高手都想加入进来却一直未能如愿。入选成家班的条件应该是很严格的吧？

何钧：成家班是一个金字招牌，我们有义务去维持它的秩序，保证每一个成员的综合素质。所以在挑选成员的时候会非常严格，真的是千挑万选。干我们这一行，技术是很要紧的，但是不是最重要的。最重要的是人品、武德。首先要干干净净，不要有太多社会上不良的习气。技术不好不要紧，只要你够勤奋，都是可以练出来的。但是勤奋与否，那就是你的态度问题了，这是练不出来的。

此外，我们还要看你是不是真正热爱这一行。有很多人到处吐槽自己做武行多惨，博取同情，我就很反感，既然你觉得很惨很不开心，那你就别做了！有什么惨不惨，比武行辛苦、危险的行业也有，但是也照样也有佼佼者。凭什么你做不了？那是因为你态度有问题，太负能量了，你连自己的行业你都看不起，你还能做好什么？
——忆峥嵘岁月，话龙虎精神

李白：现在大哥拍戏，成家班的元老还会跟着开工吗？我在《宝贝计划》看到有很多老成员都在，比如贾仕峰、张耀华、黎强根。

何钧：其实拍《新警察故事》《保持通话》的时候他们都在，别看他们年纪大了，其实依旧是很拼的，不服输的。我记得《宝贝计划》里韩春有场打戏，需要摔到一个台子上。当时志哥就说何钧你换衣服（来摔），成家班的老前辈现在简单打打就行了，危险动作你们年轻的来。我说行，然后就去换衣服去完成了那个动作。后来休息的时候聊天，有位成家班老成员就说：“谁说我们老了、不行了，我就算现在摔‘克子’都比你们都好！”话没说完就duang的摔了一个，我赶紧说好的好的您摔的好！（笑）

李白：成家班的元老级人物都是当年香港龙虎武师的佼佼者。

何钧：对。其实他们很多人都不是科班出身，技术也不是最正统的，但是他们敢打敢拼。也正是因为他们敢打敢拼，才成就了成家班今天的辉煌。这种龙虎武师的精神是当今我们这个行业很缺的。许多武行总是说自己武术有多正规、多专业，但是你连这种精神都没有，又能怎么样？现在的武行已经不能和当年的武行同日而语，就算是跟我们这一代他们也没得比。

纵观成家班的发展历程，我想到一句话：前人栽树后人乘凉。大哥在好莱坞乃至全世界最走红的阶段正好轮到我们去“享受”，然而大哥和成家班的地位都是他和众多成家班前辈打拼出来的，那个年代是他们在打天下，也是流血流汗最多的一个阶段。所以，我对老一辈的成家班成员都是十分钦佩和敬重，我们也更有责任去发扬和传承他们的精神。

感恩成龙：是老师，更是家人。

李白：大哥是国际巨星，有没有担心他的光环会一直掩盖你们，限制你们的发展。

何钧：无所谓掩盖不掩盖。我们和大哥在一起就是一个家庭，而他就是一个长辈、家长，我们在这个家里都各司其职、为这个家庭去奋斗。没错，他的光环是很大，但是这些年来，大哥一直在外“推”我们，比如在片头的字幕上加上我们的名字，在很多重要的场合都带上我们，用实际行动告诉大家许多工作都是我们和他一起完成的。而且成家班也没有去依赖大哥的光环，每个人都很努力，而且也都是很有能力的，我们现在在外面接戏都能做到独当一面，展现自身价值。而且我们用多少力在大哥这里拍，也会用多少力在其他人那里拍。不会因为是大哥的戏就加倍努力表现自己、不是大哥的戏就不认真工作。

李白：大哥在现实生活中是一个什么样的形象？

何钧：成龙大哥对于普通观众来讲，可能是一个高高在上的大明星，但是对于我们来讲，他就是一个朴实的长辈，一位老师，就这么简单。生活中，他很关心我们，教会我们很多道理，虽然不一定讲的都对，但是“对多错少”，很多都是经验之谈，他真的是诚心诚意的对我们，而我们也是诚心诚意的对他。在片场，他教我们拍戏，教我们技巧，给我们实际操作的机会。我对大哥一直都是心怀感恩。

你看他教出来的成家班每个人都很有礼貌，很有教养，我们也不喊打喊杀，虽然我们会功夫，但是我们都是用来拍电影，不是用来打架，没必要耀武扬威的。大家确实也很上进，在片场，没有人混日子，工作气氛一直都很浓。你要是“混”就没人会看得起你。大哥也是极少会骂成家班的，都是靠自觉。在片场看到地脏了，他会扫地，看到护具乱了他会去整理。你说一个国际巨星在为我们整理护具，那我们还好意思把东西乱扔？所以很多事情，都是他在影响着我们、感染者我们，我们呢，也确实做得很好。他以我们为骄傲，走到哪都愿意说成家班（的好），而成家班也会觉得骄傲，也会再接再厉，这是一个很好的良性循环。

后记：本次采访整整持续近3个小时，全程毫无尿点（我也真的也舍不得去尿尿），聊天内容涵盖面很广，信息量很大，何钧讲的毫无保留，我亦是听的身如其境，同时深切感受到何钧属“外冷里热”，冷酷的外表、低调的性格掩盖不了他对动作电影火焰般的热情。尤为敬佩他身为成家班骨干带头人以身作则、立志以实际行动传承发扬龙虎武师精神。

其实何钧还跟我讲述了他年轻做武行的一些糗事，也分享了很多在成家班拍戏的趣事，故事精彩纷呈，但是由于篇幅限制，很遗憾无法呈现在本次采访文章中。不过大家不必担心，李白会把这些内容重新梳理、汇总，在日后的文章中分享给大家。

最后，感谢何钧老师百忙之中接受李白的采访，祝愿何钧老师担任武术指导的新戏《铁道飞虎》拍摄顺利，也期待有机会能再次采访何钧老师！

Interview with He Jun Part 1

Li Bai, a Chinese fan who is one of the owners of the biggest Jackie Chan forum on Baidu (LINK), recently interviewed He Jun, one of the leading members of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team. I have reposted the original interview here. I have not attempted to translate it because it is just too long - please use your own translation. Part 1 is about how He Jun started in martial arts and later moved into movies before being asked to do a stunt in 'The Tuxedo' and joining the Jackie Chan Stunt Team. Part 2 (in the next post) has more information on working with Jackie and on being a part of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team.

——踏入武行大门只因师兄一句话

李白：您从小习武出身？请问是什么原因让您踏足影视圈？

何钧：我是四川武术队出身，出来拍戏其实是只是因为大师兄的一句话。96年的时候，我还在做教练，有一次赶上放假，我回学校收拾东西，大师兄突然跟我说要带我拍戏。当时我第一反应就是：“‘拍戏’是什么玩意？”那时候我哪懂什么是拍戏。当时我练武术只知道两件事，一个是打比赛、出成绩，另一个就是考虑将来的前途，要么就是做教练，要么就是等分配工作，有可能是进入军警部门。其实当时还在考虑怎么选，然后大师兄就找我去拍戏。

李白：当时让你参与的是哪部戏？

何钧：是一部电视剧，叫《太极宗师》。

李白：吴京主演的那部？武术指导是袁和平。

何钧：对。其实从那之后一直在跟着八爷。后来又拍了《新少林寺》，《小李飞刀》等很多戏。

李白：那您当时去《太极宗师》主要是就是做武行和替身？

何钧：对。

李白：可以透露一下当时的片酬吗？

何钧：4500一个月。那是在96年左右。在当时来讲是一个很高的数字。所以很多人愿意去做武行，主要是因为有这个待遇吸引他们。你看现在过去多少年了，现在的武行待遇没怎么提高过。

李白：也就是说当年的高薪是吸引您踏足影视圈的主要原因？

何钧：只能说是其中一个原因，另一方面就是好奇、新鲜。我当时没什么钱，来北京的火车票钱都是别人给的，400还是500记不清了，硬座，三天两夜。

李白：有种北漂的感觉。

何钧：哈哈，没错。

——拍戏受尽折磨，险些半途而废

李白：刚进组的日子是什么样的？做武行跟平时练功应该区别蛮大的，你有没有不适应？

何钧：当时刚拍完一个月，我和我武术队另一个伙伴阿强就打算逃跑。

李白：是因为太辛苦了吗？

何钧：太苦了，实在受不了。当时是在怀柔拍戏，那时候怀柔是很荒凉的，每天早上五点钟就起床、出来晒着，毕竟是新人，累了也不敢坐，当时还有人叫我们怎么缓解疲劳，比如脚尖垫一垫啊，把脚放到高处歇一歇腿啊。当时在片场什么也不懂，做的不好就被人骂，每次收工回到房间，洗个澡，饭都不想吃，就睡觉了。然后感觉没怎么睡呢就又起床开工了。我就跟阿强说：“别干了，咱们走吧。”

李白：那后来怎样？真的就准备放弃了？

何钧：没有啦。大师兄知道后把我们骂了一顿，他说：“你们真没出息，来都来了，才一个月你就坚持不了，半途而废，你们要是走我也不拦，这点苦都吃不了，将来你们什么事都做不好。”大师兄的话我现在都印象很深。其实我们当时并不是坚持不下来，而是少一个人推我们一把。而在大师兄推了我们这一把之后，我们咬牙坚持下来了。然后一个月的拍摄期到了之后，当我拿到4500块的工资的时候，哇，很幸福，很有成就感！4500块可以买很多东西啊！初来北京，我吃不惯北京的小吃嘛，于是我就用工资买了很多包麻辣方便面，还有辣酱，好几桶。

李白：所以您就坚持下来把戏拍完了？

何钧：对。后来和大家也就熟了。剧组武行都是四川武术队和广西武术队的。八爷的副手就是广西武术队的，现在已经做导演了。当时两拨人基本都是刚从武术队出来拍戏，竞争意识非常强的，比如拍戏之余我们经常比试，打旋风脚，你要是能打到这个高度，那我就要打到更高！那时候每天除了拍戏，就是这么在一起练功。当时还跟着体操队的练弹床、学骑马，像这些我们都是在现场学的，还有跟着戏班的学各种摔法。现在想想真是挺有意思的。

李白：拍完了《太极宗师》后，您决定继续做武行？

何钧：对，那几年很火的电视剧我都有参与。除了刚才讲的那几部，还有张卫健的《韦小宝》、《中华英雄》《我的野蛮同学》等等。电视剧一年四五部，没得停。

李白：武行的工作多多少少都会有危险，何老师在那段时间有没有受过比较严重的伤？

何钧：有过一次伤到颈椎和腰的。那是拍《神捕》的时候，有一个二楼的“下高”，伤到了。其实这个伤就是伤在我自己没有经验。当时没什么事，晚上吃完宵夜后就站不起来了。之后回了房间躺下，好家伙，又起不了床了。第二天早上，制片送我去医院，结果这一躺又躺了三天。三天后感觉自己能动了，然后就从医院跑去现场了。在医院的三天真是闷得不行了，恨不得马上回到片场拍东西，好玩啊，新鲜啊，大家一直在一起，拍戏的时候拍戏，不拍戏了就练功、聊天。而且那时候是新人嘛，很好奇，很想学东西。

——惊艳一跳征服成龙

李白：您是什么时候加入成家班的呢？

何钧：我是2000年底进入成家班。当时在深圳和志哥（李忠志）见面聊天，他说让我加入。当时我也很矛盾，心理压力很大，毕竟成家班对我来讲是高高在上的。但是后来觉得，做这行能进成家班是很大荣耀，这是以前想都不敢想的事情。然后我就果断的去了。

李白：初入成家班什么感受？会不会在意别人怎么看你？

何钧：刚进成家班的时候就好像是实习生一样，别人问你，你都不敢承认是成家班的，因为感觉还没有被认可。

李白：后来你是如何证明自己，真正融入成家班的？

何钧：靠《燕尾服》的一个动作。其实整个电影我也只做了这一个动作，志哥带着我从早上六点一直练到下午四五点，没有停过，中午饭都没吃，一直在练。然而这个动作还在成片中被剪掉了。这个动作是弹床侧空翻一周半摔入水缸，动作本身对我来说不是问题，但是难就难在那个水缸的尺寸刚刚够一个人，稍微有一点偏差就会砸到受伤，所以就是要求动作很准。我当时怎么练呢，就是拿一个海绵垫，根据水缸的尺寸用粉笔把范围给画出来，包括高度有多高、我弹床跳多高才能过，这些都考虑到之后，就开始练。一直练到不敢说百分之百，起码百分之九十的把握的时候，就开拍。当时那个弹床是美国的弹床，是斜的，而我们中国武行在国内习惯用的是水平的弹床，他们是需要助跑的，而我们是站在高梯上跳的，所以当时为了满足我的习惯，他们把弹床垫成水平的，而且加高、找一个高梯，让我怎么做舒服怎么来。

李白：拍一个动作原来需要做这么多的前期准备工作。而且这个动作很危险，正式拍之前你害怕吗？

何钧：我记得非常清楚，做动作前，大哥一直在问我有没有信心做，如果没有信心做你就说，没关系，不会觉得你不好。我就说既然我都站在这了，我当然有信心了。大哥说，好，我叫1、2、3你千万不要犹豫，既然决定做就做，要是不敢做，你的脚就不要踏出这个梯子。我说明白。在那个时间啊，说实话，我没有百分之百的把握。然而周边都是外国人，就自己是亚洲人，所以当时我的“气儿”就上来了，心想最多不就被撞嘛，撞了我也要把这个动作给做了，不可能说我现在不做了！大哥喊1—2--3，我一个侧空翻“duang”的一声进水缸了。

李白：这个动作终于成功完成了？

何钧：当时我感觉自己入水了，也没觉得什么地方痛，那说明我跳准了！可是还没完，入水之后还要继续演戏啊，但是我当时太兴奋了，吸了一大口水，哇，当时呛死我了，但是我又不能出来，一直憋着，直到听到有人喊“OK！”，我才从水里出来，然后一个劲的咳嗽，那个水也是蛮脏的。但是那个时候很有成就感，大哥带头鼓掌，大家也一起鼓掌，我感觉这些掌声都是属于我的，也让我觉得做这个动作是非常值得的。志哥后来跟我讲，就是因为你这一个动作，我们才决定让你跟着大哥拍下一部戏。

David Ogilvy Interview with Jackie

The irrepressible Jackie Chan talks about the phenomenal determination and personal work ethic that has transformed him from a Hong Kong martial arts movie star, into a global cinematic and cultural phenomenon.

Interview Rush Hour

Old rare interview of Jackie about the time of Rush Hour.

InSIng TV Interview Dragon Blade

English and Chinese with subtitles

Uweekly Singapore Interview

Jackie and Choi Siwon did an interview and photoshoot for the February issue of UWEEKLY magazine in Singapore.

You can read the interview HERE

Photos: Interview After MV Release

After the MV release Jackie sat still for a few interviews. Here are some photos:

SOURCE: WEIBO

Video: Old Interview

An old rare interview of Jackie about Rush Hour.

VIDEOS - 3 More Interviews

Three more interviews from Jackie's recent visit to the UK:

Classic!

I only have one word .... classsic!

Red Carpet News Jackie at BFI

Red Carpet news brings us a series of interview clips of Jackie at BFI Southbank.

Fergus Hay Interview with Jackie

Read more, including the transcript of this interview with Jackie by Fergus Hay - THE CREATIVE SERIES - JACKIE CHAN

Interesting Old Interviews Part 4

PEOPLE Online Chat
PEOPLE Online Conference with Jackie Chan

(PDiL/PEOPLE): Hello everyone. I'm Patrizia DiLucchio, your host, and on behalf of PEOPLE Magazine I'd like to welcome you all here.

Before I introduce our special guest this evening, film director JACKIE CHAN, I'd like to remind everyone that this is a moderated conference -- and it is being conducted simultaneously on Compuserve AND the world wide web! We're incredibly lucky to have him joining us here tonight. Welcome Jackie!

(Jackie Chan) It's nice to be here. It's a magic thing to be talking to everyone!

(PDiL/PEOPLE): I'm going to sneak in one question while everyone else is warming up their fingers.. How will the 1997 Chinese take-over of Hong Kong affect the Hong Kong film industry?

(Jackie Chan) I wish I could be typing this myself!

I don't know about other people, but as far as my own films are concerned, as you know my films are never political--it's always happy-go-lucky, suitable even for kids. My films are all geared toward young people, so no matter what the government, I think that they will welcome my films.

Question from DUBLIN, OH: Kurt Schroeder Of your films, which is your favorite and why?

(Jackie Chan) it's Police Story. Because at that time, many people said that police films would not work anymore. I wanted to prove that they could be made if they were made well. The same thing applied to Kung Fu movies. Everyone said they can't work anymore. This is why I made 'Drunken Master II' and they were both No. 1.

Question from MINNEAPOLIS, MN: Now that Samo Hung has worked with you again on "Thunderbolt", what are the chances that you, Samo, and Yuen Biao might make one more comedy together?

(Jackie Chan) The next movie is Samo-directed. The location is in New York. Everything was done, but Samo came to tell me that "all is done, but New York is too cold." So we changed the place to Sydney, and pretended it was New York. For the last three weeks we came back to New York. I believe it was May or April. Samo directed that. I think the next film will be Samo directed (too).

(4-28,Internet Questions): I want to ask if Jackie thinks Rumble is a funny movie. The trailer made it look somewhat serious.

(Jackie Chan) It is a comedy movie. We have a certain different "cut" to it, because in America I have to show this to a different audience. We have a different for everyone -- ladies, children. I'm not lying, for me, there is one cut and it's for Everybody!

I should add that there will be six to eight different versions of trailers for this movie and each one is targeted for a different audience. But only one movie :-)

Question from REDFORD, MI: If I wanted to introduce your films to someone, which 3 movies would you suggest I have them see

(Jackie Chan) If you really want me to choose: Police Story Part I, Project A, Part I, and Rumble in the Bronx.

Question from PORTLAND, OR: Jackie, what day are you going to be on David Letterman so that I can set my VCR! I don't want to miss it!

(Jackie Chan) That's Feb 13. I'm a little bit nervous. I've been thinking about what I should do for the program...

Should I beat him up (Letterman)? Should I try something funny? I'm worried about my English.

If I can't pronounce my English good, I will kick his butt! Hahaha! :-)

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Has Jackie ever taken dance? Some of his moves suggest he has.

(Jackie Chan) I've never learned dance but I like to watch dance --especially Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. I learned a lot of things from them.

(4-28,Internet Questions) Jackie I was wondering if you will ever fight Benny 'the Jet' again?

(Jackie Chan) Benny the Jet -- I think he's a great fighter. We still have a commitment for sparring together. But I think that he's retired now. So I'll let him go. Hahaha. But we're VERY good friends (I should call him up.) (Thank you for reminding me!)

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Will you be working with John Woo again someday?

(Jackie Chan) Not at this moment. I don't know about later -- we might. I still have several projects to do. I'm going to see his "Broken Arrow" on the 5th. I want to see what happens.

Question from SACRAMENTO, CA: Considering the extreme stunts you do in your movies made in china, is their anything preventing you doing the same stunts in American movies, such as insurance, etc. ?

(Jackie Chan) I think that it's difficult in America. For one thing, the insurance companies won't let you do it. So this is why I'm filming in Asia -- I can do whatever I want to do. Since I've been in Asia, all the insurance companies have put me on a black list!

Question from VAN NUYS, CA: Will you work with Maggie Cheung or Michelle Yeoh again? Please work with Lee Choi Fung (Moon Lee)!

(Jackie Chan) Okay, after you've requested it, I'll try it. Because some of those girls have fallen in love, some have other projects to do--they're busy. But I'll keep your suggestion in my mind, thanks!

(Internet Question): Jackie will there ever be another Drunken Master movie?

(Jackie Chan) I've been trying to make Drunken Master III and (chomping on pizza) the script is very hard to think through. I've been working on it, though.

Question from INDIANAPOLIS, IN: Who were you martial art influences and 2. What is your religion?

(Jackie Chan) All good martial arts people have influenced me -- of course. Especially Bruce Lee. There were several Korean teachers of Tae Kwon Do who influenced me as well. Of course, the most important one who influenced me a lot was Buster Keaton. As for the second question, every religion teaches you good things. But I think that the most important thing is to be true to yourself.

Question from LOS ANGELES, CA: Which American directors or actors are you planning on working with or would like to work with, I know Quentin Tarantino is a big fan?

(Jackie Chan) By the way, I believe -- or my philosophy in life -- is that you cannot please everybody. Just make sure you are true to yourself.

They've made fun of me, and I also make fun of them. Sorry (strange fingers doing the typing) (Jackie punches typist) I'm a very big FAN of their. I'm very angry that it takes so long for a Stallone script to come. I've been waiting. The next ones I want to work with are Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Jim Cameron, and WHY doesn't Tarantino have a script for me right now?? I really want to know what would happen with my sense of action and American special effects.

(4-28,Internet Questions) Jackie: what do you think of JET LI?

(Jackie Chan) Jet Li is a wonderful actor but we are different types. He is more serious and has Hong Kong-style special effects. So this is why we have different styles, but we are good friends. Supposedly we'll try to make a movie together. But the script writers aren't done yet. They always think -- how can we put two stars together -- they want to make it even

Question from TORONTO, ON: How do you feel about no holds barred contests such as the Ultimate Fighting ChampionShip? Do you think they help or hurt Martial Arts in general?

(Jackie Chan) For me, I don't like it (Ultimate Fighting). I think it's too violent. Before, all people wanted to learn these kinds of things. But I think this kind is wrong. When I watch this kind of fighting -- it's too violent -- what do you think? I've learned all kinds of martial arts, but this is for sport only.

(4-28,Internet Questions) Jackie- how serious are you about getting into the US market? I think it will be great if you start making movies here!

(Jackie Chan) Right now, I'm very serious about coming here. That's why I'm here doing a promotion tour. I think a promotion tour is more difficult. In 10 days, I have to travel around America -- and I have another 14 days to go! I'm really scared taking airplanes.

Question from CZO: Jackie, what do you think are the main differences between Western made martial arts films and Eastern made ones? What is the box office take of a "successful" film in Hong Kong?

(Jackie Chan) For me, I have a more freedom to do whatever I want to do. If you know Drunken Master II, only the end, that seven-minute fighting sequence took me four months to shoot that. You cannot do that in America. No way. The producer would kill you.

(4-28,Internet Questions) What do you think of American Action Films?

(Jackie Chan) Before, there was the American Action Movie. Now I think there is no AmericanAction movie. In Asia, we call it the American Special Effects Movie. The real American action movies were those of people like Buster Keaton. But the age is changing. I think American special effects are very entertaining, though.

Question from NEW YORK, NY: Is Jackie in Hong Kong or New York right now?

(Jackie Chan) We're on tour right now and, right now, we're at Planet Hollywood in New York -- (I can say that because, by the time you come here, I will already have left!) You want me to wait for you? Hahaha! Come and see.

(4-28,Internet Questions),br> Jackie, how tall are you, and how much do you weigh?

(Jackie Chan) I'm five foot ten and a half...160 lbs.

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Hollywood takes years to produce most movies. How long does the average Jackie Chan movie take from start to finish

(Jackie Chan) I think that, from start to finish, about one year. I spend most of the time with action scenes, choreographing them, reasonable fighting -- natural comedy...

Question from CFT: Hi Jackie. I'm your fan since when I saw "Project A" in Japan, when I was 11 year old. I want to ask you that how many more action movies you think you will make? And would you prefer being a director and producer than being an actor?

(Jackie Chan) I think I will do about six more action movies. Right now, I still like being an actor. I still have a lot of technique to show to the audience. And later on...(thinking) I will be an action director. And producer. I might open a school to teach people how to fight in movies. (Looking at "Staying Alive' on the big screen ) I think American films have good editing.

(PDiL/PEOPLE): I'm posting this for Kenny Fung... He's having tech difficulties so he asked me to ask you... Do people still compare you to Bruce Lee? And if so, how do you react to this?

(Jackie Chan) Not any more. This is what makes this trip very easy. 15 years ago everyone asked me -- the press -- Who are you? The second Bruce Lee? But not on this trip. I'm so happy! When they compare me to him, of course, I'm happy. But by now everyone knows that I have a totally different style from Bruce Lee. He was like a Superhero. I am not. He was like a real Kung Fu Man. I'm more like a Caesar Salad- a mix of everything. I have action, kung fu, comedy...

(4-28,Internet Questions) Do you have any lasting effects from all the injuries you have sustained?

(Jackie Chan) Oh, many. Especially my back and along the top of the back. (I severely sprained my neck in one film). But I'm doing okay. But don't worry about my injuries, just go see my movies. That's my problem. My job is to make movies, your job is to see them. Thank you.

(4-28,Internet Questions) It's hard to find your movies with English subtitles in this country. Are there any plans to re-release your older movies?

(Jackie Chan) If Rumble is a success, I believe all my movies will be shown in 2,000 theaters with English dubbing. I really hope all my new fans will see my movies not on video, but on a big screen. On TV you lose a lot.

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: As a female fan, I would like to see more romance in Jackie's story lines. Is this something I could look for in any new releases?

(Jackie Chan) Now we are beginning to add that. Rumble has a little bit. The next one maybe more. The next one maybe MORE (getting a little excited).

Question from NEW YORK, NY: Has there been any stunt that you wanted to do, started to do, but then said, "Wait, am I crazy? I not going to do this!!!"

(Jackie Chan) None that I reject. Any stunt that I design, I can't reject. I know I can do it. Of course, when it comes time to do it, I'm a little scared.

(PDiL/PEOPLE): I am asking this for Christopher J. Lest... is it true that your first English word was...EGG???

(Jackie Chan) Yes. Because at the restaurant, when I said "eh?" She asked "How would you like your egg?"-- it's a long story (shaking head) And a big joke.

Question from TORONTO, ON: What does your workout regimen consist of? Do you do a lot of weight lifting, or do you feel that bulky muscles slow you down too much?

(Jackie Chan) Jogging, punching and kicking. With weights,, it's very light weight, because I really need a flexible body to make it all work. And light-weight as possible.

Question from LOS ANGELES, CA: You mentioned you'd like to work with Lucas, Spielberg or Jim Cameron. Does this mean you see yourself doing a science fiction or fantasy film? What would be a dream project?

(Jackie Chan) (Now watching Charlie Chaplin and smiling.) I would like to do an action movie. I still want to do my stunts, but I would want to see what would happen with those larger special effects in the background. Maybe there is something new that could come from that.

(PDiL/PEOPLE): Jackie, I know you must be tired with all that traveling around! And I want to thank you for this magical hour you've given us tonight!

(Jackie Chan) Thanks!

(PDiL/PEOPLE): Everyone in the audience, I know some of you did not get the chance to ask your questions! There were so many of them.

Thank you all for coming! And thank you Jackie!

(Jackie Chan) This time that I've come to America, I'm very happy because I've found there are a lot of people here supporting me. This has given me new confidence. But I must say this was a magical hour for me too. This is magic to me--because I can talk to so many of you at once. I hope to introduce more of my new "friends" to my movies. I will continue to make better movies, without hurting myself.

---

New York Times
Jackie Chan, American Action Hero?

Throughout Asia, he's Elvis Presley, Steven Spielberg and Bruce Lee rolled into one. Finally he's coming to a movie theater near you.

Whenever Jackie Chan leaves Hong Kong to make a public appearance in Shanghai, Taipei or Tokyo, or in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore or Seoul, hundreds - sometimes thousands - of his fans gather in a frenzy of adoration. Last June, Chan, the martial artist, comic actor and stuntman who is Asia’s biggest movie star, flew to Los Angeles for MTV's annual Movie Awards. He was met at the airport by about 25 people. Among the signs and banners held aloft, a bright pink stripe read: ALL AMERICANS LOVE JACKIE. SOME JUST DON'T KNOW IT YET.

Martial arts devotees and patrons of Chinatown movie houses have known to love Chan since the late 1970's. More recently, his signature blend of comedy and combat, honed over 43 films, has turned him into a cult icon among a more diverse audience, including Hollywood film makers and Generation X hipsters for whom high octane Hong Kong films have become required viewing. At the MTV Awards, where Chan was given a Lifetime Achievement Award, Quentin Tarantino heatedly proclaimed him a cinematic virtuoso on the level of Buster Keaton (one of Chan's acknowledged influences) and Fred Astaire.

Now that the action-comedy format he pioneered in Hong Kong has become a dominant genre in Hollywood, Chan will try to leap across the chasm separating the art house from the multiplex. This Friday, Chan's "Rumble In The Bronx" will close the Sundance Film Festival. On February 23, New Line will release the film in 1,500 theatres across the country. (It broke box office records in Asia last year.) This year, Miramax will release the two movies that preceded "Rumble" - "Crime Story" and "Drunken Master II"; in the fall, in the fall, the Topps Company is publishing a Jackie Chan comic book miniseries. Maxine Hong Kingston once wrote, "Nobody in history has conquered and united both North America and Asia," but at 41, Chan has the chance to do just that.

What sets Chan apart from the movie stars we are accustomed to is immediately apparent on a humid morning in Kwai Chung, a landfill area outside Hong Kong. Chan and his crew are shooting a scene from "Thunderbolt", the follow up to "Rumble". A large derrick holds a two-ton container port high above the ground, swinging precipitously at the end of a steel cable, like a railroad car where a wrecking ball ought to be. Inside, Chan caroms from side to side, scrambling to get out before the container port strikes its target, a ramshackle auto garage. Seconds before impact, Chan leaps down to the garage's second floor, dives over a balcony railing, turns a midair somersault and lands on his back - just as the wall above splinters into oblivion.

In an earlier shoot, Chan dangled by his hands from the bottom of the swinging container port. The night before, he did his own daredevil driving in a street racing scene, several times turning to admonish his co-star, Anita Yuen, cringing next to him in the passenger seat, with a curt "Shut Up!" when her involuntary cries of terror threatened to break his concentration.

Now the crew stops for lunch and Chan collapses into a chair. He reaches for a copy of the Apple Daily, a Chinese language tabloid. "Die Hard With A Vengeance" is opening in Hong Kong, and the paper has a photography feature about the film's special effects. In one picture, Bruce Willis's head is shown close up against a green background, but it's sideways, as if lying on the ground. The next photograph shows a car barreling down a busy city street. The third shot combines the two scenes, producing the illusion that Willis was actually brave enough to lie down in the car's path. Chan studies the photographs and shakes his head ruefully.

First and foremost, Chan is a cinematic Evel Knievel, devising and performing bravura acrobatic stunts that straddle the line between courage and lunacy. The powerful devotion of his fans is largely a result of how clearly he risks his life to entertain them. "I want people to come out of the movie thinking Jackie Chan is good, not, the special effects are good", he has said.

However, in Hong Kong and throughout Asia, Chan is far more than super stunt man. He is both Elvis Presley and Steven Spielberg: naughty boy and mensch, movie star and auteur, heartthrob and philanthropist. He produces his own films and those of other directors, makes pop records and organizes charity events, including an annual race car extravaganza. He owns a piece of the local Planet Hollywood, a modeling agency called Jackie's Angels and a shiny hip store full of Chan paraphernalia. Cans of a popular herbal soft drink, Bobo Tea, are labeled a "Jackie Chan Product". The Hong Kong entertainment community calls him Dai Goh, Cantonese for "big brother". Entire families go to the theater to see his movies. Roger Lee, a film producer here says the annual release of a Chan movie at Chinese New Year has become "a holiday tradition, like the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall".

Chan's early years and rise to fame are already folk legend throughout Asia. In 1961, when he was 7, his impoverished parents contracted him to a training school nearby called the Chinese Opera Research Institute. There he endured 10 years of Dickensian cruelty and privation while being molded into a performer of traditional Peking opera. Students were awakened at 5a.m. and trained until midnight almost each day. (Such a school is depicted in the film "Farewell My Concubine", for which Chan was offered and turned down the leading role.) He ultimately mastered a complicated drill of tumbling, singing, acting, dancing, sword fighting, and kung fu. As Chan tells it, the school's leader, Master Yu, enforced a pitiless pedagogy: "We are learning by the stick. The stick tell me jump, the stick tell me kick. The teacher say jump over the table, I say I can't. You can't? Well, as soon as the stick comes up, I jump two tables!"

By the time he was finished at the school, Peking opera was a dying art. Chan went to work as a stuntman and fight choreographer in Hong Kong's prolific film industry (which produces more than 200 films a year, compared with Hollywood's 350, distributing them almost as widely). In 1975, the 21 year old Chan was chosen to star in a Bruce Lee sequel. Fiercely charismatic, Lee had been the first international superstar out of Hong Kong, and in the wake of his death, producers were desperate to find a successor. But the film had made was a commercial failure, and his next several pictures did just as poorly. He didn't carry himself like Lee. On screen, he appeared scrawny and lacked authority.

The problem, as Chan now puts it, was, "How can I get out from Bruce Lee's shadow?" His solution was simple. Just as Samuel Beckett made his mark by taking the extreme opposite tack from his former employer, James Joyce, Chan set out to become an anti-Bruce Lee. "I look at a Bruce Lee film", he says. "When he kick high, I kick low. When he not smiling, always smiling. He can one punch break the wall; after I break the wall, I hurt. I do the funny face."

Chan was remade, in a pair of 1978 kung fu comedies, as an overeager underdog who succeeds mostly by accident. Both films were wildly successful, and Chan, who was being paid $385 a month, suddenly found himself the object of a bidding war. When Chan signed a contract with Golden Harvest, Lee's old studio, he became the highest paid actor in Hong Kong, a distinction he has held ever since. Today, his fee is 30 million Hong Kong dollars per film (about 4 million American dollars). He also earns a percentage of the profits, a unique arrangement in Hong Kong.

More important, Chan was given complete control over his work. During the next decade, he wrote, directed, produced and starred in a series of increasingly ambitious films. He studied old Hollywood movies, inspired by the outsized comic stunts and escalating mayhem of Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd. In the films of Frank Capra, Lloyd's former gagman, Chan discovered a kindred sympathy for the common man.

The results were unprecedently popular. Chan's manic action comedies became giant Rube Goldberg devices designed to shuttle their star from chase to fight to stunt while resolving a rather simple plot. "The thing about my movies", Chan says, "you don't have to understand the dialogue to understand it. So all over Asia, people go to see them." He gets a serious look on his face. "For my philosophy, the more people look at a movie, it's a good movie. Like Schindler's List - I think it's bad movie. I think Jurassic Park is a good movie. When you make a movie you get Oscar, O.K. Very difficult. But when you make one movie around the world everyone wants to see it, it's more difficult than to get Oscar."

In person, Chan is an irrepressible performer, punctuating his anecdotes with comic gestures and exaggerated faces. Everyone is an audience to be entertained, whether in Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean or broken English. (Chan will often stop to translate a joke, so as not to exclude any listeners.) There often seems little distance between Chan himself and the eager-to-please characters he plays.

He is almost shockingly free of celebrity hauteur. One night while shooting "Thunderbolt", he takes advantage of a short break to head over to his production office to sweep the floor. Next, he straightens up his staff members' desks, then takes a rag and bottle of Windex and works on the Xerox machine. "This is my office", he explains. "These people, they just work here, they don't care about dirty." Even conscientious film makers like Robert Redford or Martin Scorsese are not likely to scrub their own photocopiers - or offer to drive home some extras when shooting ends at 3 in the morning.

When confronted by his fans, Chan seems to appreciate them as sincerely as they appreciate him. Twice a year he hosts a party for the Jackie Chan International Fan Club, many of whose members fly in from Japan. At one point the club had more than 10,000 members, most of them girls. Being a teen idol, however, has exacted its price: in his films and in his private life, Chan must be careful not to reveal too much romantic involvement. In 1985, after he mentioned in an interview that he was dating someone, a Japanese girl committed suicide. The next year another Japanese fan arrived at his office, announced her intention of bearing Chan's child and drank a vial of poison.

"I'm very scared," Chan admits, "because I have a responsibility with all my fans. I cannot say, Now I have a girlfriend, now I getting married, now I have a son". How many people die? So all those years, my private life, I'm very secret. Very hard for me, but I'd rather hurt one person, one girl. I don't want to hurt many fans."

In actuality, Chan is married, to a Taiwanese actress, Lin Fung-chiao. The have a son, J.C., a shy skinny twelve year old who is much better at video games than martial arts. Chan and his wife live separately, however, and he also sees other women. Not that he has a lot of leisure time: he is almost always at work, promoting his work, or thinking about new work. Like the Buster Keaton character who lives in a theater in a short film called "The Playhouse", Chan often sleeps at the Golden Harvest complex while he is shooting, using his office as a studio apartment. (It has a shower, refrigerator and microwave oven.) "Sometimes", he says, "everyone's asleep and my mind is still working. I come downstairs in the middle of the night and edit. Sometimes I shoot all night, drive to the day location, park my car, sleep in the car and then wake up and go shoot."

By the time "Rumble" opens in the United States, he will have already completed "Thunderbolt" and his next film, "Piece of Cake", a globetrotting romp in which Chan takes on rogue CIA agents and a shark. "Maybe my philosophy different than some other people", he says. "Today, most important is work. Relationship with all my staff because they help me. Girl, wife, son, doesn't help me. So I do everything for public first. Then I think about family."

Though some might find Chan's priorities backward, a contemporary movie star who takes his public responsibilities so seriously seems almost too good to be true. In a fight scene in "Rumble", Chan reluctantly beats up about a dozen members of a motorcycle gang. On his way out of their clubhouse, he turns around to say: "I hope next time when we meet we won't be fighting each other. Instead we will be drinking tea together!"

"When I am making a movie," he explains, "I always think: Is children gonna see it? Yes. Is it cheap dialogue? No. Is it sometimes too violent? No."

He is also a founder and officer of the Hong Kong Directors Guild, Performing Artists Guild and Society of Cinematographers. The Jackie Chan charitable foundation provides scholarships to young people for education and training in the arts. When stunt men are injured on his films, he pays for their medical care. One day in Kwai Chung, the actresses who play his teen-age sisters burst into tears after filming a dangerous shot in which an entire three story building crashes down around them. They are unhurt, but very shaken. Chan takes them aside and recounts episodes of paralyzing cowardice that he has experienced over the years. Gradually, the whole crew gathers around to listen. By the time he is done, the two girls, along with everyone else, are laughing.

Will America, long in the business of exporting international pop superstars, be willing to accept the importation of one? Bruce Lee, after all, was born here and spoke English; before he started making movies, he was on television, as Kato in "The Green Hornet". Chan's kinesthetic sensibility also may take getting used to, with its references to centuries old martial arts traditions, the classical grace of Buster Keaton and Michael Jackson's dance moves.

Just where Chan will fall on the culture curve in this country remains to be seen. At the MTV awards, Tarantino's presentation speech placed him firmly in the realm of art, down to a pretentious mispronunciation of his last name as "Chon". What followed was a hyperactive montage of fight scenes from Chan's films, accompanied by the cheesy 70's pop hit "Kung Fu Fighting" - as if to imply that Chan might be merely another oddball addition to the kitsch pantheon.

It may be, however, that Chan's moment has arrived. As American audiences have warmed toward Asian and Asian themed films, the trendiness of Hong Kong action movies in particular among the 20-something crowd has increased Chan's visibility. But to put "Rumble" over the top, New Line is intent on minimizing Chan's foreignness.

"We're in the business of Americanizing Jackie Chan as much as we can," says Mitchell Goldman, president of marketing and distribution at New Line. "Once we establish him as an action star in an American setting, it will be easier for his Asian pictures to cross over." In "Rumble", which was shot not in the Bronx but in Vancouver, British Columbia, Chan travels to New York to help his uncle sell the family grocery store, where he encounters menacing neighborhood gangs and heavily armed mobsters. It may not be his greatest film, but its American backdrop makes it an excellent introduction for audiences unfamiliar with Hong Kong cinema. "Rumble" has also been re-edited for Western audiences, with a clever dramatic justification for dubbing much of the film - with Chan's participation - into English.

Still, Edward Tang, who wrote the screenplay and has worked with Chan since 1979, isn't convinced the gap can be bridged. "We know how good is Jackie", he says. "Even the Americans know how good is Jackie, but so what? If you want to be popular in America, you have to be American. It's the culture." And Chan has tried before. He moved to Los Angeles in 1980 to make "The Big Brawl" with Robert Clouse, who had written and directed Lee's first English language film, "Enter the Dragon". Chan felt misused in the Clouse movie; worse, a Hollywood stunt man choreographed his action scenes. "I always teach people the fighting, but when I come to Hollywood, someone teach me," Chan says. "I ask, How long you been in action film? Oh, six years. Six years teaching me how to punch somebody!" The film disappeared quickly from theatres.

The next year, Chan was cast in "The Cannonball Run" - as a Japanese character. He was flown cross country to appear on the "Today" show, only to be told that his English wasn't good enough for an interview, and that he should demonstrate kung fu instead.

It's not surprising then that he would be ambivalent about making it in America. Willie Chan (no relation), his longtime manager and business partner, says, "Jackie is happy about Rumble", but he's not putting all his hopes on it." In Hong Kong, Chan can do pretty much whatever he wants; even the reabsorption of Hong Kong into China in 1997 doesn't particularly worry him - he is a hero on the mainland, where "Rumble" is the highest grossing film ever. Yet it would surely hurt Chan's pride to fail where Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone and Jim Carey have gone so far while putting out so much less. Chan is also eager to collaborate with certain American directors, offering to work for free if Spielberg, George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola or James Cameron wanted to make a film with him. "I want to find out what happen, my action and their technology", he says.

Such wishes, if they are to come true, must be realized soon, while Chan is still capable of the exertion his roles require. Though he is in excellent condition, the years of stunt work have taken their toll. A fall from the container port in Kwai Chung hurt his back, and twice over the next week he must call off shooting because of the pain. On the "Rumble" set, he mistimed a jump from a bridge onto a speeding hovercraft and broke his right ankle. He had to perform the rest of his scenes in a cast, painted to resemble a sneaker.

Even if an American wave of Jackie-mania doesn't materialize, Chan says he will have few regrets. Late one night, he stands outside his production company's building on the Golden Harvest lot. Around the corner, a sound stage holds an elaborate set - a lavish pachinko parlor - that will be demolished in a fight scene next week. The parking lot in front of Chan is filled with high performance cars and motorcycles, many of which he owns. The next building over houses Filmtech, an equipment rental company he started as an excuse to buy the latest high tech camera gear. "Twenty years ago," he says, looking around, "I work here as the lowest stunt man. Now I have all this. I am very happy."

---

Time Magazine

He has battled many a superhuman villain, jumped off mountain tops and skyscraper roofs, taken beatings that would have left Muhammad Ali on the canvas--and emerged a winner in scores of movies that have entranced viewers around the world. But the one foe Jackie Chan could never conquer was that tawdry patch of real estate, that font of fantasy and violence, that beckoning, forbidding state of mind called Hollywood. He made U.S. films in 1980, '81, '83, '85; he sidekicked the famous (Burt Reynolds in The Cannonball Run and its sequel), was directed by the anonymous (James Glickenhaus in The Protector), played the preposterous (a '30s Chicago gangster in The Big Brawl). And each time he would return to Hong Kong to make juicier action movies than the studio guys could dream of. Still, ambition gnawed at Jackie like a pack of piranha. Why couldn't Asia's biggest star become America's?

Logic offers a thousand excuses. Because no Asian actor had been a star in the States since the Japanese heartthrob Sessue Hayakawa—80 years ago. Because moviegoers supposedly like their action heroes on the mean and bulky side. Because slapstick and melodrama don't mix. Because this little guy who does his own stunts could get himself slightly killed, thus spoiling a multimillion investment in him. No mogul would gamble on creating a franchise when he might have to attend his star's funeral instead.

Even in the mid-'90s, when Chan's American fame escalated from the cult darling of video-store moles to a guy who, in industry parlance, could "open a movie"--Rumble in the Bronx was No. 1 at the North American box office, with a $10 million take, when it was released in early 1996--the stardom was evanescent. Subsequent Chan films like First Strike, Mr. Nice Guy and Who Am I?, made with his Hong Kong team but aimed at the English-speaking international market, earned less than half of Rumble's final tally in the U.S., and the returns kept diminishing. Jackie shot his films in South Africa, the Netherlands, Australia, in search of steeper slopes (in First Strike he skis off a snow-covered mountain onto the runner of a hovering helicopter) and taller edifices (in Who Am I? he jumps off a 21-story building and tumbles down its 45º incline).

Though Jackie was vigorous as ever, the films had tired blood. His leading ladies lacked the snap of Michelle Yeoh, the grace of Maggie Cheung; and the occidental villains were often too slow of foot to give the fight scenes much kick. His recent cameo in the lame An Allen Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn didn't help. Americans seemed less interested in following Chan's career. He might have been some exotic cuisine that the Western masses were willing to sample once, for the novelty, not as part of their entertainment diet.

But we know a few things about our hero. He can be bruised and even broken but he never gives up; his damned doggedness makes him the movies' most ornery, adorable masochist. And at the close of every adventure, he is rewarded with a happy ending. Well, now, at 44, Jackie has something better: a happy beginning.

Rush Hour, a buddy picture that marks Chan's first starring role in a big American production, earned $33 million in its first week--as much as Rumble did in its entire theatrical release. And unlike most action films, which grab gaudy box office numbers the first weekend but quickly exhaust their young-male audience base, this one has kept finding new fans. In its first 17 days it amassed a fat $84 million; that's a bigger take than the latest film of Robert Redford or Harrison Ford or John Travolta. By the time you read this, Rush Hour should have hit the $100 million mark in North America alone.

The film's success astonishes and embarrasses Hollywood executives, many of whom said no thanks to an action film pairing Chan with Chris Tucker, an agreeably yelping black actor-comedian. Disney could have had Rush Hour; that's the studio that Roger Birnbaum, the film's executive producer, calls home. He had to go to New Line Cinema, which had distributed most of Chan's recent films. It's one of those happy Hollywood tales: the picture no one wanted to make, with the Asian star Hollywood had nearly discarded, strikes a chord and strikes it rich. "Jackie," says New Line chief Robert Shaye, "was a class act waiting to happen. There's always been a market for charming, ingenuous action stars. From the first time I saw his movies, I knew he could succeed here if he were cast appropriately in a film that was really designed for an English-speaking action audience."

To give Western audiences a fuller view of their new hero, Chan has just issued his autobiography, I Am Jackie Chan: My Life in Action (Ballantine Books). Written with verve and narrative skill by Jeff Yang, the Los Angeles-based publisher of A., an Asian-American life-style magazine, the book is as funny, brisk and exciting as any Jackie movie, with the surprise of poignancy. Here he talks for the first time about his father's turbulent life in old Shanghai, about the cruel but inspiring martial-arts master whose school Jackie attended as a boy, about his bittersweet love affair with pop star Teresa Teng Lai-kwan and his secret, 15-year marriage to Taiwan actress Lin Feng-jiao. The book manages to be brutally revealing and consistently charming--Jackie is beating himself up, just to entertain you.

The author is a movie star first; he must be thrilled by Rush Hour's popularity, right? You would think that. But listen. "All those years in Asia, all my life, every movie I made, the one moment I waited for was the opening," he says, punctuating his thoughts and acting out his feelings as if every sentence were the climactic fight scene from Drunken Master II. "Bang! Yeah! Success! O.K.! Then, go on to something else. I waited 15 years to become a success in America. Now Rush Hour is a hit, and there's a lot of happy news. People keep calling up and congratulating me. But I say what I always say: 'Wow! Finished. What's next?'"

Why is the chronically energetic, typically optimistic Chan speaking with skepticism? Perhaps he is hedging. It's possible that Rush Hour is a fluke, albeit a gloriously profitable one, and that Jackie could soon be back where he was: movie king of the Pacific Rim. Perhaps also he is reluctant to give lavish credit to a film that he did not totally control. "In America there is no way I can make the kind of movie I like to make," Chan says. In Hollywood, even now, the king is only an ambassador.

But an ambassador for a zesty form of popular filmmaking--the Hong Kong action movie--which Rush Hour imitates and approximates with plenty of dash. In the script by Ross LaManna and Jim Kouf, Chan plays Lee, a Hong Kong detective fighting corruption and drug dealing in the colony at the time of its handover to China. One of his friends, a diplomat, is leaving for Los Angeles and taking his young daughter Soo Yung (Julia Hsu), who is studying martial arts under Lee's supervision. He already misses them both. "Will you practice your kicks and eye gouges?" he fondly asks the cute kid. (You know those moves will be useful in the U.S.) Soon after her arrival, the child is kidnapped, and Lee comes to America to help with the investigation. The FBI, deeming Lee a nuisance, teams him with James Carter (Tucker), a mouthy L.A. cop who gets on everyone's nerves. They hate each other and are totally opposite. In other words, they are the typical odd-couple.

Brett Ratner, who directed Tucker in the 1997 comedy Money Talks, mounts the caper smartly; the kidnapping scene is a model mix of suspense, comedy (the kid puts up a good fight) and technical facility. Ratner also stirs a good rapport between the stars: Chris all flailing sass, Jackie the image of stalwart exasperation when he's not talking down and dirty to Tucker's black friends, or grunting along with the old Edwin Starr anthem War: "Huh! Yeah!" Does the film stoop to racial stereotype? Yes, as many Hong Kong action films do: broadly and without malice. "He's he and I'm me," says Tucker of Chan. "He's a real cool person, and he trusted me, so it all worked out, the comedy and the karate together."

The stars also worked out together. "I did like 300 sit-ups," Tucker insists, with a roguish laugh, "and I think Jackie stopped at about 50." Chan thinks that Tucker's rapid street banter, a key to Rush Hour's U.S. success, is a reason the film confounds some Asian audiences. "At the premiere in Taiwan," he says, "they just sit like"--and he puts on the stone face of incomprehension and displeasure. "They cannot catch the American jokes. Even the translators can't keep up. After 10 minutes, they just put a subtitle: 'How are you?'"

What lifts Rush Hour above Chan's earlier stabs at American assimilation is that it lets Jackie do his uniquely nimble stunt magic with minimum interference. Ratner knows that, for Jackie, there's no building ledge too high, no comedy too low. In one funny fight, he must kick beaucoup butt while keeping precious vases from toppling and breaking. Some of the stunt gags are filched from Jackie's own 1985 Police Story (he jumps onto a double-decker bus, he dangles from the top of a mall space), but, if you're going to steal, why not from the best? In the most graceful piece, Jackie hangs from a Hollywood Boulevard street sign, then drops onto a truck, rolls off and slips into and out of a jitney, slides across the top of a taxi and in through the back seat window--all in 15 seconds.

Chan not only choreographed the stunt, he chose the street sign. "The director had me hanging off a Sunset Boulevard sign," he recalls, "and I asked him if I could change it to a Hollywood sign. That sign has meaning to the Chinese. It's like I grab Hollywood. If the movie opened at only $1 million in the U.S., I would have let go. But now I'm happy. It says: Hollywood, I've come back."

He has come back to America, in triumph, at the same time his autobiography traces a painful trip back to his youth--to birth and before. Because he legendarily spent nearly a year in his mother's womb, Charles and Lee-lee Chan's only child, Kong-sang, was nicknamed Pao-pao--Cantonese for cannonball, but also a sound effect from any Jackie Chan movie fight. Charles was a cook for a French diplomat in Hong Kong, and the family lived in a mansion on Victoria Peak. Not until Jackie was an adult did he learn that Charles had been married previously, had sired three sons and had lost his first family during the Japanese occupation of China. In Shandong he met Lee-lee, who had lost her spouse, and smuggled her out of the country to Hong Kong.

Lee-lee gave her son unconditional love; Charles pounded physical discipline into the boy's body. At seven he was placed in the China Drama Academy, a Peking Opera school run by Master Yu Jim-yuen. If one judges a school by its graduates, then this was Harvard, Oxford and the Sorbonne. In Jackie's class were at least a half-dozen future shapers of Hong Kong action cinema: Samo Hung, the tubby terror who starred with Jackie in 15 films, directed him in eight and is now the lead in Martial Law, a new hit series on American TV; cute, lithe Yuen Biao, another frequent Chan-Hung co-star; and comic villain extraordinaire Yuen Wah.

Out of respect for their old master, many of his students took his name. Jackie, known in school as Yuen Lo, did no such thing. At 17 he left the Academy to work in movies, yet the master haunts him still. This is the man who introduced Jackie to "that grand altar of communion between player and audience: center stage." This is the ghost he still needs to please and appease. "Charles Chan was the father of Chan Kong-sang," he writes, "but Yu Jim-yuen was the father of Jackie Chan." And at the end of the book, an invocation: "I hated you. I feared you. I love you, Master."

Kong-sang's parents had emigrated to Australia while he was at school. For a while, in his early 20s, he joined them, and picked up his English nickname on a construction site in Canberra; his Chinese screen name, Sing Lung ("already a dragon," a reference to his ambition to succeed dead superstar Bruce Lee, of Enter the Dragon fame) came from his longtime manager, wily Willie Chan. Jackie served a frustrating film apprenticeship with Lo Wei, who had directed Lee in Fist of Fury and tried to make Jackie a sullen carbon copy of Lee. It was not until he teamed with Yuen Woo-ping on the 1978 hits Snake in Eagle's Shadow and Drunken Master that Jackie located his screen personality: the modest, smiling man of the people. He still is.

The book displays a more complicated fellow: one who reacted to his first stardom with too much swagger and a retinue of burly parasites. That Jackie was no apt suitor for Teresa Teng. "I loved her," he writes, "but I loved myself more. And no heart can ever serve two masters." (Teng died of asthma, at 43, in 1995.) Even today, the older, wiser Jackie knows who's boss. "I spent two-thirds of my time abroad," he says in the book, "and even when I'm in Hong Kong, my schedule is so full that I can barely find time to be with my wife and child." The man is a workaholic; career comes first. "I think each year: this will be the year I slow down to enjoy the important things in life. Some year. Sometime soon."

He can enjoy his new American eminence in the silly, thrilly Rush Hour--"the movie to me is like a toy," he says--and start planning the inevitable follow-up. "The last scene of Rush Hour has Chris Tucker and me on the airplane, headed for Asia," Chan notes. "We said, 'If the movie opens at $30 million, we'll land in Hong Kong. If it opens at $1 million, then let's say there was a plane explosion. No more sequel.' So yes, there is a sequel."

In this whirlwind, can he push the "important things in life" from his mind? That Rush Hour subplot of the kidnapped child must resonate in Chan. In the days when he denied he had a wife and son (with good cause: one Japanese fan threw herself in front of a subway train after reading a rumor of the marriage), Jackie's stuntman friends would take the boy out for a walk. "One day he saw a poster with my face," Chan recalls, "and started uttering, 'Dad!' And the stuntmen grabbed him away. Later they told me this, and I cried." And when the boy was 12 or 13, his father warned him about kidnappers. "Then my son said, 'Don't worry, I'll never tell people that you are my father.' Wow! I just sighed."

In public, Jackie just smiles. His still-boyish energy and relentless charm are a tonic in this glum, sordid age. He is unfailingly gracious to the press, fans and colleagues. Bob Shaye of New Line cites a dinner party Chan threw at a Los Angeles restaurant after the opening of Rush Hour. "He invited 40 people--agents, friends of his, company executives--for a Chinese banquet. He helped serve the food, and got up to talk to people like a real host. He's a terrific guy--a Chinese mensch."

He is considering other Hollywood projects, with titles like Strike Out, Escape, West West. "All action," he says. "New for American audiences. For me, I'm a bit bored already." Just like his stardom. After all, he has been Jackie Chan, superstar, for two decades; and smacking his head against the Hollywood wall all those years hardened him against emotional vertigo when he finally hit the heights there. So instead of moving to L.A., as Samo and Michelle and Chow Yun-fat have done, Chan wants to make his next film in Hong Kong. And describing this, he feels the excitement of the artist-salesman: "A love story. First Jackie Chan movie love story! Everyone in Asia will say, 'Yes! We are going to see it!'"

Nice career move, Jackie. And who will be his co-star? Maybe Lin Feng-jiao? At least, then, Mrs. Jackie Chan could get to spend some time with her husband.

There we go, trying to slap a Hollywood ending onto a very Asian marital arrangement. What Chan and his wife do is their business. But what Jackie has, at this moment in a spectacular career, is exactly what he wants: a happy middle. An American hit. The faithful adoration of his Asian fans. And his own renewed enthusiasm to keep fighting, loving, filming.

Interesting Old Interviews Part 3

Jackie interview with actor/writer Mike Leeder. Year : 1995

Mike:...Looking back at the film (DM2) two years later, are you happy with it?

Jackie: Not really...I am not 100% satisfied with the film. If from the beginning I had been the director myself, it would have been a better film and very different in style to the released one...I invited Lau Chia-liang direct. He is very good director...I wasn't always in China during the early part of filming...I had very high expectations of Lau Chia-liang, so later when I saw the footage I was disappointed and thought that the film would not do too well at the box office and the audiences would be very disappointed. But, I respect Lau Chia-liang so I did not say anything and we continued filming.You know that we were making the film for the Hong Kong Stuntman's Association (HKSA), but when the members of the HKSA Board of Directors see the film, they are shocked, they say that there is no way they can release the film as it is....So they (HKSA board) sat down with Lau Chia-liang and told him that they were not satisfied with the film, but it's not like they were firing him...

Mike: It's strange, because certain elements of the Hong Kong press and some Western Magazines/writers tried to accuse you of firing him, pushing him off the set.

Jackie: No, it was the decision of the HKSA, not me. They asked me to take over...Lau Chia-liang had shot over 9000 feet of film by the time he finished. I cut 4000 and reshot...I know that Lau Chia-liang is not happy with the HKSA decision, but it's not my fault... ...after I finished the re-shoots on Drunken Master 2, and showed it to the HKSA, they gave me a standing ovation. I am very happy that they and the audience
are happy with the film.

Mike: Fireman's Story is one project that I know you have been wanting to do for a very long time....The film was to feature little fighting, a lot of drama and emotion and some incredibe fire stunts...Peter Pau and your former assistant director P'ng Kialed ...both told me how the special effects crew from Backdraft were attached to the project and that several incredible fire sequences had been planned. What is the status of the film?

Jackie: I'll make it one day! I promise! You know we have already spent several million HK$ on the film's pre-production. I first had the idea a long time ago, and when I saw Ron Howard's movie I know that we could do the special effects we needed, but it will be bigger than Backdraft. Then just when we are ready to
begin production, ATV (Hong Kong's second TV channel) made a drama series Flame about the firemen. So I put the film on the backburner. I know that one day I will make it.

Mike:...What about your Eastern Western?

Jackie: (Laughing) This one is coming too!

Mike: I know that for this project...Willie told us that it would be your next project after DM2 and that he was worried about you shaving your head for the role. What happened?

Jackie: (Shrugs shoulders) I don't know? It's going to be made though, you know I had the idea for Rumble In The Bronx several years ago. So many times I get ready to start one of these films and then something happens and I end up doing another project.

Mike: Do you ever find it strange that despite you being Jackie Chan, and our position in the film industry you can't always make the films you want to?

Jackie: The whole film industry is very strange! (laughing) I know some of the prblems, for my Eastern Western the script isn't finalized. And if we make this film, we will have to film it in the U.S. and deal with so many unions and things. will be using a lot of Americans for cast and crew, they won't work like a Hong Kong crew and just take ten minutes for lunch, they have set times for everything and I can't afford to be like in Hong Kong and spend three months doing the ending. Even when we filmed in Canada, the crew is very good but as soon as it's time for lunch, everybody stops! In Hong Kong, the crew will sometimes work and eat at the same time. For this movie, I have to make a very good plan and schedule or else I will be in a lot of trouble when we are filming, but wait and see Mike, one day you will get to see all these movies!

Mike: When I was at your birthday party in April 1994, you and Samo Hung seemed to reconcile after some years of disagreements. Then at the Hong Kong Film Awards, you, Samo and Yuen Biao reunited to present a lifetime achievement award to Golden Harvest founder Raymong Chow, and at the Hong Kong Stuntman's Association Ball, the three of you seemed to be getting along fine. As a team, the three of you made some great films together, Dragons Forever, Wheels on Meals, Project A, etc. And I know that a lot of people including myself would very much love to see another triple-header from the three of you. What are the chances?

Jackie: (Laughing) It's going to happen again! Soon! Samo, Biao and me are more than friends; we are like brothers. But when we were all together at Golden Harvest, because I was very involved with my projects I couldn't always spend time with them. I don't always have the time to do films with them, even when I want to. So while their faces seem happy when they see me, I think inside they aren't always happy with me. Then when they both left Golden Harvest, I missed them and try and get the three of us back together again. But I can't do it all myself. They have to make the effort too. I can't make them be my friends again. As I've said, they are just like my brothers. I love and respect them like my brothers. And now we are talking about some projects to work together on soon. I gave one script to Samo and he will direct me soon.

Mike: When I've spoken to your fellow classmate, Yuen Wah ( Bruce Lee's stuntdouble in Enter the Dragon) about his lifelong relationship with you, Samo and Biao, he describes it as a brotherhood, just like a family and that just like any family, sometimes people disagree and have arguments.

Jackie: He is right! We're all human, sometimes we get angry with each other but not forever. Eventually we start talking again. We have known each other for so long, but we don't always want to or have to talk to each other. There is rivalry between us, expecially between Samo and me because we both always want to be the leader. Samo always treats me like I'm still this little boy from when we were at Opera school together, he is my big brother, I respect him and I just want him to respect me, too.

Mike: If you don't mind, can we talk a little about the man behind the myth? The real Jackie Chan. You're very much a role model and public figure, a spokesman for Aids Concern, the Royal Hong Kong Police Force uses your Police Story thene tune in its recruitment ads, you're the tourist ambassador for Hong Kong. Do you find that because of your position in the public eye, you have to be that bit more responsible?

Jackie: You know that I don't ask for any of these things. People observe the way I behave and then ask me to assume these duties...I'm like a goodwill ambassador...I feel very proud when people refer to me as a role model or think highly of me, so I try harder to be responsible and not let people down.

Mike: Jackie, you are held in very high regard by many noted American actors and directors such as Michael Douglas, Oliver Stone and especially Sylvester Stallone, who not only borrowed the bus stunt from Police Story for his Tango & Cash, but also name-checked you in Demolition Man. The rumors relating to the two of you working together are getting stronger and stronger. Will the two of you be teaming up for a forthcoming project?

Jackie: We hope so. I have been a fan of Sylvester Stallone since the first Rocky movie...I feel happy and honored to have him as a friend. We're just waiting for the right script, he knows the Western market far better than I do, so I said to him that if he finds a script that is good for u, then we'll do it. I think it will be a very good combination if we work together.

Mike: How do you feel when people re-use your action scenes and stunts for their movies?

Jackie: I feel very happy and very proud. You see when I first started out, I was influenced by a lot of people....Now people are turning the tables on me, they are copying us. I am happy that my work is good enough for them to want to copy it, I feel very flattered.

Mike: I know that you damaged your ankle quite badly during the making ofRumble in the Bronx. What happened?

Jackie: It was a pretty easy stunt. (laughing) For some reason I always seem to get hurt doing the easy stunts!...When I'm doing a big stunt I'm more careful, but the stunt in Rumble when I broke two bones was pretty small I jumped from a bridge onto the deck of a hovercraft. When I landed I was falling forward and would have banged my head on the cabin, so I turned as I landed. But the deck of the hovercraft is covered in non-slip material, so while my body turned, my ankle didn't (laughing)! Go see the movie, it is much easier to see than to talk about it!

Mike: Do you have any messages for your fans worldwide?

Jackie: Thank you very much for all your support and your friendship. I am very happy that you like me and appreciate your support. I hope you continue to support me and enjoy my films, I hope that we can all meet sometime. All the best!

---

Jackie interview about Gen-X Cops project Click2Asia

How did you get involved in the Gen-X Cops project? (Click2Asia)

My partners, Willie Chan and Solon So, and I, are share-holders in the company that produced 'Gen-X Cops', Media Asia. Therefore, I was involved in developing 'Gen-X Cops' from the very beginning. Also, I know the director, Benny Chan, very well, because he directed my film 'Who Am I?'. I always said, in interviews, that I want to bring some new blood into Hong Kong action movies. When I read the script for 'Gen-X Cops', I realised that this would be the best chance to do that. I produced the film, and lent them some members of my JC Stunt Team to arrange the action. (Jackie Chan)

Had you ever worked with the actors from 'Gen-X Cops' prior to the project? In what capacity?

Actually, most of the stars of the film are so young, they only made a few films before! I never had the chance to work with them. Talking about the young actors, I really got to know them for the first time on this film, and I was very impressed that they were so brave and hard-working. I'm sure that they all have a bright future. I know Eric Tsang, who played 'Inspector Chan', very well. He actually started out as a stuntman, you know! We worked on many films, including the 'My Lucky Stars' series, together. He was also the producer of my film 'Armour Of God'.

What is your favourite scene in 'Gen-X Cops'? Why?

I would probably have to say the blowing up of the Hong Kong Convention Centre, because no Hong Kong film has featured this kind of effect before. I really felt proud that we can get an Oscar-winning special effects expert, Joe Viskocil, to work on our film. I also liked the end fighting sequence, because I feel happy to see the new generation use the same style of action that I invented. I think Hong Kong action is unique. No-one can copy it. Acting-wise, I like the scene where Eric Tsang really stands up to the tall, mean cop (Moses Chan). Eric Tsang is a really good actor, and I think the audience is really rooting for him.

Did you have any input on the stunt scenes in the movie?

As I mentioned, my stunt team, led by Nikki Li, were responsible for the action in the film. I came to the set sometimes, but just to visit. I know I trained my team well. Nikki has followed me so many years, he can direct any kind of physical action scene. I really think he did a great job, especially when you think that none of the actors had any experience making this kind
of film.

Did any of the principle talent look to you for advice on performing stunts?

All the boys did most of their own action. Before filming started, I talked with them about doing stunts. I told them that, henever you do a stunt, you have to give a hundred percent. Let's say you have to do a jump from a high place. If you don't jump, okay. If you jump with all your energy, okay. If you half-way jump, and pull back at the last minute, then you can get hurt. I told them that, physically, of course, you have to be ready, but that you have to be ready in your mind, as well. Of the young guys in the film, Daniel Wu was the most experienced, because he's trained in kung fu for over 18 years.

To date, what has been your most exciting film project? Why?

For action, after all these years, I still have to say the first 'Police Story'. If you look back, that film really changed everything. No-one had made a modern day action movie like this. It was on this film that I developed my new style. This was the first film where my stuntmen really showed what they could do. The beginning scene, with the car chase down through the village, and the ending, the fight in the shopping mall¡| After all these years, they're still the best! However, just talking about film-making, I'm very proud of 'Miracles'. I made this film after I heard someone say "Oh, Jackie Chan can't really direct, he just directs action." I made this film just to show I could make a REAL movie. I really spent a lot of time and money on this production. I was the first one to use Steadicam in Hong Kong! When I look at that film today, I think it still looks beautiful.

What type of film projects are you working on now?

Right now, I am making a film called 'The Accidental Spy'. It is being directed by Teddy Chen. Teddy directed another film that I produced for Media Asia, called 'Purple Storm'. He is very talented. We are shooting on location in Hong Kong, Korea and Turkey. After this film, we start to prepare 'Rush Hour 2', which we will shoot partly on location in Hong Kong.

A large part of your career has been spent in front of the camera. How do you like working behind the scenes? What do you not like about working behind-the-scenes?

Honestly, I enjoy directing and producing. You can have much more control of the finished product than if you're just an actor. Maybe when I finally retire from acting, I'll miss it. At the moment, I can still star in films, and also produce films for other people. I'm someone who enjoys every part of film-making. In my own films, sometimes I'm the camera-man, sometimes I'm an extra, sometimes even sweeping the floor! I just love every part of making movies.

Do you prefer shooting in Asia or the US? Why

I'd like to have the kind of control I have in my Asian films and the kind of budget I have for my US films. When you make movies in Hollywood, you really can't do everything you want to do, and, when you make movies in Hong Kong, you sometimes can't afford to do everything you want to do. So, I want to bring the two sides together, and take the best from east and west. Then we won't make a Hong Kong movie or an American movie. Just a Jackie Chan movie!

Will you be involved in the sequel, 'Gen-Y Cops'?

The team for 'Gen-Y Cops' is the same : same producers, including me, same director, most of the same stars. The difference is that everything will be even better! Better script, better stunts, better special effects. We have a new star, Edison Chen, who is managed by our company. My nickname for him is 'my secret weapon for the new century'! It won't be just another sequel. You'll see!