The Unyielding Dynamo: Jackie Chan's Unbelievable Survival in Action Movies
Jackie Chan's Most Severely Sustained Traumas - Most severe injuries endured by Jackie Chan
Hey there! Jackie Chan, the legendary action star (71) who's been leaping and tumbling since his childhood debut in 1962's "Big and Little Wong Tin Bar" at the tender age of seven, shows no signs of slowing down. In an exclusive cover story interview with "Haute Living" magazine, he swears he'll always be his own stunt double, joking that retirement is off the table!
"I always do my own stunts, man. That's me. That's never gonna change, until they stick me six feet under," he proudly declares. Nowadays, he doesn't even pre-game for stunts anymore, stating, "If you've been training for 64 years, you don't need physical preparation. It's all about heart and soul; it's muscle memory."
But, let's face it. The six decades in the film industry haven't been a walk in the park for this action sensation. He recounted to Steve Harvey once that "there are a lot of stories out there that say, 'Jackie, you've broken every bone in your body.' But that's not true." Still, he then proceeded to list a litany of fractured bones from head to toe.
A Brush with Death: Side-stepping the Grim Reaper
One particularly harrowing incident occurred during the filming of "Armour of God" in 1986. Jackie was meant to jump from a great height onto a tree branch and swing to a ledge. But the branch gave way, leading him to plummet eight meters without a safety net.
Lucky for Jackie, he landed on his shoulder instead of headfirst on a rock. Still, he sustained a hole in his skull and a brain hemorrhage - a fragment of bone embedding itself into his brain. A grueling, multi-hour operation saved his life, and a metal plate under his scalp is a souvenir of that terrifying accident.
Head Cases: Battles of Brain and Brawn
Decade earlier, in "Hand of Death," Jackie took a hard whack to the melon when he was meant to leap off a moving truck. Though he made the stunt work with fervor, he tumbled unconscious for nearly an hour afterward.
Rückschlag statt Karriereende: Jackie Chan widersteht der Scheibe
In 1983, during the filming of "The Cannonball Run", he once again collided with fate. He fell from a great height after hanging from the hands of a clock tower, injuring his neck. To Jackie's fortune, two awnings caught a portion of his fall, preventing total disaster. Unfortunately, he also endured a broken nose and some fractured digits elsewhere in the film.
Riesenstunts für Einen Preis: Police Story
In 1985's "Police Story", Jackie racked up a host of injuries in a single stunt. A shopping mall scene saw him slipping down a pole and shattering a glass window. He suffered electric shocks, burns on his paws, cuts, spinal, and pelvic injuries, and another broken finger.
Jackie Chan came close to losing his vision in one eye for almost five decades. In 1978, while directing the cult classic "Drunken Master", he endured a brutal kick to the face from actor Hwang Jang-Lee, causing significant damage to his cheekbone and eye socket. Miraculously, swift medical intervention helped him retain his sight, sparing him from a potential vision impairment.
This rundown barely scratches the surface of the numerous injuries Jackie has suffered throughout his career. But even these harrowing tales underscore his remarkable resilience and the possible bevy of heavenly guardians watching over the action hero. Whether Jackie encountered injuries during the filming of the new movie "Karate Kid: Legends", a sequel to the 1984 classic, remains to be seen. "Karate Kid: Legends" is set to hit German cinemas on May 29th.
- Jackie Chan
- Action movie
- Injury
- Steve Harvey
- Luck
- Camera
- Over the decades in his action movie career, Jackie Chan has continually played his own stunt double, declaring he'll never change until he's six feet under.
- Despite his activity-laden six decades in the film industry, Jackie doesn't prepare for stunts anymore, believing heart and soul, and muscle memory take precedence.
- In an interview with Steve Harvey, Jackie Chan debunked the myth that he's broken every bone in his body, but still listed numerous fractures he's received throughout his career.
- During the filming of "Armour of God", Jackie Chan suffered a life-threatening fall, landing on his shoulder with a hole in his skull and a brain hemorrhage, subsequently requiring a multi-hour operation to save his life.
- In "Hand of Death", Jackie took a hard blow to the head and collapsed unconscious for nearly an hour after a stunt gone wrong.
- In 1983, during the filming of "The Cannonball Run", Jackie Chan once again encountered multiple injuries, including a broken nose and fractured digits, after falling from a great height with only two awnings to break his fall.
