Hong Kong and global film icon Jackie Chan received a Career Leopard award on Saturday night, marking the 78th edition of the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland. The legendary actor and multi-hyphenate shared insights into his career during a talk at the festival, drawing a large crowd that lined up outside the cinema well ahead of time.
Chan recalled working as a young stunt guy with Bruce Lee on Fist of Fury, saying Lee tapped his shoulder after several takes of a scene full of pain. He also shared how he earned respect from people at a bowling alley when he brought Lee there and was a really good bowler. After Lee’s death, Chan was asked to remake Fist of Fury but felt it didn’t fit the script or character.
One of Chan’s tips for industry longevity is to be open to change and evolve. He learned to sing because TV hosts would ask him to do fight sequences with them. “Singing is easier,” he said. Later in his career, Chan wanted to be seen as an actor who can fight, not just an action star.
Chan discussed the shift in studios focusing on business over art, saying he hopes his career made something more than money. “Right now, a lot of big studios are not filmmakers, they are business guys,” he said. While he’s known for discipline, Chan shared that he was once lazy and naughty.
The 71-year-old star emphasized the importance of fighting and performing, saying, “I am 71. I still can fight.” As part of a tribute to his career, Chan introduced films Project A (1983) and Police Story (1985), which he worked on as star and director.
Locarno artistic director Giona A. Nazzaro called Chan an “Asian megastar, master filmmaker, and Hollywood mainstay beloved for action films that bridged the gap between East and West.” The festival organizers praised Chan’s influence on contemporary Asian cinema and his impact on Hollywood cinema.
Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/jackie-chan-asian-robert-de-niro-bruce-lee-bowling-locarno-1236341013