Chan's the man in a rush

Jackie Chan10 April 2012

Boom! After the success of Rush Hour, I don't know what happened. Why was it so successful?

It was astonishing the way people new to this type of film suddenly discovered action and humour. Rush Hour was popular with Jackie Chan martial-arts fans - but it also created a new family audience around the world.

At first I was nervous about Rush Hour 2 - how could we better part one? We want to go on to Rush Hour 3 and 4, so it was important that Rush Hour 2 was good. A lot of pressure. But Rush Hour 2 is funnier than the original. More action too.In part one, we were relaxed. Nobody knew Chris [Tucker] or me. Even I looked at it and thought, "Oh, American film. Bye, bye, Jackie Chan." I didn't have confidence - I thought I'd just go back to Asia and make Asian films.

The big difference between shooting an American film and a Hong Kong film is that in America they talk about script, character, drama, comedy, action, stunt. Hong Kong films are action, stunt, action, stunt. I wanted more fighting, but they said no.

There's a scene where I'm nude on a Hong Kong freeway. I told director Brett Ratner I didn't want to do it. He made me do it - twice. So dangerous! I almost got hit by a truck. I was yelling on the walkie-talkie, "Goddammit! The car's going too fast. I'm not doing that again!" It was crazy.

For my preparation, Chris Tucker and me became better buddies - more than in part one. The most difficult thing for me still is not the action, not the stunts - it's the English. Very difficult. Just one phrase drives me crazy. Like "samurai sword" - those words are not natural for me to say, so I have to talk quickly. I told them, just let me speak Jackie Chan English.

Rush Hour 2 opens Fri 3 Aug.

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