Jackie Chan is a name that needs no introduction. While it was Bruce Lee who played an instrumental role in changing the Western mindset of how they viewed martial arts movies, it was Jackie Chan who set a new trend in taking the genre further. Although he is an international star now, there was a time the Oscar-award-winning actor had a bitter experience with U.S. reporters.

Notably, the highly proclaimed actor has made an immense contribution to the industry with his action cum comedy flicks. As the pioneer of this genre, Chan redefined the beauty of martial arts by adding a touch of humor. Known for his agility, speedy and comical action sequences, Chan wrote in his autobiography ?Never Grow Up,’ wrote about a time he went tongue-tied at a press conference in New York.

Jackie Chan downplayed the gravity of the caution

Jackie Chan rose to stardom after his success at the box office. He was a renowned personality in Asia and ?people treated me with respect.? In 1980, as a part of promotions for his movie, ‘The Big Brawl’, he went to New York for a TV interview. However, the Asian superstar undermined his colleagues’ warning about the American reporters.

?You needed to be psychologically prepared to face American reporters,? his colleagues warned. The martial arts legend went through several struggles before he secured a position in the industry. Having gone through a lot of hardships, he thought, ?how bad could a press conference be??

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To his horror, it was a nightmare. He was flooded with questions. ?How is your name pronounced?? ?Are you Bruce Lee?s disciple?? ?Can you show us some karate?? The questions took him aback and compared how he was treated in Asia. At the time, he felt like a ?performing monkey? to fulfill their demands. Upset and disgusted, Chan hardly said a word. ?In the end, they cut my segment.?

Chan?s journey through Hollywood

It was an arduous path toward glory in Hollywood. Chan’s fights and action sequences didn?t impress the audience in comparison with Bruce Lee?s physical stuff. After years of hard work, he finally made it in the 1990s.

Besides, he became the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from MTV in 1995. Some of his movies that made it big in Hollywood are Rumble in the Bronx, Rush Hour(1995), and its sequels in 2001 and 2007.

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Like Chan, do you think other actors, who are not native Americans, face a similar situation in the US? Share your thoughts in the comments below.