Live chat: Jackie Chan talks about ‘Chinese Zodiac’ on Tuesday
Jackie Chan is not dead and is not retiring, contrary to some Internet reports. In fact, Chan will be talking about his latest action film, “Chinese Zodiac,” in a live chat at 5 p.m. PDT on Tuesday with Times staff writer Scott Sandell. Chan will be answering your questions too; just tweet them using the hashtag #AskLATimes now and during the chat.
[Updated, 12:20 p.m. PDT Oct. 15: The chat time is now 5 p.m. PDT Tuesday; it was originally slated for Wednesday.]
Opening Friday in North America, “Chinese Zodiac” stars Chan as the leader of a group of treasure hunters who set out to retrieve several bronze animal heads taken from Beijing’s Summer Palace by French and British forces during the Second Opium War more than 100 years ago.
In real life, the missing bronzes, which represent animals of the Chinese zodiac, have been a hot-button issue in China. Chan’s film finds an inventive way to imagine their possible return.
Despite mixed reviews, “Chinese Zodiac” has already brought in more than $160 million internationally, and it became one of China’s highest-grossing home-grown films after opening there in late 2012.
Also known as “CZ12,” the movie features Chan’s stunts -- including a chase down a mountain in which the actor becomes a human Rollerblade -- alongside slapstick humor and heated discussions about pillaged relics.
While making the film, Chan set two Guinness world records. The first was for most credits in one movie: 15, including acting, directing, writing, producing, art direction and stunt choreography.
The second was for most stunts by a living actor, an honor that recognized his 50-year career in films such as “Drunken Master” (1978), “Police Story” (1985), “Rush Hour” (1998), “Shanghai Noon” (2000) and the remake of “The Karate Kid” (2010).
He made his debut in the Hong Kong film “Big and Little Wong Tin Bar” in 1962, at age 8, before appearing in martial arts movies, including opposite Bruce Lee. Chan has made more than 100 films to date.
At 59, the outspoken Chan may be slowing down on the action front -- at one point he stated that “Chinese Zodiac” would be his last big-action film, leading to erroneous reports that he was retiring -- but he has another “Police Story” installment and the action-comedy “Skiptrace” in the works.
As for the repeated death hoaxes that have plagued him on the Internet, Chan’s Facebook page and blog have had some fun with the issue. “If I died, I would probably tell the world!” he wrote.
Join us at 5 p.m. PDT on Tuesday, when Chan will talk about the new film, his career and the growing collaboration and competition between Hollywood and the Chinese film industry.
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