In a series of events that elicited a roller coaster of emotions from both fans and insurance companies, Jackie Chan accidentally announced that he was retiring from action movies. After reading the news the next day, Chan clarified on his Facebook page that he is not retiring from action movies, only decreasing the amount of life-risking stunts he performs. At fifty-eight, it's not only remarkable that Chan still does all of his own stunts, but that he remains so freaking sunny about it. Has there ever been an actor more willing to put himself in harm's way with such adorable aplomb?
In addition to cutting down on the scary stunts, Chan wants it to be known that he's more than just a funny man. “I want to be an Asian Robert De Niro. I don’t just want to be an action star, I want to be a true actor. I want to get rid of my image,” Chan said last Friday at Cannes. With Chinese Zodiac, Chan's 100th (!) film, Chan might have to seriously get moving on the drama if he wants to change his image. But then again, why hurry? Chan's beloved for his sense of humor, hard work, and impressive stunts — he's a beloved actor in his own way, dramatic cred aside.
My advice? Chan should probably do a Taxi Driver remake, some mobster movies, wait a few years, then do a comedy with Ben Stiller and host a couple Saturday Night Lives. Then, he can do an Asian The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, at which point he'll have followed the De Niro route and be back at comedy! Best of luck, Jackie.