Unwavering his Own Stuntman: Jackie Chan's Grimmest Injuries
Jackie Chan's Most Severe Mishaps and Mishaps - Severe Injuries Suffered by Jackie Chan
Get ready for a thrilling deep dive into the life of action icon, Jackie Chan (71). This legendary stuntman's journey started at seven years old, gracing the silver screen in "Big and Little Wong Tin Bar" in 1962. And let me tell you, age hasn't slowed him down a bit! In a recent interview with "Haute Living" magazine, Jackie practically laughs off retirement, promising to keep stunting till the end of days.
"I'm the one behind the stunts, always have been, and always will be," he quips. He adds that "those 64 years of training? It's all muscle memory now." But let's face it, memories are not always rosy, and for Jackie, some of his most vivid memories revolve around those times when things went awry.
A Bone-Crunching Saga
Reckoning his broken bones could fill a medical journal, but he's only broken "pretty much every bone in [his] body," he told Steve Harvey, laughing it off. From skull to toes, Jackie's body has weathered the wear and tear like a seasoned tank.
The most harrowing mishap took place during the making of "Armour of God" roughly 40 years ago. The stunt involved leaping from a colossal height onto a tree branch and swinging onto a ledge. Unfortunately, the branch collapsed beneath Jackie, leaving him to plummet eight meters unguarded. He fortuitously landed on his shoulder instead of a rock, but not without consequences. He suffered a fractured skull and brain hemorrhage, requiring an extensive surgery—leaving him with a metal plate as a keepsake.
His head injury a decade earlier, during "Hand of Death," was almost as severe. He was supposed to plunge from a moving truck, but things took a dark turn. A hard landing left Jackie unconscious for about an hour, but thankfully, he pulled through.
Skirting Paralysis
1983 brought another close shave: "The Cannonball Run." Jackie fell from an unbelievable height after dangling from a clock tower. Luckily, two awnings softened his descent, and he only managed to injure his neck—miraculously avoiding paralysis. The film's scenes also featured broken noses and shattered fingers, adding to Jackie's impressive injury tally.
One episode in "Police Story" made all the others seem like child's play. Jackie jumped onto a post in a shopping mall, swung down, and smashed through a glass window. He endured electric shocks, burns on his hands, cuts, spinal injuries, and, of course, a broken finger—all in a single stunt.
Chan also almost traded his sight in one eye when Hwang Jang-Lee delivered a brutal kick to his face during the filming of "Drunken Master" in 1978. Instant medical attention and a stroke of luck preserved the Master's vision for almost 50 years.
And these are just a few examples of Jackie's grisly encounters with disaster. But the greatest testament to Jackie's unyielding spirit is his resilience and, well, some might say, a remarkably persistent guardian angel. Whether Jackie sustains more injuries during the filming of his latest venture, "Karate Kid: Legends," remains to be seen. The film, a sequel to the 1984 original, is set to hit theatres on May 29 in Germany.
- Jackie Chan
- Action movie
- Injury
- Steve Harvey
- Camera
- Luck
- Despite his numerous injuries throughout his career, Jackie Chan continues to promise that he will keep performing his own stunts in action movies.
- In an interview with Steve Harvey, Jackie Chan joked about breaking "pretty much every bone in [his] body," showcasing his unmatched resilience in the face of numerous injuries.
- In the filming of "The Cannonball Run," Jackie Chan narrowly escaped paralysis after falling from a great height, a testament to his luck and the protective equipment used during his stunts.
