Random Inside Jackie Chan's Storied Life And Career (13 items)

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  (#11) He Got The Nickname 'Jackie' While Working In Australia

  According to Reuters, Chan's parents moved the family to Canberra, Australia, in the 1970s. It was there he earned his famous moniker. While working on a construction site, Chan was mentored by an employee named Jack.

  As a result, his fellow workers dubbed him "Little Jack." That was then shortened to "Jackie."
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  (#5) He Was Blacklisted By Insurance Companies Because His Stunts Were So Dangerous

  Because Chan has long performed his stunts in movies, he has broken a lot of bones. As a result, Chan said insurance companies banned him. That means he pays for all his employees' medical bills if they're hurt on set or while working on his films. 

  Very generous, but necessary, especially considering the perils involved in his films.
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  (#8) He's A Famous Singer In China

  On top of being a world-renowned action star, Chan is also a trained opera singer, according to Jackie Chan: Inside the Dragon. He's recorded a lot of songs in China, where he's a significant musical presence.

  Fittingly, Chan usually sings the theme tunes that play during his movies' credits.
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  (#1) His Mother Had Underworld Connections And His Father Was A Spy

  Chan's parents both led lives they were forced to give up due to the outbreak of conflict in China. Filmmaker Mabel Cheung made an intriguing documentary about the Chan family, Traces of the Dragon: Jackie Chan and His Lost Family, in which she unveiled revelations even Chan himself didn't know. 

  Cheung told The Guardian about some of the shocking things she uncovered:

  The fact that his mother was an opium smuggler, a gambler, and a big sister in the underworld was a big shock to Jackie and also to us. Everybody in Hong Kong knew that his mother was like a common housewife, very kind, very gentle.

  It was also revealed that Chan's dad, known to his son as Chan Chi-Long, was born Fang Daolang. He was a spy who met Chan's mother while arresting her for transporting substances.
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  (#4) He Revealed Details About His Marriage In His Memoir

  In his autobiography, Never Grow Up, Chan revealed lots of secrets about his marriage. His wife, Joan Lin, became pregnant while they were dating, but Chan sent her off to America because he was unsure of what to do.

  The two were eventually married in a Los Angeles coffee shop during the lunchtime rush. Chan explained how he came to his decision in his memoir:

  During her pregnancy, I was working the whole time and didn't go to the States until she was going to deliver. A form needed to be filled in before the baby was born. She then asked me if she could fill in my name under the "father: column... my agent said we should get married first.
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  (#9) He Semi-Retired From Doing His Own Stunts In 2012

  In 2012, Chan said he would retire from doing stunts. While promoting his film Chinese Zodiac, he said:

  This is my last action film. I tell you, I'm not young anymore. I'm really, really tired. 

  While many assumed Chan meant he was retiring from action films, he later clarified on Facebook that he merely meant he wouldn't continue doing all his stunts:

  After all these years of doing so many stunts and breaking so many bones, I need to take better care of my body so I can keep working.

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