Jackie Chan’s true personality away from the cameras revealed during Karate Kid’s return

Jackie Chan is one of Hollywood’s most recognizable stars, known not only for his enduring presence in the industry, but also for his easy charm and likeable attitude.

The 70-year-old actor has built his entire career on his cheerful on-screen persona, and his latest collaborator shares a glimpse of how it really happens off-screen.

Jackie is set to reprise his role as Mr. Han from the 2010s The Karate Kid opposite Ralph Macchio, star of the 1984 original, in the upcoming Karate Kid: Legends.

The pair will appear alongside Ben Wang and Jonathan Entwistle will direct the latest installment in the franchise, which is scheduled for release in May 2025.

In a new conversation with Weekly EntertainmentJonathan and Ben break down the highly anticipated project, with the former speaking kindly about Jackie and how he’s as nice as you’d think when the cameras aren’t rolling.

“In addition to being a wonderful and very warm human being, he’s the kind of actor who doesn’t go away,” he explained. “When his day is over, he can often be found sitting next to me, sitting next to the cinematographer, telling stories, talking to the actors.”

The filmmaker praised the movie legend for being a true “movie star, calling her “something you don’t see that much anymore.” and explained how he was able to bring his own ideas and knowledge into the creation of Legends.

“He had the ability to come up with a little idea that I’d never thought of – and all of Jackie’s little ideas are in the movie. He was like the magical Dumbledore to us on set, and he’s like that too in the movie.

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He then developed this reflection by sharing one of the Kung Fu Panda the star’s ideas that made it into the final cut of the film, recalling: “There’s a wonderful fight sequence in the movie, which I’m not going to spoil, and Jackie had the idea to throw herself at Ben from a random corner of this space, without Ben even knowing where it was going to be.”

“He wanted to jump from the place that would have the most impact. He was always looking for an opportunity to roll on the floor, to roll over a table, to jump off a flight of stairs – he would just say, ‘I’m going to do.this.'”

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“None of us ever had a choice. It was like Jackie had an idea, and we filmed it because it’s Jackie, and it would always be great.”

Jonathan also spoke about early rumors that Mr. Han would return for a stay Karate Child film, first released in 2014, detailing when he joined the production and when everything finally materialized with the actor.

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“I was initially sent the script in early 2022,” he continued. “It had all the elements of Ben’s character, Li, but the ending was very different.”

“One of the things that really excited me when I first read it was this idea of ​​connecting Mr. Han’s Jackie Chan character with (Ralph’s) Daniel LaRusso, both in the films and then with what (his character) had become with. Cobra Kai“.