Jackie Chan Says He's Done Doing Action Movies, Wants to Be 'Asian Robert De Niro' (UPDATE)
Speaking with reporters at Cannes where he is premiering his latest film, actor Jackie Chan said he was through doing action movies.
"This is my last action film," Chan said of Chinese Zodiac, which he wrote, directed, produced, and starred in. "I tell you, I'm not young any more. I'm really, really tired."
The 58-year-old also mentioned the world being "too violent right now" as playing a factor in his decision.
Though he has noted his desire to retire from action films in the past, Chan says he's serious this time. "For the last 10 years I have been making some other different movies," he said. "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."
He promised movie-goers would slowly but surely come to see "the real Jackie Chan."
In Chinese Zodiac, his 100th feature film, Chan stars as a fortune hunter in search of bronze heads representing the 12 animals of the zodiac. The Hong Kong-born actor says he's been working on Zodiac for seven years, and calls it the "most important" movie of his career.
UPDATE: Jackie Chan posted a Facebook status update today informing fans that he was misquoted by the press at Cannes, and would actually be quitting action movies cold turkey.
Instead, he'll merely be scaling back "the life risking stunts," letting a stunt-double do the high-flying feats he would normally do himself. "I will continue to do international action movies," he writes. "And I will keep improving my English."
[photo via AP]