Actor Jackie Chan received an honorary Oscar at the Eighth Annual Governors Awards in Los Angeles on Saturday for his contributions to the film industry. Chan thanked his fans and said, “After 56 years in the film industry, making more than 200 films, after so many bones, finally. I’m just honoured to be here.” The honorary Oscar statuette is given to acclaim the extraordinary lifetime achievement, exceptional contribution to motion picture, arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy.
The martial arts star has been in the industry for 56 years and the award was an acknowledgement of his decades of work. Actors Chris Tucker, Michelle Yeoh and Tom Hanks presented Chan with the award. Hanks, who referred to the Chinese actor as ‘Jackie Chantastic Chan’, said martial arts and action comedy films were the two genres that are often ignored during awards seasons.
Chan thanked his native city of Hong Kong and said he was “proud to be Chinese”. The 62-year-old actor reminisced of times when he used to think of holding the gold statuette one day. “My dad always said, ‘Son, you’ve got so many movie awards around the world. When are you gonna get one of these?’ I used to laugh and told my dad that I only make comedy action movies.” He recalled how he was stunned to see the gold statuette at Sylvester Stallone’s house 23 years ago. He said he had caressed and kissed the trophy. “I talked to myself, ‘I really want one,’” Chan said.
Chan began his acting career in Hong Kong in the 1960s and broke into American films with Rumble In The Bronx in 1996. Later, films like Shanghai Noon, The Tuxedo, Kung Fu Panda, The Karate Kid and the Rush Hour series made him a household name in the US and other countries.
Apart from Chan, casting director Lynn Stalmaster, editor Anne V Coates, and documentarian Frederick Wiseman were also honoured at the star-studded event. Hollywood’s biggies, including Denzel Washington, Lupita Nyong’o, Nicole Kidman, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds and Amy Adams attended, reported Reuters.
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