Jackie Chan recently opened up about a surprising revelation his late father shared with him. During a reflective conversation with People, the acclaimed Hong Kong actor recalled a moment that left him stunned.
He was driving with his father, Charles Chan, when the elder suddenly said, "Son, I'm old. I might sleep and never wake up. I have a secret to tell you." What followed changed Jackie’s understanding of his family history.
His father then revealed that he had been a spy, a confession that initially left Jackie so shocked that he couldn’t absorb any further details about his father's mysterious past. Hours later, he finally processed the revelation and said, “Okay. Now I'm ready.”
This revelation echoed the narrative portrayed in the 2003 film Traces of the Dragon: Jackie Chan and His Lost Family, which explores Jackie’s family background. The film unveils that his father worked as a spy during the Chinese Civil War in the 1940s, while his mother was involved in smuggling opium.
Reflecting on his childhood, Jackie admitted that he was a handful. His parents struggled to manage his behavior and ultimately enrolled him in a martial arts academy. He described himself as extremely mischievous, confessing that he would often skip school and throw away his textbooks.
He also shared a touching detail about his mother, revealing that she never watched his movies in full. Whenever she saw him performing a stunt, she would turn away, unable to watch her son put himself in danger.
