Jackie Chan’s claim to fame was the crazy edge-of-the-seat action sequences mixed with his physical comedy. Establishing a solid spot in the hearts of American audiences, Chan became their favorite family-friendly action star. However, the stunts choreographed and performed by Jackie Chan himself, especially in his earlier days in the industry, were anything but safe.

Jackie Chan in the movie that changed his career trajectory

The Police Story actor has endured multiple injuries, often displaying glimpses of these mishaps in behind-the-scenes videos at the end of his movies. One such injury occurred during the filming of his sensational movie that made him an American star overnight.

Jackie Chan’s Leg Injury From Rumble In The Bronx

Jackie Chan’s scene in Rumble in the Bronx where he broke his ankle

Rumble in the Bronx was a turning point for Jackie Chan, as it introduced the most famous action star in Asia to Hollywood. In the film, Chan played a Hong Kong cop embroiled with a motorcycle street gang in the Bronx, New York. While The Karate Kid actor had executed many impressive stunts in past movies, working with a new stunt team from Vancouver, Canada proved to be a challenge.

During the filming of the climactic action sequences, Jackie Chan sustained a severe injury. The Drunken Master actor had to jump from a bridge onto a hovercraft, and in the process, he broke his ankle. The BTS footage of the film captured the failed jump and Chan being sent to the hospital.

However, a broken ankle didn’t stop the Shanghai Noon actor from completing his stunts for the movie. Chan used a specially designed cast, which was made to look like a shoe, and completed filming the sequence.

Notably, Rumble in the Bronx was worth Jackie Chan’s injury, as it took off among North American audiences and grossed $76 million worldwide. Promotional materials for the film even featured diagrams of the Shanghai Knights actor’s injuries. However, The Accidental Spy actor has suffered worse injuries, including a life-threatening one.

Jackie Chan Almost Killed Himself In A Scene

Rumble in the Bronx promotional poster that illustrates Jackie Chan’s various injuries

In the 1986 film, Armour of God, Jackie Chan was nearly 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁ed in a reckless stunt. Chan had to jump off a cliff onto a tree and on the first take, Chan nailed the jump. However, The Myth actor insisted on another take, during which he fell from the tree almost 40ft to the ground.

Chan broke his skull upon impact, and a piece of bone struck his brain and he was flown to a hospital for immediate surgery. The accident left a permanent hole in his brain and a slight hearing loss in his right ear.

In yet another incident, The Foreigner actor had to drop from a clock tower to the ground in the 1983 film, Project A. Chan landed twice on his neck in two different takes. He revealed that this neck injury left him unable to speak clearly for almost two years. Earlier in his 1982 film, Dragon Lord, Chan injured his chin and couldn’t speak properly throughout the rest of the film. Notably, he was also the director of the latter film.

Jackie Chan’s commitment to his films is unwavering, to the point where he was ready to sacrifice himself to entertain his audience. In recent years, the Rush Hour actor has started using stunt doubles for scenes due to his age, which is 69 now.