Jackie Chan was 40 when he discovered his father was a spy, reveals his original name is not ‘Chan’

Legendary actor Jackie Chan, known for playing a spy in several of his blockbuster films, recently revealed that his father was a spy in real life and the fact was kept hidden from Jackie during his younger days.

‘You are not Chan’

The actor spoke about his past during an interview with People magazine, looking back on the moment when he discovered his father’s profession.

In the interview, Chan shows a family picture, mentioning, “that’s my father and my mom. I cannot remember how old I am at the time.” Later he recalled the moment when his father shared the secret while he was driving the car.

“My father was a very handsome guy, and my father was a spy. I got to know my father’s secret when I was 40 something... One day, I was driving my car and my father suddenly said, ‘Son, I'm old. I might sleep and never wake up’... I have a secret to tell you... You are not Chan. Your original name is Fang,” he added.

The 71-year-old remembered feeling “very shocked” at the revelation and initially was unable to listen to his father Charles’ explanation of his past.

Jackie Chan’s father was a spy

In 2003, the actor had commissioned a documentary, Traces of the Dragon: Jackie Chan and His Lost Family, which had revealed how his father worked as a government spy during the Chinese Civil War in the 1940s. His mother, Lee-lee, also had a secret past as an opium smuggler and gambler, which the film covered.

Jackie Chan’s new film

Jackie Chan got the ticket to Hollywood in 1995 with a role in Rumble in the Bronx. He was already a well-known name in the Chinese film industry by then. However, it was 1998’s buddy cop comedy Rush Hour opposite Chris Tucker that catapulted him to global stardom.

Last week, Jackie returned to the Karate Kid franchise with Karate Kid: Legends. The film sees Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio reprise their roles as Mr Han and Daniel LaRusso. The film follows a new young martial artist, played by Ben Wang, as he is trained by Chan and Macchio's characters.

The film was released on May 30 in India.