Brett Ratner’s 1998 action comedy Rush Hour introduced the comic duo of Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan. The film was a hit, and one of the things people loved about the movie was the chemistry between its lead stars. It became a massive hit not only for Chan but also for Tucker, leading him to become an A-list star in Hollywood. The franchise continued with two more movies and is also expected to bring back its lead stars in the potential fourth installment.
Like their on-screen characters, their friendship behind the cameras also progressed in the same way. The Friday actor has also shared that his first impression of his co-star played a huge role in establishing Carter and Lee’s characters in the 1998 movie.
Jackie Chan’s Silence Made Chris Tucker Uncomfortable
The 1998 movie Rush Hour was a turning point for its lead cast and the filmmaker. Overcoming everyone’s expectations, the movie grossed $245 million at the box office and continued with a sequel and a threequel. People loved the constant bickering between LAPD Detective James Carter and the Hong Kong cop Lee as they investigated the kidnapping case.
However, Chris Tucker has shared that he was a little uncomfortable with his co-star’s behavior during their first meeting. Talking about his co-star on East Coast Drive, he shared that he was “scared” because Jackie Chan did not talk at all during their first meeting about the movie.
It led him to question, “Does he speak English.” He shared that he was worried that it could lead to a communication barrier, which could have led to further issues for the film. And the director reassured him that no such thing would happen and that Chan was just observing the people and situation.
“He’s just checking you out. He’s Chinese. That’s what they do,” Tucker recalled the director’s words. While the first meeting did turn out to be pretty uncomfortable for him, it was helpful in shaping their characters in the movie.
Rush Hour Showcases Awkward Interaction Between Its Lead Stars
In the movie, James Carter is assigned to keep Jackie Chan’s Lee away from the investigation. And the first few moments between Carter and Lee seemed to highlight how Chris Tucker felt during his first meeting with The Karate Kid actor.
One of the things Carter asks Lee after meeting him is “Please tell me you speak English,” before asking him, “Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth?” Chan, like Tucker explained in his interview, kept quiet and took his time to reveal that he speaks and understands English.
The actor-comedian shared during his interview with East Coast Drive that it was his first meeting with the Police Story star that inspired him to set the scenario for their first meeting in the movie as well. “The first time I met him, I was like, ‘Does he understand English? Does he speak English?’ I just took that, and that was the movie right there,” he shared during his interview.
Source: East Coast Drive
