Kung Fu cinema has had plenty of incredible stars, but it must be admitted that the greatest of them all was Jackie Chan. While influential legends like Bruce Lee have earned their place among the best martial artists there ever were, when all metrics were considered, nobody was able to top the incredible achievement of Jackie Chan’s vast and varied filmography. With intense fighting skills, a commitment to stunt work, and worldwide recognizability, Chan just ticked all the boxes.

Equally beloved across cultural and generational divides, Jackie Chan’s defining movies made him a legend. With experience in countless genres, a willingness to always try something new, and a passion for perfectionism that’s kept him at the top of his game, Chan’s career has been an awe-inspiring spectacle. Chan has even transcended martial arts movies and become recognizable to those without an interest in fighting films, and all these qualities made Jackie Chan the greatest Kung Fu movie star of all time.

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Jackie Chan Developed His Own Unique Style

Jackie Chan has skills across countless martial arts styles

One of the most impressive things about Jackie Chan was that he had his own unique style that combined many types of martial arts. Chan’s fighting style and martial arts background boasted skills in Southern Shaolin kung fu, Northern Shaolin kung fu, Wing Chun, and Hapkido, and he’s also trained extensively in karate and Western boxing. This variety came together in a style that cannot be defined as simply one thing, which made Chan’s skillset entirely unique.

Having honed his skills alongside Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao at the Peking Opera School, Chan has become a martial arts legend that sets him apart as the greatest star within the genre. Through the youth group Seven Little Fortunes, Chan perfected his acrobatic, martial arts, and acting talents, laying the foundations for his entire career. Now, after being in the industry for over 60 years, Chan has truly stood as one of the most recognizable performers on the planet.

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Jackie Chan Took Stunt Work To A New Level

Jackie Chan has consistently done his own stunts

Jackie Chan has been responsible for plenty of cool stunts in martial arts movies, making him renowned for his performance skills and fantastic aptitude for intense stuntwork. From his earliest days as a stuntman in Bruce Lee movies to modern times as a worldwide Kung Fu superstar, Chan has consistently pushed the boundaries of what action films could be. With a willingness to repeatedly put his body on the line, Chan earned his reputation as one of the greats.

The power of Chan’s stuntwork, which involved complex choreography, precise timing, and an element of risk, kept viewers glued to their seats. With a commitment to authenticity, Chan never took the easy way out when it came to his stunts and always made sure to give it his best. One thrilling example of this was Chan’s incredible pole slide in Police Story, a stunt so visually stunning it was impossible to forget.

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Jackie Chan’s Cross-Generational Appeal Made Him A True Icon

Jackie Chan’s beloved by all ages

While Jackie Chan has achieved worldwide recognition over his long and varied career, one thing that was even more impressive was his cross-generational appeal. With roles in action, comedy, and drama, Chan’s filmography can be enjoyed from birth right up until old age, as he’s produced movies that appeal to all ages and interests. From intense and bloody Kung Fu masterpieces to mild, family-friendly fun, Chan has utilized his skill as a Kung Fu legend to transcend generations.

While many Kung Fu lovers first discovered Chan through classics like Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow, just as many kids learned about him through the Kids’ WB animated series Jackie Chan Adventures. The sheer volume of projects Chan has been involved in means that he has tapped into countless different age groups’ interest points. This was part of the reason Chan became the greatest Kung Fu movie star of all time.

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Jackie Chan Filled A Void Left By Bruce Lee

Jackie Chan carried forward Bruce Lee’s legacy

Professing that Jackie Chan was the greatest Kung Fu star may sound like blasphemy to some martial arts lovers who would fervently assert that honor belonged to Bruce Lee. There’s a great argument that Lee was the greatest of all time, but sadly, Lee’s career was cut short at 32, and although his films ranked among the greatest Kung Fu movies ever, his career did not have the longevity of Chan. The two stars were also very different performers, and Chan helped fill the massive void left in the genre after Lee’s death.

Bruce Lee was a major contributor to the popularity of Kung Fu in the Western world, and after he passed away, many fighters tried to mimic his style and fill the gap that he left. However, there was only one Lee, and Chan did him an honor by continuing his legacy with a style that was all his own. Chan’s mixture of action and slapstick humor made him an unlikely candidate to carry out Lee’s legacy, but in terms of recognition and influence, he helped ease the world’s grief and became a new Kung Fu legend for the ages.

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Jackie Chan’s Perfectionism Meant He Always Strove For The Best

Jackie Chan never settled for imperfection

A big reason that Jackie Chan was the greatest Kung Fu movie star ever was his commitment to perfection and ensuring that he always got his big stunts right. While Chan was primarily known for his work in front of the camera, he also directed many movies, produced many films, and even wrote some. As a performer who was deeply involved and interested in the filmmaking process, Chan always strove for perfectionism and put everything he had into getting things correct.

One of the most extreme examples of Chan’s perfectionism came during the filming of Dragon Lord. This Hong Kong Kung Fu film included the infamous pyramid fight, which holds the record for the most takes ever needed for a single scene (via The Guardian.) To get things right in this fight, Chan put himself through a whopping 2,900 takes, which, more so than anything, symbolically represented Chan’s commitment to being the very best.

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Jackie Chan’s Success Helped Bridged The Gap Between The East And West

Jackie Chan has maintained his popularity worldwide

One of the most impressive things about Jackie Chan was the way he appeared to traverse the film industries of the Eastern and Western worlds seamlessly to such great effect. When it comes to it, Chan may just be the most recognizable actor in the world, as he’s found equal acclaim in China and in Hollywood. This was no mean feat, and his sheer recognizability alone made him stand among the greatest Kung Fu stars.

Chan’s worldwide popularity has had a wider reach than most viewers might initially realize. As a notable star for the past six decades, Chan’s success helped open the doors for other Hong Kong film stars to succeed in Hollywood. The fact that Chan has maintained his career in both the East and West has set a precedent for others to do the same. In the process, Chan has helped bridge the gap between Eastern and Western cinema for everybody.

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Jackie Chan’s Resilience Meant He Always Returned After Injuries

Jackie Chan has had plenty of close calls

Jackie Chan has had brutal injuries throughout his career, but this has never stopped him from getting the job done. Having faced many bone-breaking accidents over the past six decades, Chan never faltered in his commitment to doing his own stunts and ensuring his movies were as authentic as possible when it came to acrobats, martial arts, and death-defying stuntwork. Chan has survived so many mishaps that viewers can be thankful he’s still around to tell the tale and stand as the greatest Kung Fu star.

From falling off the clock tower in Project A, hurting his head in Hand of Death, or smashing his head on a rock in Armour of God, Chan has had a litany of bangs and bruises. While Chan has come dangerously close to meeting an unfortunate end several times over, Kung Fu lovers have enjoyed the fruits of his hurtful labor year after year. Chan has continued stuntwork to this day, which shows a resilience seldom seen in a movie star of his stature.

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Jackie Chan Was A True Hero Off-Screen

Jackie Chan has done a lot charity work

It’s one thing to play a hero on screen, but it’s something entirely different to actually be one when the camera stops rolling. Thankfully, Jackie Chan has excelled on both fronts, as he’s consistently used his star power to support good causes and philanthropic endeavors. Chan has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2004 (via UNICEF) and has devoted much of his life to humanitarian work.

The compassion that Chan has shown for young people and the work he has done to ensure the future became better for those who faced economic hardship were commendable. With Chan’s success came a responsibility to use his power and influence for good, and he wielded this power positively. To be truly considered the greatest Kung Fu star, all aspects of this role must be considered, and through organizations like the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation, he proved himself a man of incredible empathy and an all-time great.

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Jackie Chan’s Multi-Genre Talents Highlight His Supreme Skill

Jackie Chan has transcended the Kung Fu genre

Plenty of martial arts stars have appeared in more than 100 movies, but part of what made Jackie Chan the greatest was his excellence across so many different genres. With intense action movies, slapstick comedies, and even outrageous fantasies, Chan has done it all through his 150 acting roles. Chan’s willingness to continually put himself out of his comfort zone, try new things, and broaden his horizons made for a truly unique filmography that can stand against any other Kung Fu there ever was.

While this versatility applied to classic Kung Fu movies, Chan has utilized his skills as a martial artist in mainstream Hollywood films. From buddy cop franchises like Rush Hour to family friend films like Around the World in 80 Days, there’s almost nothing that Chan has not tried and succeeded at doing. This multi-genre talent has highlighted Cham’s supreme skill and ensured he came out on top when it came to Kung Fu stars.

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Jackie Chan’s Prolonged Career Success Makes Him A Kung Fu Legend

Jackie Chan has been working for more than six decades

Jackie Chan made his first film appearance at eight years old in Big and Little Wong Tin Bar in 1962. Since then, countless Kung Fu stars have come and gone, but Chan has continued pushing the boundaries of what could be achieved in action movies, Kung Fu cinema, and stuntwork. This prolonged career success and incredible longevity were truly unique in Kung Fu and made Chan a special case who should be considered the greatest Kung Fu star of all time.

After Chan’s breakout roles in movies like Drunken Master in 1978, he continued to find success as an actor and director. Films like Rumble in the Bronx from 1995 brought Chan mainstream recognition in the Western world. With plenty of upcoming Jackie Chan martial arts movies in the world, there’s no denying that his prolonged success made Jackie Chan a legend and solidified his place as the greatest Kung Fu star of all time.

Sources: The Guardian, UNICEF