Actor, martial artist, and worldwide superstar, Jackie Chan, turns 69 today!
Though Jackie Chan is now the highest paid actor in Asia, the star came from humble beginnings.
“Our home was run-down, small, and stuck in the back. The folks at the consulate treated us well, but from the very beginning, we existed in two different worlds,” he said.
His mother was a housekeeper and his father worked on a cargo ship. Because of their low income level, Chan became dedicated to becoming successful. Once he found that success, he found that it came with surprising consequences:
“I started to carry large amounts of cash at all times. After you live in poverty, cash gives you a sense of security. I like having lots of people around me and every meal was with a big gang. Around 10 years ago I spent US$2 million in one year paying for other people’s meals. I gave out extravagant gifts too; watches, cars, custom-made leather jackets, cases of expensive wine.”
After that, Chan admitted in his biography that he began drinking heavily and said he would drive drunk “all the time”.
“Looking back, I guess I behaved like this to make up for past suffering,” Chan wrote.
Now, Chan uses his money for philanthropic purposes, even dedicating the entirety of his net worth to charity upon his death.
Happy Birthday, Jackie Chan!
Sources:
https://www.grunge.com/459058/things-you-may-not-know-about-jackie-chan/
