He wants to be taken seriously as an actor, he says at the Cannes Film Festival

May 19, 2012 10:31 GMT  ·  By
Jackie Chan announces he's quitting action movies to focus on more serious acting at the Cannes Film Festival
   Jackie Chan announces he's quitting action movies to focus on more serious acting at the Cannes Film Festival

If you're a fan of Jackie Chan action movies, you might want to start working on your very own DVD collection because he'll not be making more. The star made the announcement at the Cannes Film Festival, saying he was for ever done with the genre.

He might be one of the most popular action stars of our times, but Jackie Chan is also growing old and tired.

His decision to focus on either more serious roles or comedy, and to ditch action roles is partly explained by this – and partly by his realization that there is simply too much violence in the world and he doesn't want to contribute to it anymore, the Daily Mail informs.

On the bright side, it's not like Jackie is retiring for good even though he will no longer be doing what he's come to be loved for, namely that wonderful combination of martial arts and comedy.

However, sometimes, it's best if you know how to quit when you're still ahead.

“This is my last action film. I am not young any more. I am really, really tired,” Mr. Chan said at the Cannes premiere of his latest film, “Chinese Zodiac.”

Besides being tired, the star is also saddened that there is so much violence in the world.

“The world is too violent right now. It’s a dilemma – I love fighting. I like action, but I don’t like violence,” Jackie Chan told reporters.

So, from today on, he will be focusing on serious acting, hoping he would, one day, have a career as enviable as that of Robert De Niro's.

“I want the audience to know I am not just about fighting. I can also act,” he said, adding that he was aiming to change his image with his future releases.

“I don’t just want to be an action star, I want to be a true actor. I want to get rid of my image,” he explained.

“I want the audience to know also I’m not only a comedian. I can act. Day by day, year by year, I’m going to show you the real Jackie Chan,” Jackie Chan added.

Somewhere in the world, fans of Jackie Chan movies are weeping.