Actor: Jackie Chan

Jackie Chan trained at the Peking Opera School from seven in an arrangement that amounted to indentured labour, and the physical training there produced everything since.

He deliberately built a persona opposite Bruce Lee’s: a fighter who is frightened, improvises with props and gets hurt. The outtakes over his end credits, showing failed stunts and injuries, became a signature.

Police Story, Drunken Master and Project A are the Hong Kong essentials, and Rush Hour brought the American career. He has broken almost every bone in his body and received an honorary Academy Award.