Earning a cool $50 million last year, Hong Kong’s former favorite son Jackie Chan has been named the second highest-paid actor in the world by Forbes.
The 61-year-old action star was beaten (rather soundly) to the top spot by three-time richest actor Robert Downey, Jr., who made a whopping $80 million – thanks in no small part to the $240 million gross of Avengers: Age of Ultron in China.
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For the first time ever, Forbes cast its net beyond Hollywood in its annual tally of the most moneyed male movie stars, resulting in four Asian names in the top 10 (Chan was joined by three Bollywood stars).
Chan’s strong showing – placing above Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper and Tom Cruise – was something of a surprise since, as Forbes notes, “Chan hasn’t had an American live action hit in five years.”
But despite making a string of politically questionable statements that have turned fellow Hongkongers against him (most memorably, "Chinese people need to be controlled"), Chan is, like Donald Trump, one hell of a savvy businessman.
“Jackie Chan has built an empire on brand extensions and East-West co-productions – helped by his special relationship with the Chinese government,” said Forbes’ Natalie Robehmed.
Forbes calls Chan’s membership in the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference a “secret weapon” that he wields to ensure his movies get access to China’s tightly controlled but rapidly expanding cinema market.
Questioned about his cozy relationship with the Chinese government, Chan responded like a true patriot:
“Should I not be close to Chinese government?” he asks […], raising his voice. “We are Chinese! … I think everybody should love your country.”
This year, Chan has already netted an estimated $10 million plus from the $120 million Chinese box office haul of Dragon Blade, which is due for US release in September, and reportedly “owns an outsize chunk of” upcoming East-West co-production Skiptrace, for which Chan serves as both actor and investor.
Off-screen, Chan “controls enough brand extensions to make Jay Z jealous,” not to mention a Segway dealership and a cinema chain that bears his name. (He also opened a museum dedicated to himself in Shanghai, but it doesn't seem like many people are willing to pay the RMB128 entrance fee.)
Totaling everything up, Forbes reckons the kung fu icon has amassed a net worth of some $350 million. DUANG!!
Or as New York Asian Film Festival co-founder Grady Hendrix puts it, “Jackie Chan is basically the Mickey Mouse of Chinese culture.”
[Images via Forbes]
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