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Jackie Chan is no stranger to weaving cinematic tales from his real life. In one such story, Chan claimed that he was born after spending twelve months in his mother’s womb, an astonishing three months overdue. He has stuck to this claim over the years, even providing details such as his birth weight, a hefty 12.5 lbs heavy, and the story that his parents planned to sell him to cover medical expenses.
Jackie Chan was born in British Hong Kong to Charles and Lee-Lee Chan. His parents were political refugees from the Chinese Civil War, which plunged them into poverty when they first arrived in Hong Kong.
Also Read:“I didn’t even want to meet him”: Jackie Chan Changed Daniel Wu’s Life After Their First Meeting Despite the Actor’s Initial Hesitation
Jackie Chan Claimed That He Was Born After 12 Months of Pregnancy
Jackie Chanmade the claim surrounding his birth very early in his career and confirmed it during an appearance onThe Talk. When the hosts skeptically asked him about the story, Chan reiterated his claim that he was in his mother’s womb for 12 months. One of the hosts, Julie Chen Moonves, surprisingly asked him,“How is that even possible?”, to which thePolice Storyactor responded,“I don’t know.”
Moonves even playfully mimicked karate moves and asked whether he was learning karate in there. Chan revealed that after 12 months, doctors performed a C-section to deliver the baby. He further shared that he weighed 12.5 lbs at birth, remarking that he was a huge baby and was nicknamed ‘Cannon’.The Karate Kidactor also shared that his mom was okay after the overdue pregnancy.
TheKung Fu Yogaactor further maintained his claims in another appearance onThe Jonathan Ross Show. While confirming that he was born after 12 months, theArmour of Godactor also added that his parents considered selling him to a British doctor for $250 to pay their medical bills. Chan shared withJonathan Ross:
“Because we was so poor when my parents cannot afford to pay the money. He want to sell it (baby Chan) to the British doctor for 250 dollars. And as soon as my father want to sell me, somehow my friends ‘No No No you’re the only child and you keep it’. But my father was lucky to keep me.”
DuringThe Talkinterview, his birth story was not the only interesting story that Chan shared.The Mythactor revealed that his father was a spy, a secret he didn’t know for a long time. It appears the real Jackie Chan is as cool as his reel version.
Also Read:“I was quite tough on him”: Daniel Craig’s James Bond Director Made it Difficult for Jackie Chan to Suppress His Natural Instinct for One Movie
Is Jackie Chan’s Claim Of A 12-Month Pregnancy Believable?
As cool as the story may be, it is highly unlikely that Jackie Chan was born after 12 months of pregnancy, according to Dr. Joseph Sgroi. The Australian Women’s Media company, Mamamia, sought the opinion of the Melbourne-based obstetrician to further investigate Chan’s claims. While Dr. Sgroi did not outright dismiss Chan’s account, he gave a possible explanation for what might have happened. Dr. Sgroi toldMamamia:
“It’s highly unlikely that you would have a pregnancy that would go beyond 10 or 11 months. Highly unlikely. It may just be that his mum had irregular periods and she might have thought that she was three months more pregnant than that she actually was.”
The Accidental Spyactor’s ascend to stardom had nothing to do with him being born overdue or his father’s espionage career. Chan has made his mark as a lovable and funny action hero, through film series likeRush HourandShanghai Noon. Notably,Rush Hour 4is currently in production, with both Chan andChris Tuckerreprising their roles.
Also Read:Jack Black Had a Highly Secretive Meeting With Jackie Chan in Shanghai For the First Time After the Action Star Evaded Him For Almost a Decade
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3017
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
