Chan's Stunt Claims Brought Into Question

A Hong Kong stuntman has hit Jackie Chan where it hurts by suggesting that the action star uses body doubles on his Chinese-language movies. The claim contradicts Chan's insistence that he performs all his own daredevil routines and only reluctantly uses stunt doubles for his English-language Hollywood productions.

Writing on his blog, stuntman Bruce Law claims to have worked as a double for a number of major Hong Kong stars, including 52-year-old Chan. When his allegations were questioned, Law stuck to his guns. "Everyone uses stunt doubles," he wrote. "What's so surprising about it?"

Yesterday Chan's spokesman Solon So told the Associated Press that Chan only resorts to stunt doubles when working in America. "Hollywood movies don't let you perform movies that are too dangerous," So said. "They have insurance coverage. There are safety consultants."

Trained as an acrobat in the Peking Opera, Chan has arguably become the world's most successful action star, with a career stretching back to the early 1970s. Over the past decade he has become a regular fixture in Hollywood action-comedies, with leading roles in Rush Hour, Shanghai Noon and Around the World in 80 Days. In the past Chan has expressed exasperation with Hollywood safety concerns, and contempt for big name actors who refuse to perform their own stunts. "They are replaceable," he said. "But nobody can replace Jackie Chan."