Michelle Yeoh and Jackie Chan’s roller-coaster friendship: the Malaysian Oscar winner and her Supercop co-star started acting together in Hong Kong, but she once called him ‘a chauvinistic pig’ on TV
- Michelle Yeoh and Jackie Chan are two of the biggest names in the film industry, and have worked together on everything from a Guy Laroche watch ad to Police Story 3: Supercop and Kung Fu Panda
- The EEAAO star recently admitted to Graham Norton that Chan had been offered the lead in the Oscar-winning film first, but turned it down due to his packed schedule
Michelle Yeoh and Jackie Chan are two of the most iconic and accomplished actors to ever come out of Hong Kong’s vibrant film industry.
Both rising talents in the 1980s and 90s, they went on to star in numerous films together. Their on-screen collaborations began with Yeoh playing a Judo instructor in Chan’s action-comedy Twinkle, Twinkle, Lucky Stars in 1985. In return, Chan made a two-minute cameo appearance in Yeoh’s film Project S in 1993, where he appeared in drag. The pair has also worked together on the animated Kung Fu Panda films.
But the stars’ most memorable work together is undoubtedly the classic action-comedy Police Story 3: Supercop (1992), which features Yeoh as Inspector Jessica Yang and Chan as the bumbling but lovable Detective Chan Ka-kui.
The film, directed by Stanley Tong, was a massive commercial success, grossing over US$34 million at the box office globally and receiving critical acclaim for its thrilling action sequences and the chemistry between the two leads.
Afterwards, both Yeoh and Chan continued to make a name for themselves as solo stars, each delivering memorable performances in a wide range of film genres, capturing the hearts of audiences around the world.
The Malaysian actress’ recent Oscar win for her role in Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) was long overdue recognition of her immense talent and contribution to the film industry, and became a historic moment for Asian representation in Hollywood. But did you know that Yeoh’s career-defining role was first offered to Jackie Chan?
We examine the pair’s decade-long friendship, how they met, and how Yeoh ended up playing the lead in Everything Everywhere All at Once instead of Chan:
The first time they worked together
Yeoh’s journey to becoming a prominent actress began after she won the Miss Malaysia contest in 1983 and placed 18th at the Miss World pageant.