LOS ANGELES, California, United States (Reuters) — When Kung Fu movie legend saw an Oscar at Sylvester Stallone’s house 23 years ago, he said that was the moment he decided he wanted one.
On Saturday (November 12) at the annual Governors Awards, the Chinese actor and martial arts star finally received his little gold statuette, an honorary Oscar for his decades of work in film.
“I’ve broken so many bones making more than 250 movies. Not every movie is right but every movie I make I care about the world, I care about the children, I care about the environment, I care about everything. And now I get the honor today and that means all those years what I’m thinking and what are the movies I make, I do the right things,” Chan, 62, told Reuters before receiving the Oscar.
Chan was presented the award by his Rush Hour co-star Chris Tucker.
Chan recalled watching the ceremony with his parents and his father always asking him why he didn’t have Hollywood’s top accolade despite having made so many movies.
“Academy Award, I still can’t believe I’m standing here, it’s a dream. Long time ago, every year when I watch Oscars sometimes with my dad or my mom, my dad always says son, you’ve got so many movie awards in the world when are you getting one of these? Then I just looked at my dad (and said) ‘dad I only make comedy action movies,” the actor said clutching his golden Oscars statuette.
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, hosts of the annual ceremony, also bestowed honorary Oscars on British film editor Anne V. Coates, casting director Lynn Stalmaster and prolific documentarian Frederick Wiseman.
The evening was attended by Hollywood’s elite, including Denzel Washington, Lupita Nyong’o, Nicole Kidman, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Amy Adams and Dev Patel.
Stalmaster, 88, credited with securing career-defining roles for actors such as Jeff Bridges, Andy Garcia, Christopher Reeve and John Travolta, is the first casting director to receive an Oscar.
Coates, 90, who won the film editing Oscar for 1962’s “Lawrence of Arabia” and has edited more than 50 films, said she shared her honorary Oscar “with all the unsung heroes” of filmmaking.
Wiseman, 86, documentaries’ include 1970’s “Hospital,” 1987’s “Blind” and last year’s “In Jackson Heights.”
