RUSH HOUR opened with a bang in the U.S. in September of 1998, grossing $33 million during it’s opening weekend and eventually earning more than $250 million worldwide. The film provided a fresh spin on the buddy film genre and captivated audiences with it’s high-octane combination of breathless action sequences and outrageous comedy. But what people most vividly responded to was the incredible on-screen relationship between the film’s two stars: Jackie Chan, who Time Magazine once called "the world’s most beloved movie star" and who was at the time making his return to American films after a nearly 12-year absence, and Chris Tucker, the fast-rising young comic actor who in 1997 had starred in the hit comedy, Money Talks.
"It was really exciting," says director Brett Ratner, who had previously directed Chris Tucker in Money Talks and considered himself a huge fan of Jackie Chan. "People were thrilled to see these guys together." While the director also ascribes the film’s success to the ‘thriller-like’ tone, he believes "the RUSH HOUR phenomenon, what audiences most responded to, was really about the chemistry between Chris and Jackie. The two of them together is like an explosion in a bottle." Producer Arthur Sarkissian concurs, saying that "audiences walked away from RUSH HOUR saying ‘Chris and Jackie are so great as a team.’ They got together and their on-screen relationship worked remarkably well."
"Jackie Chan and I were born to work together," exclaims Chris Tucker. "We’re best buddies and we fight just alike. He tries to keep up with me, but I’m a little bit quicker," Tucker kids. "He’s a great guy. We’re like brothers only I’m black and he’s Chinese."
Chan shares the same affection for Tucker….well, sort of. "I don’t like this guy and I don’t know why I have to make movies with him," Chan says of Tucker with a smile. "All kidding aside, I love Chris. He gives me a lot of his own clothes and I give him mine. I show him Chinese tradition and he teaches me a lot of American rap songs. He’s my buddy. We share a lot."
What the martial arts master and comedic powerhouse continue to share is their love of improvisation. "I’m excited, man! I’m working with the biggest action star in the world," says Tucker. "Everyday, I come to the set and say ‘Jackie, I can’t wait. What are you going to have me do today?’ I have a lot of respect for Jackie and I don’t want to let him down."
Chan brings an immeasurable amount of experience to both RUSH HOUR films, owing to his extensive background in Hong Kong cinema working as an actor, director and stunt coordinator. "Having Jackie on the film is like having that veteran player on a sports team," says producer Jay Stern. "They show up on time, they know what they’re doing and they always put their all into it. Plus he’s an amazing physical comedian, the same way Keaton and Chaplin were. He does things you don’t think a human being can do."
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