As body ages, Jackie Chan longs for Hollywood's full embrace

Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan poses during a promotional event for his film "Chinese Zodiac" in Beverly Hills, California October 16, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

TURNED DOWN 'INTERPRETER'

Chan has already added "dramatic actor" to his resume with the 2011 Chinese historical drama "1911" about the revolution that overthrew China's final imperial dynasty.

"I really hope someday in Hollywood, some producer or director will hire me only to do drama," Chan said. "I (would) really appreciate it."

But that is never going to happen, Chan believes.

"Why?" he asks rhetorically with a sigh. "Because the audience is just not used to seeing Jackie Chan doing drama."

Chan's ideal roles would be in films such as 1988 Oscar-winner "Rain Man," which starred Dustin Hoffman as a savant and Tom Cruise as his yuppie brother together on a road trip, or 1982's "Tootsie," also starring Hoffman as an actor who dresses as a woman to land acting roles.

"It's just ... my English is not that good," Chan explains.

That also held him back from pursuing a role in "The Interpreter," a 2005 thriller starring Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn. Chan said his manager thought the role would be good but told him the amount of dialogue was too tough.

Chan said that although the part would have been difficult, he does regret turning it down because he lost an opportunity to work with Kidman and a chance to burnish his legacy.

"I see so many action stars all those years come and go, and come and go," Chan said. "Action stars cannot live too long, unlike drama, true actors, like Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, they live forever."

Related:

Jackie Chan's action film 'CZ12' premieres in Beijing

Red carpet for 10th Huading Awards held in Macao

Jackie Chan may donate houses to Huangshan

Zhejiang counties eye Jackie Chan's architecture collection