But history tells us that for the average American moviegoer, viewing Chan as a serious actor is a tough sell, despite the decades of experience he has had as a Hong Kong director, actor, and stunt coordinator. With the release of The Foreigner, a traditional action thriller that pits him against Pierce Brosnan, and Chan's first wide-release film in seven years, he may finally have his chance to be taken seriously. And last year, when Chan received an honorary Oscar, he talked about how, despite all his global acclaim, his father continued to ask him when he would win an Academy Award. Since at least 2004, Chan has talked about “becoming a true actor” like Robert De Niro, Robert Redford, Clint Eastwood, or his Kung Fu Panda co-star Dustin Hoffman. And in many of these interviews, Chan has expressed the same sentiment, usually after the host introduces him with a karate chop flourish: “I’m an actor, I want to do some drama.” He sweep-kicks bottles or somersaults over their desks.

He lets David Letterman or Conan O’Brien feel the hole on his head from when he cracked his skull. He talks about how he gets recognized in even the most isolated places around the world. He describes the grueling training he endured from ages 7 to 17 at the China Drama Academy. Jackie Chan has given the same American talk show interview for nearly 30 years.

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