Chris Tucker was an entertaining interview with his quick wit, but also
offered a thoughtful analysis of issues such as his relationship with Jackie
Chan, joining the $20 million club and politics. Tucker bounced back and forth
between total lampoon and straight honesty with no warning during the Rush
Hour 2 press junket interview. Something about his Blanc de Chine suit must have made
him especially relaxed and comfortable.
How has your relationship with Jackie Chan grown?
Jackie doesn't
know what I'm talking about. I talk about him all the time. I talk about him. We
had interpreters because we could afford them but we talk. Jackie understands
what he wants to understand. When you start talking about money he's like I
don't know what the hell you are talking about.
What makes your team work so well?
It's just the personalities, the
chemistry. You never really have seen a Chinese guy and a black guy together.
That's just funny right there. We do funny things because of the way we were
raised up. That's different because you've seen the white guy, black guy thing
over and over again and it worked. But this is a fresh new turn on the buddies
thing.
Why has it taken you so long to do another film?
On the first Rush
Hour I traveled around the world with the movie. I went to Africa and
Australia and all these places and I had such a good time I decided I didn't
want to work again ever. I'm just playing. Seriously what happened was I was
looking for a lot of stuff but I didn't' really find what I wanted to so. I
really wanted to go to the next level and I didn't want to go backwards. I
really thought about it and I decided I am young and I've got a long time. If I
do what's right and really think about it I could really be around for a long
time and really do what I want to do instead of just jumping into something
because it's there. So, I decided to wait and find good stuff. I was developing
a lot of my own movies. Time went by and Rush Hour 2 was one of the
movies that we were developing and that came together faster. I wanted to come
out with another big movie to keep the momentum going because I was offered
everything under the sun but I didn't just want to be another black guy playing
basketball or football. I didn't want to be another cop. I said if I'm going to
be a cop it's going to be in Rush Hour. I've established that cop. That's
the cop, unless I do a drama or something like that, something so different. I'm
really young and I don't feel like my only hope is another film. I feel like
I've got a career so I can be patient and learn and do what I want to do.
You do a lot more action in this film. How did you learn the martial
arts?
Well, Jackie's got this way of teaching you that you can learn in one
day. Jackie'd usually get me and pull me to the side say we are going to do
this. It's like a dance, almost choreographed and he was like "One, two, three,
flip, this, that and that." So, he would come with his team and we would do a
choreographed thing and we would do it. This movie, Jackie was really, really
happy because it takes time to do what Jackie does and in the first movie we
didn't have that big budget and enough time. In this movie we got Jackie's best
stuff he ever did. That's the main reason I wanted to do this movie, to watch
Jackie Chan do his thing because he's amazing. The stuff he does is really
incredible.
How involved were you in your stunts?
My double, he doesn't even work.
He comes to work and says, come on Chris I want to get some action. I say, shut
up. I do all my own work. I do some of Jackie's stunts. 'Cause Jackie is getting
old. Let's face the fact. How old can a man be? In one stunt, my hand, the
prosthetics come on me, and you see a black hand. That's me. Jackie is short.
He's so short you can see his feet on his driver's license. How short is he?
That boy is short as hell. Fell off a curb, broke his ankle. That boy is short.
How do you react to receiving top billing and getting $20 million?
It's good. I think it's good because - and I think billing doesn't matter
because everybody knows this movie couldn't be anything without me and Jackie
being together. I don't care, it doesn't matter about the name because it's all
about me and him. When I'm by myself, yeah, but Rush Hour is me and
Jackie Chan so the billing doesn't matter. The $20 million doesn't matter either
because the only reason that happened - - it does matter [LAUGHS] all right, it
feels good! I can't believe it! You all want to come on my boat after this? But
seriously, you never know when a movie'll be successful and they pay you how
successful the movie is. So, I thank God the movie was real successful.
Hopefully, this one'll be even more successful.
Was it uncomfortable being naked with Jackie Chan?
I wasn't nude
though. I had shorts on. They said, "Come on Chris, we see the shorts." I said,
"You all don't pay me enough. I'm not running down Hong Kong buck naked. This is
not Roots. I'm not doing it. Pay me another $20 million, I'll do it."
Tell us about your next move, Mr. President.
I think it's a
good idea. I think it's good. There's just so much I can do in the movie. It's a
broad movie and it's a fun movie. When I went to school I knew about the
presidents and the history of the presidents but it never really interested me.
I was bored. I was like so what? Presidents, what? Now it's like I want to
research it. I am into politics now. I know more about politics. It's fun now
that I know how that stuff works and I know a lot more about what's going on.
It's exciting and I think that will bring a lot more kids into watching and
paying attention to government and politicians, the mayor, governor and they
will really get into it if they are introduced to it in a fun way.
What's it about specifically?
Have you ever seen Putney Swope,
the old movie? It's sort of like that, the Robert Downey, Sr. movie. A guy
becomes president, fish out of water almost but it's surrounded by serious good
actors and a lot of good cameos. President Clinton said he wanted to do a cameo.
But he doesn't want to play himself. He wants to play a regular person in the
movie. This was a year ago when he said it. We are going to start in about three
months.
Do you think America could have an African American president?
Yeah, I
think there could be a Mexican president if he's good and he's qualified. If
enough people believe in what - it has a lot to do with who's backing him, how
much money he's got to run a campaign. It's not about color, it's about can he
get any people behind him?
Would you ever consider getting into politics?
Yeah, I would love it.
I would love it. I heard Bloomberg is running for mayor in New York. I went to
his thing, he owns this big communications company. He might run for mayor. I
think it's a good thing to do. It's bringing a lot of leverage, a lot of power
and he's got to be a good guy. A bad guy can get in there and start stealing
money or tearing down old folks' homes.
How do you like the suit?
It's the best silk in the world.
