Jaycee Chan, the only son of international action star Jackie Chan, seemed destined to follow in his father’s footsteps at first.
However, after a promising start in the entertainment industry, his career took a dramatic hit, and he has since kept a low profile.
Jaycee, now 42, is the son of Jackie and Taiwanese actress Joan Lin and was raised in Los Angeles,perPeople.
The nepo baby was educated at the prestigious College of William & Mary in Williamsburg,Virginia, where he studied Asian languages.
However, he dropped out of school in 2003 and moved to Hong Kong to pursue a career in music and acting.
Jaycee released his first album that year and later appeared in several Chinese-language films, including The Drummer in 2007, which was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance.
Despite his fame, the star said he still struggled in his father’s spotlight.
‘I’m lucky to have a dad who’s really famous, but [people] don’t really know me for who I am … they just know me as Jackie Chan’s son,’ Jaycee told The Hollywood Reporter in 2009.
Jaycee Chan, the only son of international action star Jackie Chan, seemed destined to follow in his father’s footsteps at first. He’s seen in 2009
However, after a promising start in the entertainment industry, his career took a dramatic hit, and he has since kept a low profile. He’s seen in 2011
Jaycee, 42, is the son of Jackie and Taiwanese actress Joan Lin and was raised in Los Angeles per People. He’s seen in 2009
‘The hardest part for me is to let people know what I’m really capable of doing on my own.’
To make his acting stand out, Jaycee told The New York Timesthat he tried to avoid action films and focus on smaller movies, as well as his music career.
While he never reached the global fame of his father, Jaycee maintained a steady presence in the Chinese entertainment world until 2014.
That fateful year, the actor was arrested in Beijing for drug-related charges alongsideTaiwanese actor Ko Kai and others.
Jaycee and Ko both tested positive for marijuana, and police seized more than 100 grams of the drug from his Beijing apartment.
He served six months in prison, and the scandal had a lasting impact on his career and public image.
Following his release in 2015, Jayceepublicly apologized,saying: ‘After this correction by the justice system, I have changed my outlook on life and my values.
‘I made mistakes, I will remember this lesson, I won’t commit mistakes again in the future.
The nepo baby was educated at the College of William & Mary in Virginia, where he studied Asian languages. But he dropped out of school in 2003 to pursue a career in music and acting
In 2014, the actor was arrested in Beijing for drug-related charges alongside Taiwanese actor Ko Kai and others. He spent six months in jail. He’s seen with his dad in 2009
‘I want to apologize to everyone for my mistakes. I’m genuinely sorry.’
Jackie spoke publicly about the ordeal as well, expressing heartbreak over his son’s arrest.
‘When I first heard the news, I was absolutely enraged. As a public figure, I feel very ashamed; as his dad, I’m very sad and disappointed,’ Jackie, now 71, shared on his website at the time, per People.
‘You’ve done something wrong, and you have to be responsible for the consequences. I’m your dad, and I’ll always be with you. We will face the road ahead of us together.’
He added, ‘I should also take some of this responsibility because, as his dad, I didn’t teach him well.’
Jackie later said his son’s prison sentence helped his son mature and even improved their relationship.
While working on The Karate Kid with Jaden Smith, Jackie revealed the film made him want to be a better father.
‘I was too Chinese, traditional – you, son, go away, I don’t want to help you, you have to help yourself,’ he told The Associated Press.
Jackie said he was inspired by Will Smith’s support towards Jaden on set.
‘[He was] helping his son to be in a movie, every day on the set. I say, ‘Why am I so stubborn? I have to help my son,’ Jackie explained.
Since his prison release, Jaycee has gone on to start his own Tequila brand, Los 7 Ángeles, in 2021.
He also released a song in 2024 titled In Search For Darkness – his first release after a 10-year hiatus.
This year, the nepo baby made a rare appearance at a wedding in May in South Korea donning a shaved head, glasses, and casual attire, per Dimsum Daily.
