Jackie Chan’s Oscar award. What it means for Asians?

After 56 years of acting in more than 200 films, Jackie Chan was awarded Honorary Oscar for Lifetime Achievement at the Eighth Annual Governors Awards at the Hollywood and Highland Center in Los Angeles last week. It was an unbelievable moment for Chan and also for many of us, his fans.

“My dad always said, ‘Son, you get so many movie awards in the world, when are you going to get one of these?’ Then I just look at my dad. ‘Ha, ha, ha. Dad, I only make comedy action movies,’” he shared.

Chan thanked his fans and promised them to keep working and making movies. “After 56 years in the film industry, making over 200 films, I’ve broken so many bones, finally this is mine. I want to thank you, Hong Kong, such an incredible city, my hometown, my hood, who make me.”

“China, my country, I am proud to be Chinese. Thank you, Hollywood, for all of those years teaching me so many things, and also make me a little bit famous.

The 62 year old action hero, famous for doing his own stunts, thanked his fans and promised them to keep working and making movies. “After 56 years in the film industry, making over 200 films, I’ve broken so many bones, finally this is mine. I want to thank you, Hong Kong, such an incredible city, my hometown, my hood, who make me. China, my country, I am proud to be Chinese. Thank you, Hollywood, for all of those years teaching me so many things, and also make me a little bit famous.”

The Honorary Award, an Oscar statuette, is given “to honour extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy.”

Jackie Chan became the first Chinese actor in history to receive the distinction. The Oscar win is particularly significant after last year’s awards ceremony, which included offensive jokes about Asians. Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs said that they have tried to address to some extent the mainly white and male make-up of the membership.

“We’re not at the mountaintop yet, but we can see the peak up ahead,” she said. “Imagine the difference it will make when we open our film industry to reflect the complete mosaic and diversity of our world and the movements and conversations it can trigger.”