Jackie Chan’s Terrifying Near-Death Encounter with a Leopard on Set

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During his storied career, one of the riskiest situations Jackie Chan found himself in wasn’t related to any stunt, but rather a close encounter with a leopard. This dangerous wildlife interaction took place while he was filming the Hong Kong action comedy movie, Armour of God.

Undeniably, Jackie Chan’s films have a long history of scenes where his character encounters potentially fatal situations. Mostly, these are related to his athletic prowess, as he has performed numerous stunts that carried the risk of severe injury or even death. Sadly, many of these attempts ended poorly, resulting in broken bones or hospitalization for Jackie Chan. However, it’s important to note that not all perils Jackie Chan faced involved high falls, shattering windows, or other tests of his physical strength. In the movie Armour of God, Jackie Chan encountered a unique kind of challenge.

Jackie Chan Had A Close Call With A Leopard While Making Armour Of God

Jackie Chan Scared A Leopard By Accident

In 1986, Jackie Chan played a lead role in the movie “Armour of God,” an action-adventure reminiscent of the Indiana Jones series. Set in an exotic location, this film incorporated a leopard into its plot, as was common in those films. However, according to his autobiography “Never Grow Up,” the leopard seemed tame at first and followed its trainer’s commands. Unfortunately, during filming, it didn’t move when expected. When it finally complied with what was required, Jackie Chan accidentally scared the leopard by unintentionally shouting in excitement.

The leopard attacked Chan, who said he narrowly avoided losing a finger to the beast. But just in the right moment, he quickly stepped back. Since the leopard was on a leash under the control of its trainer, the animal was halted before it could resume its assault. Looking back on the event, Chan penned, “it was truly terrifying!

As I sat down to pen my thoughts on Jackie Chan’s latest action-packed film, I found myself reflecting on a unique challenge he faced during production. It seemed that old Sayings had it right when they warned about working with animals; for Chan, sharing the set with a leopard proved to be far from pleasant.

The scene they aimed to create became an insurmountable task due to this feline co-star’s antics. As a result, they repositioned the leopard in another sequence where Chan was required to walk by it. However, each take saw the leopard launching what felt like a relentless “vicious attack” on Chan, even leaving its claw marks etched into the set’s walls.

In his own words, Chan shared that these encounters served as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of provoking such powerful creatures. It appears that this movie has not only provided us with edge-of-our-seat excitement but also an important lesson on animal behavior.

Jackie Chan’s Leopard Experience Reflects What Makes His Movies So Special

Jackie Chan Does Everything He Can To Make His Films Feel Authentic To The Audience

In the film “Armour of God,” Jackie Chan encountered a type of peril distinct from his typical predicaments, yet it fits into the consistent pattern that defines his filmography. A key characteristic of his movies is his performance of his own stunts, but this is merely one aspect among six essential elements that Jackie Chan uses to define “a Jackie Chan movie“. As explained in “Never Grow Up,” the actor places great emphasis on showcasing diverse and exotic locations. The inclusion of a leopard in “Armour of God” would have reinforced this aspect of his films.

Additionally, there’s the element of authenticity that Jackie Chan emphasizes significantly. He often performs his own stunts to maintain a sense of realism in his films, but as the leopard incident demonstrates, his dedication runs far deeper. For Chan, it’s crucial that the scenes in his movies feel genuine, whether that means faking a fall from a window or getting perilously close to potentially dangerous animals.

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2025-06-07 05:09