Western audiences will likely know Jackie Chan from successful comedy action films such as the Rush Hour franchise, Shanghai Noon, and Harald Zwart's 2010 remake of The Karate Kid, but the Kong Kong-born star has built up a body of work spanning over 50 years. He first cut his teeth in the film industry as a child actor working with the "Seven Little Fortunes", a performance group made up of the China Drama Academy's most capable students.

From there, he went on to work as a stuntman in Bruce Lee films such as Enter the Dragon and Fist of Fury. But his first real big breakthrough came in 1979 with Snake in the Eagle's Shadow which paved the way for the comedic kung fu genre that Jackie would go on to become internationally known for.

Jackie's first Hollywood film was The Big Brawl and with it he went on the establish a foothold in the Hollywood film industry whilst maintaining his relationship with his home by directing and acting in films like Police Story.

Following the commercial success of his more recent films, which are often based in American and often have Chan teamed up with an unlikely sidekick (Chris Tucker, Owen Wilson, even Steven Coogan), the martial artist actor went on to become a cultural icon. Although Chan has never actually won an Oscar before, his enduring presence in the film industry makes the lifetime achievement award seem particularly appropriate.