"I loved the days on the filming sets," he adds.
The candid star reveals the main gain at the time was that he could eat full meals at film sets than in the school.
But the early experience as a child actor also instilled in him more knowledge about action films, paving the way for Chan to become a martial arts stuntman and choreographer. And it was his struggles in the early 1970s as an action extra and stand-in that made him see how unfairly stunt performers were treated.
Emerging from his stylish kung fu comedies in the late 1970s, Chan soared in Hong Kong cinema and forayed into Hollywood in the 1980s, establishing himself as one of the few Chinese faces in the international film market in the following decades. In recent years, other than his hectic career in cinema, Chan has promoted charity causes.
"After so many years, people who have been with me-from fans to critics to my JC Stunt Team members-they have all changed my mind, transforming me from my past arrogant self and somewhat selfish person to a caring, better person," he says. "I want to do something for those who have done many things for me."
But the irony is that even at his film festival it's the celebrities (actors and actresses) who walk on the red carpet at the opening and closing ceremonies who still draw the most media attention.
At a time when the industry has technology to generate action sequences, the new challenge for people doing the real kicks, punches, falls and fights is how to continue to earn a living.
"I believe it's good for the future of action films that people doing stunts are getting better safety protection now than earlier. We should explore more on how to shoot better action films," he says.
