'Phat Tuesdays': What inspired Chris Tucker to enter the world of comedy?
Chris Tucker needs no introduction since the man has made a name for himself since he first acted onscreen. Having said that, his resume is not long or impressive for that matter; the irony is massive since he once was o one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood.
Growing up in a family of 8, Tucker learned early in life that humor had the innate power to draw attention to himself. What's more, he was also popularly known by both teachers and classmates alike for making people laugh at his impeccable impressions of Eddie Murphy, Michael Jackson, and many other celebs. Tucker's biggest comedy influences at the time were Richard Pryor and Murphy.
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Tucker grew up in the Decatur region of Georgia. Right after graduating from Columbia High School, he made the move to Los Angeles to take up comedy and pursue a career in acting as well. He started out as a stand-up comedian in Atlanta first but eventually tried his luck in LA to make it big in comedy. In time, he became a regular contributor on the HBO show, 'Def Comedy Jam'.
While Tucker was busy honing his comedic skills, he tried his luck in films as well, on the side. His first feature film was 'House Party 3', from which he then moved on to 'Panther'. The movie 'Friday' followed shortly after. Tucker received great praise and recognition for his role on 'Friday', and this led to more prominent roles and bigger paychecks!
Tucker went on to star as the showstopper Ruby Rhod, in the sci-fi hit film, 'The Fifth Element', which is what put him on the map. Right after, he acted in the comedy, 'Money Talks' and also landed a small role in 'Jackie Brown'.
But it was 'Rush Hour' that changed Tucker's life in 1998. The instant hit, in which he starred alongside action star and legend, Jackie Chan, was comedic gold. The movie did so well that it called for a second and third installment. Tucker made $20 million for 'Rush Hour 2' and made a whopping $25 million to reprise his famous role as Detective James Carter in 'Rush Hour 3.'
To this day, Tucker says that the first time he played his character of James Carter was his favorite. He said in an interview, “It was the first Rush Hour because I had to transition into, I guess, a man. It was kind of like I had to create another character that would appeal to everybody. I always wanted to do a movie like Eddie Murphy’s Beverly Hills Cop that captured a big audience. And it was really successful around the world. So I think that was one of my most rewarding characters".
The 'Rush Hour' franchise saw the films release between the years 1998 through 2007. Since then, Tucker has only appeared in two video shorts, with legends Michael Jackson and Mariah Carey, respectively, after which, he became a very selective star. Tucker also landed small roles in 'Silver Linings Playbook' and 'Long Halftime Walk'.
There are rumors that a 'Rush Hour 4' is still in the works. We hope to see Tucker back on screen in some way — as Detective James Carter or another version of him perhaps? It's safe to say that the man been blessed by the comedy gods and one can only hope he'll continue to share his talent with the world.
