A rare glimpse into the life of the global action icon. [Pic courtesy: Reddit]

Before Jackie Chan became one of the biggest action stars in Hollywood, his life story was already more dramatic than any of his blockbuster films. Born as Chan Kong-sang in Hong Kong in 1954, Jackie grew up unaware of his parents’ secret pasts.

Jackie Chan’s father, Charles Chan, led an extraordinary life. Before fleeing to Hong Kong, Charles had worked as a spy for the Chinese Nationalist government (Kuomintang) during the Chinese Civil War. He was reportedly involved in intelligence work and counter-espionage during a time when China was politically volatile. His job required him to go undercover, move across cities with fake identities, and even engage in life-threatening missions. When the Communists came to power, Charles fled to Hong Kong, where he later worked as a cook for the French embassy.

Jackie’s mother, Lee-Lee Chan, had an equally riveting and risky past. She was reportedly involved in the opium trade during war-torn times in China. According to British author and journalist James Palmer, who wrote extensively on Jackie Chan’s family history, Lee-Lee smuggled opium and even worked as a blackjack dealer and a stage performer to survive. She too eventually fled to Hong Kong after a difficult period marked by poverty and loss.