Million Dollar Mistake? Martin Lawrence Reveals He Rejected Rush Hour Role!(Photo Credit –Instagram/Facebook)
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Bad Boys acclaimed star Martin Lawrence is best known for his role in the buddy-cop franchise alongside Will Smith as their latest chapter, Ride or Die, is in theatres now. Recently, the 59-year-old star shared that he almost starred in another buddy-cop series alongside Jackie Chan.
During an appearance on The Tonight Show, which starred Jimmy Fallon alongside Will Smith, Martin Lawrence shared that Jackie Chan had asked him to co-star in Rush Hour before Chris Tucker got the role.
Lawrence revealed that while playing the true confession game with Fallon and Smith, “Jackie Chan asked me to star in Rush Hour with him, but I turned it down.” Smith quipped in reaction, “Jackie Chan likes Black people.” Lawrence further explained, “Where did I take the call? He did my show, so we talked somewhere in between there. We talked in person, and then we had a dinner.”
When Fallon asked why he refused, Lawrence admitted, “Wasn’t enough money.” He continued when asked if he regretted declining the offer after the movie became a box office hit, “I was happy for Chris; that’s what it was supposed to be. Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan brought a beautiful franchise with Rush Hour.”
Rush Hour is a 1998 action movie featuring Chan and Tucker as the two police officers who join forces to rescue a Chinese diplomat’s kidnapped daughter in Los Angeles. It was released and hit the box office three years after Lawrence and Smith teamed up for the first Bad Boys franchise film. Rush Hour became the ninth highest-grossing film in 1998 at the domestic box office and spawned two sequels released in 2001 and 2007.
Meanwhile, Lawrence is promoting the fourth chapter in the Bad Boys series. Lawrence and Smith return to Miami as detectives Marcus Bennett and Mike Lowrey in the movie. Bad Boys: Ride or Die is playing in theatres.
