The star said he wasn’t offered enough money to appear in the hit film.
Martin Lawrence may be best known for his buddy-cop franchise with Will Smith, Bad Boys – the latest film in which, subtitled Ride or Die, is in cinemas now – but it turns out he almost starred in another famous buddy-cop series.
Appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and playing a True Confessions segment, Lawrence revealed that he spoke with Chan about appearing alongside him in 1998’s Rush Hour, when Chan appeared in a cameo role on his sitcom Martin.
Lawrence said that “he did my show, so we talked somewhere in between there”, adding that “we talked in person and then we had a dinner”.
He said that he turned the role down because he wasn’t offered enough money, but said he was still happy for the team behind the film when it became a major success.
He said: “I was happy for Chris [Tucker]. I was like, that’s what it’s supposed to be, Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan, and they brought a beautiful franchise with Rush Hour.”
Read more:
- Furiosa director George Miller reveals how Chris Hemsworth adapted character
- Doctor Who’s Ncuti Gatwa joins Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch in The Roses
Rush Hour was released three years after the first Bad Boys film, which came out in 1995. It went on to get two sequels, while rumours of a potential fourth outing in future continue to circulate.
Last year, Tucker reaffirmed that he and Chan intend to star in a fourth film, but since then there have been no further updates.
Meanwhile, Bad Boys: Ride or Die, the fourth film in the Bad Boys franchise, has just been released, with Lawrence and Smith teaming up once again.
The synopsis for the new film says: “This summer, the world’s favourite Bad Boys are back with their iconic mix of edge-of-your seat action and outrageous comedy – but this time with a twist: Miami’s finest are now on the run.”
Bad Boys: Ride or Die is in UK cinemas now.
Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.