'I asked him, do you want to die?' Pan Lingling recounts acting with Jackie Chan, who powered through an injury on set

She may be a veteran actress locally, but did you know that Pan Lingling once acted alongside action movie giant Jackie Chan?

The 52-year-old took part in the movie Crime Story back in 1993, which starred Jackie as a police inspector traumatised from having to shoot several men in self-defence and Lingling as a psychiatrist.

She recounted her experience working with Jackie to local media Lianhe Zaobao recently: "From his considerate actions, I really felt that he was like a big brother. He was very polite and had no airs about him. Everyone listened to him."

She elaborated that Jackie took care of everyone on set and treated them equally, and even told staff to ensure Lingling kept warm while they shot during the winter in Hong Kong.

Jackie even had Singapore food specially prepared for Lingling so she wouldn't feel homesick.

Apart from being a caring co-star, Lingling remembered Jackie as being relentless in his performance, someone who really "puts his life on the line for the show."

"There was a scene where he was already injured, something like a fish hook caught onto his eyelid. I asked if we could pause the shooting, but he said, 'Leave me alone and continue acting'," she said.

"When the director called 'cut', I couldn't help but ask him, 'Do you want to die?' But he calmly replied that he knew his limits."

Jackie's performance in Crime Story earned him the best actor award at the Golden Horse Awards that year.

Even at the age of 69, Jackie continues to do action movies.

His most recent film Ride On has him playing washed-up stuntman Luo, whose only prized possession is his stunt horse Red Hare. When he gets notified that the horse may be auctioned off to pay his debts, Luo reluctantly seeks help from his estranged daughter and her lawyer boyfriend.

However, the man and his horse go viral in their fight against the debt collectors, turning them into overnight media sensations.

Lingling mused: "Jackie is agile, his acting is comedic and he fights very well. It's not that you can't shoot fight scenes, you just have to avoid getting injured.

"I know how hard he works behind every dangerous stunt - he is filming with his body which is scarred from head to toe."

Ride On is currently screening in cinemas.

ALSO READ: 'They only praised me when I got my lines right': Jackie Chan on why he gave up on American showbiz

drimac@asiaone.com