When Jackie Chan’s Near-Fatal Stunt In Armour of God Almost Ended His Career: “I Almost Died”

Jackie Chan’s death-defying stunts have earned him a legendary status in Hollywood, but one scene in Armour of God (1986) almost ended it all. The action star, who’s built a five-decade career risking life and limb, came dangerously close to tragedy during one of the film’s most infamous sequences.

The setup was simple—or so it seemed. Chan was filming a scene where he casually opened a can of beer, froth spilling over, before jumping onto a tree. But things got messy fast. By the time the cameras rolled for the stunt, Chan wasn’t just performing; he was buzzed. “In this day, I’d probably be drinking water,” Chan admitted in a throwback interview.

Jackie wasn’t satisfied with his leap after nailing the first take of the beer shot. Ever the perfectionist, he decided to give it another go. Cue another round of chugging beer—continuity is king, after all. But on the second jump, disaster struck. The branches that were supposed to break his fall snapped, sending Jackie plummeting.

“I just feel my back’s hurt,” he recalled. Then I got up, but everybody pushed me down because my whole body was numb. By the time the numbness passed, I felt my air and saw the blood. We go to the hospital… I almost died.” Numbness gave way to terror as he realized the severity of the situation. Blood. Pain. And then the hospital.

Turns out, the fall had cracked his skull. Even worse, a bone fragment had pierced the cracked area. The injuries could have been catastrophic, but thankfully, Jackie’s luck—and resilience—held out. Surgeons patched him up, and the action star recovered without damage.

Chan’s brush with death became one of the most talked-about moments in his storied career. Looking back, he’s candid about how things might have gone differently. And though he’s broken countless bones over the years, this incident remains a stark reminder of how close he came to the edge.

For Jackie Chan fans, Armour of God isn’t just another action-packed flick—it’s the film that nearly took away one of the most incredible action stars of all time.

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