Jackie Chan and Arnold Schwarzenegger are action cinema icons. Jackie Chan captured the imagination of fans around the world with his unique blend of realistic yet humorous action set pieces.

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For decades, he has mesmerized moviegoers with his acting, martial arts skills, and stunts. On the other hand, Schwarzenegger became famous through bodybuilding long before finding success in Hollywood.

However, the Austrian Oak became a household name after starring in iconic action films like The Terminator (1984) and Predator (1987).

Despite being arguably the most popular Asian movie star after Bruce Lee, Chan couldn’t replicate his predecessor or Schwarzenegger’s success in Hollywood.

In a 1994 interview, the honorary Oscar winner made a surprising revelation on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s action blockbuster, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, after his failed attempts to make a mark in Hollywood.

Jackie Chan’s unflattering opinion of Arnold Schwarzenegger

In the early 1970s, two films made in Hong Kong, The Big Boss (1971) and The Way of Dragon (1972), catapulted Bruce Lee into global stardom. In 1973, Lee starred in his first Hollywood production, Enter the Dragon.

If it wasn’t for his untimely death, Lee would’ve undoubtedly found more success. However, such wasn’t the case for Jackie Chan.

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While his films from the 1980s made him a star in Asia, Chan’s ventures to break into Hollywood failed initially.

Enter the Dragon director Robert Clouse’s Big Brawl (1980) and Jim Glickenhaus’s The Protector (1985) starring Chan, fell flat at the box office.

Meanwhile, Arnold Schwarzenegger emerged as a megastar with Conan the Barbarian (1982) and The Terminator (1984).

By 1994, Chan had become disillusioned with Hollywood fame. “Even if I do a film with geniuses like George Lucas or Steven Spielberg, no way will I be famous in America,” said Chan.

“Take Terminator 2. The director’s good; the special effects are good; Schwarzenegger is nothing. Anyone could have played his part,” added Chan.

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However, Chan was confident in his star power. “In Asia, everyone comes to see Jackie Chan in a Jackie Chan film. It doesn’t matter what the title is or what the story is about.

Only Jackie Chan can do it,” he told Bright Lights during the interview. So, why didn’t Chan’s initial attempt at Hollywood stardom work out?

Why didn’t Jacke Chan become famous in America in the 80s?

While the honorary Oscar winner had an unflattering remark for Arnold Schwarzenegger, the seven-time Mr. Olympia overcame a barrier he couldn’t.

Filmmakers Robert Clouse and Jim Glickenhaus agreed that the American audience couldn’t relate to him as they did to Lee or Schwarzenegger.

Chan, who once admitted that Lee was better educated than him, couldn’t overcome the language barrier or understand the American psyche.

However, Arnold Schwarzenegger had adapted himself to the American way of life, working hard to learn English, graduating from university, and racking up bodybuilding titles long before starring in Conan the Barbarian.

Jackie Chan’s Hollywood fame eventually came with the release of Rush Hour in 1998. What did you think of Jackie Chan’s surprising remark on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s role as T-800 in the Terminator franchise? Let us know in the comments.