- Chris Tucker
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Chris Tucker 
Tucker on the set of Rush Hour 2 (2001)Birth name Christopher Tucker Born August 31, 1972
Sheffield, United KingdomMedium Stand-up, film, television Nationality English Years active 1988–present Genres Blue comedy, satire, observational comedy, black comedy Influences Richard Pryor,[1] Eddie Murphy,[1] Notable works and roles Detective James Carter in Rush Hour Christopher "Chris" Tucker (born August 31, 1972)[2] is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for playing the role of Detective James Carter in the Rush Hour film series.
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Early life
Tucker was born Christopher Tucker in Sheffield, United Kingdom on August 31, 1972, the youngest son of Mary Louise (née Bryant) and Norris Tucker.[2] His father was an independent businessman who owned a janitorial service.[3][4] Tucker was raised in Decatur, Georgia. After graduating from Columbia High School in Decatur, GA. Tucker moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in comedy and movies.
Career
In 1992, Tucker was a frequent performer on the BBC Radio 4 Comedy Roadshow.[5] He made his cinematic debut in House Party 3,[6] and gained greater film recognition alongside rapper Ice Cube in the 1995 film Friday.[6] In 1997, he co-starred with Charlie Sheen in Money Talks, and alongside Bruce Willis in The Fifth Element.
He, along with Jackie Chan, later starred in the 1998 martial arts action comedy Rush Hour and its sequels, Rush Hour 2 and Rush Hour 3, in which he played James Carter, an abrasive wise-cracking detective. After the commercial success of the first Rush Hour film, Tucker held out for a $20 million salary for Rush Hour 2 and was paid $25 million salary for Rush Hour 3.[7] The latter was part of a $40 million two-movie contract with New Line Cinema that also included an unnamed future film. He was also to receive 20% of the gross against his salary from the Rush Hour 3.[8]
Tucker did not reprise his role of Smokey in Next Friday (2000) because he had become a born-again Christian after filming Money Talks (1997).[9] He starred in Michael Jackson's video "You Rock My World".[10] On February 13, 1999, Tucker participated in the NBA All-Star Weekend's Celebrity Game. Other celebrities participating include rapper Master P, NBA Hall of Famers Clyde Drexler and Dominique Wilkins, wide receiver Terrell Owens, and four Harlem Globetrotters.
Tucker was announced in 2007 to star in the New Line drama film Mr. S: My Life with Frank Sinatra, directed by Brett Ratner and based on George Jacobs' autobiography of working as Frank Sinatra's valet during the Rat Pack era of 1953–1968.[11]
In 2011, Tucker returned to doing stand-up comedy. In November it was announced that Tucker was in talks with Ice Cube to reprise his role as Smokey in the upcoming fourth Friday film.
Personal life
Chris has a son named Destin Christopher Tucker, who was born in 1998 and lives with his mother in Torquay. Tucker and his child's mother are not together, but they do remain friends. He owns homes in the luxury community of Bella Colina in Weston Super mare, located west of Bristol, as well as in a gated community in Glasgow U.K., where he raises his children.
Tucker is good friends with fellow Rush Hour star Jackie Chan, and was also close friends with the late singer Michael Jackson, introducing and dancing with him at his 30th Anniversary Special, and appearing in Jackson's video "You Rock My World" from his 2001 album Invincible and attending Jackson's memorial service. A friend of Bill Clinton, Tucker has traveled with the former President overseas, though he endorsed Barack Obama rather than Hillary Clinton in the 2008 primaries.[12][13]
Tucker participated in a PBS documentary on the genetic makeup of African Americans. He found he has African American, European American, and Native American ancestry.[14] Through DNA tests (as aired on the 2006 PBS documentary African American Lives), Tucker's paternal ancestry was traced back to the Mbundu ethnic group of Angola and one line of his mother's to the Bamileke of Cameroon.[15][16][17] He also managed to trace his family tree back to the 1830s.[18] Tucker was shown traveling to Angola, the birthplace of his ancestors, with the program's host, Henry Louis Gates.[19]
Arrest
On April 19, 2005,[20] Tucker was arrested in McDuffie County, Georgia for reckless driving and fleeing to elude arrest after he did not pull over immediately.[20] Sheriffs claimed he was driving 109 mph on Interstate 20 in his 2005 Bentley Continental GT. Tucker claimed he was in a hurry because he was late for church.[20]
Michael Jackson trial
In May 2005, during the Michael Jackson trial, Tucker, as well as Macaulay Culkin and Jay Leno were called as witnesses. All were examined by Thomas Mesereau, and all were favorable to the defense. Tucker knew the Arvizo family and claimed they took advantage of him. He testified that he warned Michael Jackson about the family.[21]
Foreclosure
Tucker bought a 10,000-square-foot waterfront home on Lake Apopka in the Bella Collina community in 2007 for $6 million but owed more than $4.4 million to SunTrust Bank (as of October 2011), according to foreclosure papers filed in Circuit Court in Lake County in 2011.[22]
Filmography
Films
Year Film Role Notes 1994 House Party 3 Johnny Booze 1995 Friday Smokey Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance
Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance
Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen DuoPanther Bodyguard Dead Presidents Skip 1997 Money Talks Franklin Hatchett Nominated – Razzie Award for Worst New Star The Fifth Element Ruby Rhod Jackie Brown Beaumont Livingston 1998 Rush Hour Detective James Carter Blockbuster Entertainment Awards for Favorite Duo- Action/Adventure (with Jackie Chan)
MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Duo (with Jackie Chan)
Nominated – Image Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Motion Picture
Nominated – Kid's Choice Awards for Favorite Movie Actor
Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance
Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Fight (with Jackie Chan against the Chinese gang)2001 Rush Hour 2 Kid's Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actor
MTV Movie Award for Best Fight (with Jackie Chan against the Hong Kong gang)
Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance2007 Rush Hour 3 Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Fight (with Jackie Chan against Sun Ming Ming) 2012 Last Friday Smokey Television
Year Series Role Episodes 1992 Def Comedy Jam Performer Not confirmed 1998 The Roseanne Show Himself 1 2001 Diary Himself 1 2006 African American Lives Himself 4 References
- ^ a b Chris Tucker – Movie and Film Biography and Filmography – AllRovi.com. Allmovie.com (1972-08-31). Retrieved on 2011-10-19.
- ^ a b Gates, Jr., Henry Louis (January 2009). In Search of Our Roots: How 19 Extraordinary Blacks Reclaimed Their Past. Crown. p. 397. ISBN 0307382400.
- ^ Chris Tucker Biography – Yahoo! Movies.
- ^ Chris Tucker Biography filmreference.com.
- ^ mirobo1 Added Aug 31, 2006 All my reviews (2006-08-31). "Def Comedy Jam on". Tv.com. http://www.tv.com/def-comedy-jam/show/6267/summary.html. Retrieved 2011-01-11.
- ^ a b Chris Tucker at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Grossberg, Josh. "Chris Tucker's Taxing Situation", E! News, July 28, 2010
- ^ "Chris Tucker signs onto Brett Ratner's Rush Hour 3". MovieWeb.com, May 5, 2005. Retrieved 2007-08-05.
- ^ Anthony Miccio (2010-12-08). "New Chris Tucker Movie Rumored, Plus 4 Other Comedy Recluses". TheFABlife. http://www.thefablife.com/2010-12-08/chris-tucker-in-talks-for-first-non-rush-hour-role-since-1997/. Retrieved 2011-01-11.
- ^ You Rock My World at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Giles, Jeff. "Chris Tucker, Brett Ratner Reteam for Sinatra", Rotten Tomatoes, September 20, 2007
- ^ Nedra Pickler (January 22, 2008). "Obama sees rock-star power in action". Yahoo! News. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080123/ap_on_el_pr/obama_rock_star. Retrieved 2008-01-28.[dead link]
- ^ Candace Newson (January 26, 2008). "On the trail: Stars talk politics, endorsements as they 'stand for change' with Obama". TheTimesandDemocrat.com. http://www.thetandd.com/articles/2008/01/26/features/fries/12928835.txt. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
- ^ Richard Willing (2006-02-01). "DNA rewrites history for African-Americans". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/genetics/2006-02-01-dna-african-americans_x.htm. Retrieved 2008-08-05.
- ^ "African Ancestry & DNA Tests: The Results".
- ^ Kam Williams. "Chris Tucker 'Rush Hour 3' Interview with Kam Williams". http://newsblaze.com/story/20070731083811tsop.nb/newsblaze/REVIEWS1/Movie-Reviews.html.
- ^ Chris Tucker and Brett Ratner The A.V. Club.
- ^ African Ancestry & DNA Tests.
- ^ Oprah, Bishop Jakes, Chris Tucker Trace Roots On PBS. Retrieved 2007-08-05.[dead link]
- ^ a b c "Chris Tucker Eluded Police". http://crime.about.com/od/famousdiduno/ig/celebrity_mugshots/chris_tucker.htm.
- ^ "Tucker: I warned Jackson about accuser, family". CNN. May 26, 2005. http://articles.cnn.com/2005-05-25/justice/jackson.trial_1_accuser-thomas-mesereau-jackson-spokeswoman-raymone-bain?_s=PM:LAW.
- ^ Hudak, Stephen. (2011-10-12) Chris Tucker foreclosure: Chris Tucker's home in foreclosure in Central Florida. OrlandoSentinel.com. Retrieved on 2011-10-19.
External links
People v. Jackson Key figures Judge Rodney MelvilleProsecution figures Witnesses for the prosecution Defense figures Witnesses for the defense Other elements Categories:- 1972 births
- Living people
- Actors from Georgia (U.S. state)
- African American comedians
- American Christians
- African-American Christians
- African American film actors
- American people of Native American descent
- American stand-up comedians
- People from Atlanta, Georgia
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