Chris Tucker

Profession: Stand-Up Comedian and Actor

Biography: Chris Tucker is an American comedian and actor. He is known for his stand-up comedy and roles in films such as Friday (1995), The Fifth Element (1997), and the Rush Hour series.

Born in Georgia, Tucker grew up in a Pentecostal Christian household and discovered his talent for comedy early on. After graduating from Columbia High School, Tucker moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in comedy, influenced by Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy.

Tucker began performing in Atlanta comedy clubs before moving to Los Angeles in 1990. He appeared on Def Comedy Jam in 1992 and made his film debut in House Party 3 (1994). His breakthrough came with the film Friday (1995) alongside Ice Cube.

Tucker then co-starred in The Fifth Element (1997) and Money Talks (1997). He played a supporting role in Jackie Brown (1997) and was set to star in Double-O-Soul, which was not released.

Tucker's fame soared with his role as Detective James Carter in Rush Hour (1998), alongside Jackie Chan. He negotiated a $20 million salary for Rush Hour 2 (2001) and $25 million for Rush Hour 3 (2007), also securing 20% of the latter's gross.

He appeared in Michael Jackson's "You Rock My World" video and made a cameo in Tupac Shakur's "California Love". In 2009, Tucker played in the NBA All-Star Weekend's Celebrity Game.

Tucker returned to stand-up comedy in 2011 and to film with Silver Linings Playbook (2012), receiving critical acclaim. He hosted the 2013 BET Awards and acted in Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk (2016). In 2023, he played Howard White in Air.

Tucker endorsed Barack Obama in 2008 and became an ambassador for the Heal Los Angeles Foundation in 2021. He received the "Man in The Mirror" Award from the foundation in 2022.

Tucker has a son named Destin with his ex-wife Azja Pryor and splits his time between Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Atlanta. He is friends with Jackie Chan and was close to Michael Jackson, participating in his 30th Anniversary Celebration and attending his memorial service.

Tucker explored his ancestry in the PBS documentary African American Lives (2006). He was also mentioned in the Netflix documentary Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich (2020) for traveling on Epstein's plane for humanitarian work in Africa. Tucker refrains from using harsh profanity in his performances, aligning with his Christian faith.

Born: August 31, 1971
Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Age: 52 years old

Generation: Generation X
Chinese Zodiac: Pig
Star Sign: Virgo