Although he has found success in the Bad Boys franchise, Martin Lawrence said there was another action-packed role that he was once offered.
During his appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday, June 4, Lawrence revealed he was once approached by martial arts expert Jackie Chat to star in Rush Hour.
“Jackie Chan asked me to star in Rush Hour with him, but I turned it down,” Martin Lawrence said during a round of the talk show’s confessions game.
“Jackie Chan likes Black people,” Lawrence’s Bad Boys co-star Will Smith declared. “Where did I take the call? He did my show, so we talked somewhere in between there. We talked in person, and then we had a dinner.”
Speaking about why he turned down the offer, Martin Lawrence said it all came down to money. “Wasn’t enough money,” he pointed out. He then praised Chris Tucker, who ended up getting the role. “I was happy for Chris, that’s what It was supposed to be. Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan, and they brought a beautiful franchise with Rush Hour.”
Meanwhile, Lawrence and Smith are expanding the Bad Boys franchise with the new film Bad Boys: Ride or Die. According to IMDb, the duo returns as Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett as they help clear the name of their former captain who is implicated in corruption. Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Eric Dane, and Ioan Gruffudd are also starring in the film.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die releases in theaters on Friday, June 7.
Martin Lawrence and Will Smith Says ‘Bad Boys’ Was First Written By Two ‘SNL’ Stars
While continuing to chat with Jimmy Fallon, Martin Lawrence and Will Smith revealed that Bad Boys was first written by two SNL stars from the 1980s.
“Dana Carvey and Jon Lovitz were the original Bad Boys,” Smith and Lawrence stated. Smith then declared, “That would’ve been a very different movie.”
Martin Lawrence also recalled telling Will Smith that the Bad Boys script was “not good” when they first met. Lawrence’s sister, Rae, had also convinced him that Smith was the perfect to co-star in the film.
“I wanted to do it with Eddie Murphy,” Lawrence admitted. To which, Smith declared, I’m sitting right here, Martin.”
Martin Lawrence went on to say that Bad Boys is one of the best movies he’s ever made. He also called Smith one of the most talented actors of all time.”
“I mean, he’s no Eddie Murphy,” Fallon jokingly added.