Chris Tucker

Tucker was born on August 31, 1971[2][3][4] in Atlanta, Georgia, the youngest son of Mary Louise (née Bryant) and Norris Tucker.[3] One of six children, Tucker learned early in life that humor has the power to draw attention to himself both at school and at home.[5] His father was an independent businessman who owned a janitorial service.[6][7] Tucker grew up in Decatur, Georgia; after graduating from Columbia High School, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in comedy and acting. His early comedy influences were Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor, and he was known among his teachers and high school classmates for making people laugh by doing impressions of Murphy, Michael Jackson, and others.[8] Tucker grew up in a Pentecostal Christian household, as his mother and father were members of the Church of God in Christ during his childhood.

Tucker in 1996

Tucker began showcasing his comedy skills before an audience in local Atlanta comedy clubs until he decided to move to Los Angeles at 19 to further pursue his stand-up comedy career. [9] In 1992, Tucker was a frequent performer on Def Comedy Jam.[10] He made his cinematic debut in House Party 3[11] and gained greater film recognition alongside rapper Ice Cube in the 1995 film Friday.[11] In 1997, he co-starred with Charlie Sheen in Money Talks and alongside Bruce Willis in The Fifth Element. Also in 1997, he played a supporting role in Jackie Brown. Double-O-Soul was a spy comedy in which Tucker had a starring role, but the film was never released.[12]

Along with Jackie Chan, Tucker starred in the 1998 martial arts action comedy Rush Hour and its sequels, Rush Hour 2 and Rush Hour 3, in which he played LAPD detective James Carter. After the commercial success of the first Rush Hour, he held out for a $20 million salary for Rush Hour 2, and was paid $25 million for Rush Hour 3.[13] 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 from Rush Hour 3.[14]

Tucker did not reprise his role as Smokey in Next Friday (2000) or in Friday After Next (2002) because he had become a born-again Christian after filming Money Talks (1997).[15] He starred in Michael Jackson's video "You Rock My World" and made a cameo appearance in Tupac Shakur's "California Love".[16] On February 13, 1999, Tucker participated in the NBA All-Star Weekend's Celebrity Game. Other celebrities participating included 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's autobiography of working as Frank Sinatra's valet during the Rat Pack era of 1953–68.[17]

In 2011, Tucker made a comeback to stand-up comedy. The next year, he returned to film in Silver Linings Playbook, co-starring Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, and Robert De Niro. Tucker's performance in the film was well received by critics and audiences alike. The film itself received numerous nominations and awards including the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast. He also hosted the 2013 BET Awards. In 2016 he appeared in Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk.

Tucker has a son named Destin with his ex-wife Azja Pryor.[18] He divides his time among Bel Air, Las Vegas, and Atlanta.

Tucker is good friends with fellow Rush Hour co-star Jackie Chan. He was also close with singer Michael Jackson: introducing and dancing with him at his 30th Anniversary Celebration; appearing in his video "You Rock My World" from the 2001 album Invincible; and attending his memorial service. Tucker's career was also influenced by Jackson, as he is seen dancing and singing to "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" in a scene in Rush Hour 2 and imitating Jackson's dancing style in Friday. A friend of Bill Clinton, Tucker has traveled with the former president to Africa several times on Jeffrey Epstein's jet, "The Lolita Express".[19] He endorsed Barack Obama in the 2008 primaries.[20][21]

Tucker participated in professor Henry Louis Gates Jr.'s 2006 PBS documentary on the genetic makeup of African Americans, African American Lives, that specifically focused on stories of Native American heritage in African-American communities. Tucker's DNA test results showed African, European, and "likely some Native American" ancestors.[22] Tucker's patrilineal ancestry was also traced back to the Ambundu ethnic group of Angola and one line of his mother's to the Bamileke of Cameroon.[23][24][25] He also traced his family tree back to the 1830s.[26] Tucker and Gates were shown visiting Angola, the birthplace of some of his ancestors.[27]

In 2014, Tucker settled a $2.5 million tax debt. A representative blamed "poor accounting and business management".[28]

Tucker is a devout Christian and no longer uses harsh profanity in his performances.[29][30][31]

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