Early life
Tucker was born Christopher Tucker in Atlanta, Georgia on August 31, 1972, the youngest son of Mary Louise (née Bryant) and Norris Tucker. His father was an independent businessman who owned a janitorial service. 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 Def Comedy Jam. He made his cinematic debut in House Party 3, and gained greater film recognition alongside rapper Ice Cube in the 1995 film Friday. 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. 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.
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). He starred in Michael Jackson's video "You Rock My World". On February 13, 2009, 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.
In 2011, Tucker returned to doing stand-up comedy.
Personal life
Chris has a son named Destin Christopher Tucker, who was born in 1998 and lives with his mother in Los Angeles. 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 Montverde, Florida, located west of Orlando, as well as in a gated community in Tarzana, California, 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.
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.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. He also managed to trace his family tree back to the 1830s.Tucker was shown traveling to Angola, the birthplace of his ancestors, with the program's host, Henry Louis Gates.
Arrest
On April 19, 2005, Tucker was arrested in McDuffie County, Georgia for reckless driving and fleeing to elude arrest after he did not pull over immediately. 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.
Michael Jackson trial
All about: Death of Michael Jackson
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.
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.
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 Duo (with [[]])
Panther 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 Performance
2007 Rush Hour 3
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