The third time’s a charm! It’s been almost six years since Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan teamed up for the highly successful Rush Hour 2, and the question on everyone’s mind has been, “When is Rush Hour 3 coming out?”

Fans will finally get their answer, when Rush Hour 3 hits the theaters on August 10th. The new Rush Hour movie finds LAPD Detective James Carter (Chris) and Royal Hong Kong Police Chief Inspector Lee (Jackie) reunited after the Chinese Ambassador is shot during a major address before the World Criminal Court Summit in Los Angeles. It looks like the world’s foremost criminal syndicate, the Chinese Triads, may be behind the crime, and the assassin’s trail leads to Paris, France.

Of course, once Carter and Lee arrive among the French, they quickly find themselves in over their heads with the local police and the deadly Triads as they bicker, banter and battle their way through the City of Lights in classic Rush Hour style.

Chris Tucker came to Philadelphia for the Rush Hour 3 promotional tour in mid-July and DCM talked to Chris about the new film and working with the incredible Jackie Chan!

Delaware County Magazine: How come it took so long for this new film to be made? Since the other films were hits, one would think the 3rd film would have been fast tracked to get made...

Chris Tucker: It took awhile for the project to come together because Jackie’s doing other things and I’m doing other things and all the traveling I’ve been doing. But I always considered doing another one, because me and Jackie have so much fun, and the other two were successful, and we had a lot of fun with them, so now here we are again!

DCM: Are you still “straight from the deck” or has Hollywood softening you up a little bit?

Tucker: Straight from the deck, yeah. But it can soften you up a little bit if you're up in Beverly Hills too much. You can change. People I know have changed, I ain’t gonna change. You hang around that environment, you become that environment. That’s why I never hang in places too long.

DCM: What’s it like for a black man in today’s Hollywood? Is there a lot of competition for too few roles that are available? Or are more diversified roles for African American comedian/actors?

Tucker: There’s still a lot of competition, but there’s growth too. It’s just how bad you want to get the good roles, and if they’re not there, create them yourself. There’s a lot of messed-up scripts out there. I done read a whole bunch of scripts, and there’s a lot of people out there who don’t know how to write and they’re out there selling scripts. I’ll write them myself if I have to. There’s a lot of other writers and directors who are out there writing their own things. If you got the talent, write them yourself.

DCM: How did you and Jackie Chan come together for Rush Hour when the first film was made?

Tucker: Jackie was doing movies with New Line, and I did a couple movies with them. I was looking to do a big action movie, Jackie was looking too, and I told New Line, how about me and Jackie getting together? I’d just finished Money Talks, and that did real well and Brett Ratner who directed Money Talks was free, and because of its success, it just all worked itself out.

DCM: There’s always great chemistry between you and Jackie in each film. Was that apparent from the start?

Tucker: It was perfect from the first time we met. It was funny then, and from then on, it was just cool. The first time we met, it was with a bunch of agents around, and we were talking about the movie. Jackie didn’t say anything for an hour. I’d keep talking to him and he’d just be like [Tucker nods, lips pursed]. Finally, I said, “This guy doesn’t even speak English!” Then suddenly, Jackie’s talking and doing kicks, he didn’t stop for an hour. We were great after that.

DCM: Were you a fan of Jackie beforehand?

Tucker: Yeah. Definitely. The stuff he does, nobody else can do. He’s got a lot of injuries from all his films.

DCM: How was it working with Jackie? Are you able to do any of those things?

Tucker: Oh yeah, I was a martial artist way before Jackie Chan. I’m young but see in my past life I was practicing. No! I’m just playing! I was very physical in this third film. I did a lot of sports and stuff and Jackie taught me a lot of his moves. But it wasn’t that hard because I was already in shape.

DCM: Do you do all your own stunts?

Tucker: Oh, I do all my own stunts and sometimes I do some of Jackie’s stunts because, between you and me, Jackie’s getting a little old. Rush Hour 4, I don’t know if he’s going to be in it. [Laughter] No! Jackie’s amazing! When he does all of his stuff it makes you want to do your own stuff even if it’s dangerous. I see him hanging on something I know it’s safe to do because I know his people. He’s got it all safe, so I know he’s inspired me.

DCM: What is the secret to good comedy?

Tucker: Good timing. Great timing! Jackie Chan is one of the funniest guys in the world because he has good timing and that’s rare. He knows physical comedy. What we do is so different, but it comes together in the end as one and it’s great chemistry.