In the span of just 12 years, Chris Tucker went from earning $15K for his scene-stealing role in F. Gary Gray’s 1995 stoner comedy Friday to amassing $48M for Brett Ratner’s action-packed Rush Hour trilogy (1998-2007) with Jackie Chan.
However, the 51-year-old SAG Award nominee neglected to pay over $12M in taxes on his lucrative paydays and – as recent as 2021 – he still owed $9.6M in unpaid taxes from 2002, 2006, 2008, and 2010.
After nine years of playing LAPD Detective James Carter, Chris pretty much left his Hollywood acting career behind aside from supporting roles in Silver Linings Playbook (2012) and Billy Flynn’s Long Halftime Walk (2016).
‘I’ve been missing y’all too!’ Tucker told Classix ATL last Thursday of his hiatus.
‘The way I kind of stepped back from Hollywood at one point, you know, being the highest paid actor in Hollywood. But I felt like, you know, it was a ceiling right there and I wanted more. It wasn’t enough. So I stepped back and lived a little bit, travelled the world, and did a lot of humanitarian stuff that really broadened my perspective on the world.
Meteoric rise: In the span of just 12 years, Chris Tucker (L) went from earning $15K for his scene-stealing role in F. Gary Gray’s 1995 stoner comedy Friday to amassing $48M for Brett Ratner’s action-packed Rush Hour trilogy (1998-2007) with Jackie Chan (R)
Uncle Sam: However, the 51-year-old SAG Award nominee neglected to pay over $12M in taxes on his lucrative paydays and – as recent as 2021 – he still owed $9.6M in unpaid taxes from 2002, 2006, 2008, and 2010
‘That, you know, it ain’t just about me being the biggest comic actor in the world, it’s about becoming somebody to give to the world – inspire in some kind of way, hopefully. I like that I did that.’
The Atlanta-born comedian ‘never stopped doing stand-up’ and he has five upcoming shows in April starting this Friday at Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater in Austin, TX.
‘I’m doing it right now. I’m on the road, so I’m definitely looking forward to doing like a stand-up comedy and stand-up shows,’ reassured Chris, adding: ‘I definitely want to [write] a book.’
Tucker also got to spend quality time with his son Destin Christopher Tucker from his six-year marriage to health coach Azja Pryor, which ended in 2003.
In 2021, the 24-year-old SoundCloud rapper earned a degree in cinema, TV, and emerging media studies with honors from Morehouse College in Atlanta.
Audiences can next catch the Def Comedy Jam alum playing Nike’s Jordan Brand VP Howard White in Ben Affleck’s critically-acclaimed sports drama Air, which hits US/UK theaters this Wednesday.
Chris has been friends with Howard since they met ‘years ago at Michael Jordan’s golf tournaments down in the Bahamas’ he had a VIP insider look into more authentically playing the part.
‘I basically wrote all my parts in the movie and just gave them to Ben,’ Tucker revealed.
‘He loved it because all the research and information I got from Howard about what was going on with Nike. So it was great.’
Air also features Matt Damon, Marlon Wayans, Chris Messina, Viola Davis, and Jason Bateman.
Hiatus: After nine years of playing LAPD Detective James Carter, Chris pretty much left his Hollywood acting career behind aside from supporting roles in Silver Linings Playbook (2012) and Billy Flynn’s Long Halftime Walk (pictured, 2016)
Tucker told Classix ATL last Thursday: ‘I’ve been missing y’all too…The way I kind of stepped back from Hollywood at one point, you know, being the highest paid actor in Hollywood. But I felt like, you know, it was a ceiling right there and I wanted more. It wasn’t enough’
He continued: ‘So I stepped back and lived a little bit, travelled the world, and did a lot of humanitarian stuff that really broadened my perspective on the world. That, you know, it ain’t just about me being the biggest comic actor in the world, it’s about becoming somebody to give to the world – inspire in some kind of way, hopefully. I like that I did that’
‘I’m doing it right now’: The Atlanta-born comedian ‘never stopped doing stand-up’ and he has five upcoming shows in April starting this Friday at Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater in Austin, TX (pictured in 2017)
2021 family portrait: Chris also got to spend quality time with his 24-year-old Morehouse College-educated son Destin Christopher Tucker (M) from his six-year marriage to health coach Azja Pryor (L), which ended in 2003
Hitting US/UK theaters this Wednesday! Audiences can next catch Tucker playing Nike’s Jordan Brand VP Howard White in Ben Affleck’s critically-acclaimed sports drama Air
VIP: The Def Comedy Jam alum has been friends with Howard (R, pictured in 1984) since they met ‘years ago at Michael Jordan’s (L) golf tournaments down in the Bahamas’ he had an insider look into more authentically playing the part
Chris (pictured March 18) revealed: ‘I basically wrote all my parts in the movie and just gave them to Ben (R). He loved it because all the research and information I got from Howard about what was going on with Nike. So it was great’
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