What Happened To Chris Tucker And What He's Doing Today

Chris Tucker was one of the biggest names in comedy in the 1990s. He broke out as Smokey in 1995's "Friday" before landing a scene-stealing role in the science-fiction classic "The Fifth Element." But most people likely remember him for starring alongside Jackie Chan in the "Rush Hour" trilogy. But then something peculiar happened — Tucker stopped appearing on the big screen as much. So what happened to Chris Tucker?

Despite death hoaxes, the actor is still very much alive but chose to step back from Hollywood to focus on other ventures, particularly his humanitarian efforts through the Chris Tucker Foundation, a non-profit designed to positively affect families on an international scale. As he told Classix ATL, it was a conscious effort to do more than simply act: "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, traveled the world, and did a lot of humanitarian stuff that really broadened my perspective on the world."

That doesn't mean Tucker's been completely absent from star-studded projects. He appeared in 2012's "Silver Linings Playbooks" as well as 2016's "Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk." He's definitely not one to star in a movie every year, but he's certainly kept busy over the years.

Chris Tucker has continued entertaining audiences over the years through stand-up comedy. He's even had some 2023 performance dates, including some shows in Las Vegas. In the same interview, he mentioned how much he loves stand-up and wants to continue doing that, and he even has his eyes on other ventures. He stated, "I definitely want to [write] a book."

For those who miss seeing Tucker act, he can most recently be seen in the critically-acclaimed film, "Air," from director Ben Affleck. Tucker spoke to People about getting the offer to play Howard White in the movie and how White is a personal friend of his, which made him want to do it even more. As the actor explained, "I talked to Ben [Affleck] and Matt [Damon] and they said, 'Hey man, we want you to come in, have fun. This is what we are doing. It's like making a movie with your friends'. And I said, 'Okay.' I love Michael Jordan. It's my friend Howard White. Ben said I can do whatever I want to do. I love the brand, the Jordan brand. Let's do it."

Hopefully, fans won't have to wait another seven years to see Tucker in a film again. The actor has expressed interest in getting "Rush Hour 4" off the ground, talking about it as recently as March 2023. Tucker may be seldom seen, but he tends to make his movie projects count when he does star in one.