Jackie Chan

Since appearing in comedy films like Crocodile Dundee In Los Angeles and The Hangover, Tyson – a former boxer and convicted rapist – has steadily built up a portfolio of work in action films – so far he has gone fist to fist with Donnie Yen in Ip Man 3, Steven Seagal in China Salesman and Alain Moussi in Kickboxer: Retaliation.

Chan revealed the news whilst speaking at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia. Tyson also mentioned the film on his podcast Hot Boxin’ With Mike.

The Rush Hour star appears in a video where he trains a trio of pangolins to use kung fu to defend themselves, while urging viewers against eating pangolin meat or using their scales for traditional medicine, Taiwan News reports.

The "Kung Fu Pangolin" campaign, headed by the WildAid organisation, will also appear on billboards in China and Vietnam, the two largest pangolin consuming nations in the Asia region.

The actor's parents used to work at the United States Embassy in Yarralumla and there's even a science centre in his name at the Australian National University.

But did the superstar attend school in Canberra before he went on to bigger things?

That's the question high school teacher Luke Coleman asked Curious Canberra to investigate.

"When I ask around, everyone assures me that's the case but it just seems really left field," he said.

The US film academy also voted to give the awards to editor Anne Coates, casting director Lynn Stalmaster and documentary maker Frederick Wiseman.

Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs described the four as "true pioneers and legends in their crafts".

Chan, 62, starred in dozens of martial arts films in his native Hong Kong.

He went on to huge international success with hits like Rumble in the Bronx, the Rush Hour franchise, and the animation film Kung Fu Panda.