When you think about the year 2002, you probably picture low-rise jeans, flip phones, and Jackie Chan at the absolute peak of his American crossover fame. He was everywhere. But among the Rush Hour sequels and Shanghai Noon hits, there was this weird, gadget-heavy action comedy that felt a little different. Most people remember the premise—a high-tech suit that turns a clumsy chauffeur into a martial arts god—but the actual cast of The Tuxedo movie is what keeps it alive on streaming platforms two decades later. It’s a bizarre mix of legendary Hong Kong action, 2000s pop-culture icons, and character actors who really had no business being in a movie about a sentient suit.
Jackie Chan and the Shift from Stunts to CGI
Jackie Chan plays Jimmy Tong. Honestly, it’s a classic Jackie role, but with a twist that frustrated some purists back in the day. Jimmy is a taxi driver turned chauffeur for a mysterious billionaire named Clark Devlin. When Devlin gets sidelined by an explosion, Jimmy puts on "Walter," a multi-billion dollar tuxedo that gives the wearer superhuman abilities.
The weirdest thing about seeing Jackie Chan in this movie is that it’s one of the few times he relied heavily on wire-work and primitive CGI. Usually, Jackie is the guy who jumps off buildings for real. Here, the suit is doing the work. You can tell he’s having fun with the physical comedy—his facial expressions when the suit starts "dancing" to James Brown are gold—but it marked a transition point in his Hollywood career. He wasn't just a martial artist anymore; he was a full-blown special effects star.
Jennifer Love Hewitt as the Unlikely Partner
If you were a teenager in the early 2000s, Jennifer Love Hewitt was basically the queen of the screen. Coming off I Know What You Did Last Summer and Heartbreakers, her casting as Del Blaine was a total "it girl" move by DreamWorks.
She plays a rookie CSA agent who thinks Jimmy is actually the legendary Clark Devlin. The chemistry between Hewitt and Chan is... strange. It’s not romantic, which is a relief, but it’s definitely high-energy. She spends most of the movie being frustrated by Jimmy's apparent incompetence, not realizing he's just a guy in a borrowed suit. Interestingly, Hewitt did a lot of her own training for the film, trying to keep up with Chan’s rhythm, though most of the heavy lifting is played for laughs.
🔗 Read more: Jack Blocker American Idol Journey: What Most People Get Wrong
The Villain and the Supporting Heavyweights
Jason Isaacs plays Clark Devlin. You probably know him best as Lucius Malfoy from Harry Potter, but here, he’s the suave, James Bond-esque mentor. He’s only in the movie for a fraction of the runtime before he gets put into a coma, but he sets the entire tone. Without his performance as the "perfect" agent, the joke of Jackie Chan failing to fill his shoes wouldn't land.
Then there’s the villain. Peter Stormare plays Dr. Simms. Stormare is one of those actors who is incapable of being boring. Whether he's in Fargo or John Wick 2, he brings this twitchy, unpredictable energy. In The Tuxedo, he's trying to dehydrate the world's water supply to force people to buy his bottled water. It’s a plot that felt campy in 2002 but feels weirdly prophetic in an era of corporate water privatization.
A Surprising James Brown Appearance
You can't talk about the cast of The Tuxedo movie without mentioning the Godfather of Soul himself. James Brown appears as himself in a pivotal scene where the tuxedo's "performance mode" accidentally knocks him out, forcing Jimmy Tong to take his place on stage.
It is arguably the most memorable part of the film. Seeing Jackie Chan attempt to mimic James Brown's iconic footwork while the tuxedo malfunctions is a masterclass in physical comedy. It wasn't just a cameo for the sake of a name; it was the emotional and comedic climax of the movie’s second act.
💡 You might also like: Why American Beauty by the Grateful Dead is Still the Gold Standard of Americana
Why the Critics Were Wrong About the Ensemble
At the time, critics panned the film. Rotten Tomatoes still has it sitting at a dismal 21%. They called it "uninspired" and complained about the digital effects. But they missed the point of the ensemble.
The cast of The Tuxedo movie wasn't trying to make The Bourne Identity. They were making a live-action cartoon. When you look at the smaller roles, you see talent like Debi Mazar as Steena, the tough-as-nails stylist, and Bob Balaban as the shadowy Winton Chalmers. These are high-caliber actors. They leaned into the absurdity.
- The Physicality: Jackie Chan’s ability to act "against" his own limbs is incredible.
- The Era: This was the peak of the "gadget" movie craze, sandwiched between The Matrix and Johnny English.
- The Sound: John Debney and Christophe Beck’s score treated the movie like a high-stakes spy thriller, which made the comedy hit harder.
The Legacy of the 2002 Cast
So, what happened to everyone? Jackie Chan obviously remains a global icon, though he’s moved back toward more serious roles in Chinese cinema and occasional American voice acting like Kung Fu Panda. Jennifer Love Hewitt transitioned into a massive career in television with Ghost Whisperer and 9-1-1.
But The Tuxedo remains this weird time capsule. It represents a moment when Hollywood was trying to figure out how to market Jackie Chan to kids who grew up on Pokémon and spy gadgets. It’s a movie that doesn't take itself seriously, and honestly, we don't get enough of those anymore.
📖 Related: Why October London Make Me Wanna Is the Soul Revival We Actually Needed
Getting the Most Out of a Rewatch
If you’re going back to watch it today, keep an eye on the background. The movie was filmed primarily in Toronto, standing in for various U.S. locations. The "CSA" headquarters has that classic early-2000s industrial-chic look that defined the aesthetic of the decade.
Also, pay attention to the suit’s different "modes." The costume department actually had to create several different versions of the tuxedo to handle the stunts, including reinforced versions for wire-work and lightweight versions for the dance sequences. It’s a feat of practical costume design that often gets overshadowed by the CGI overlays.
Actionable Takeaway for Film Buffs
If you’re interested in the evolution of martial arts in Western cinema, compare The Tuxedo to Police Story. You’ll see how Jackie Chan adapted his style for a Western audience that demanded more "magic" and less "grit."
Next Steps for Your Movie Night:
- Watch the blooper reel: As with every Jackie Chan movie, the credits are the best part. It shows the real chemistry between the cast.
- Look for the cameos: Beyond James Brown, there are several blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearances by Canadian character actors.
- Check the tech: Notice how many of the "futuristic" gadgets in the movie—like instant translation and wearable tech—actually exist now in some form.
Ultimately, the cast of The Tuxedo movie did exactly what they were supposed to do: they made a breezy, ridiculous, and endlessly watchable popcorn flick that doesn't require a PhD in film theory to enjoy. Sometimes, a guy in a magic suit is all you need for a Saturday night.
Expert Insight: While The Tuxedo wasn't a critical darling, it grossed over $100 million worldwide, proving that the star power of the Chan-Hewitt duo was more than enough to overcome a thin script. It remains a staple of cable TV reruns because its slapstick humor is universal and transcends the dated special effects.