Tell us about the movie...
My character is a Chinese spy who works for the American CIA and he just wants to retire and have a normal life. And then I fall in love with the girl who lives next door. She has three children and when she has to go away I have to take care of the three kids. All of the kids hate me. But somehow the villain finds me and I have to do something and the kids realise I’m a spy. They all fall in love with me because I’m a spy.

Does this have the usual high energy stunt work associated with your films?
We don’t have a lot of flying around. We’re doing really human being things. I climb the roof, jump on the roof, and am fighting around children with the basic things around you: refrigerator, microwave, ashtray, pumpkin, everything around you. It’s typical Jackie Chan style. 

Was it easy to do the stunts with the kids?
Stunts are easy. Doing a stunt myself is easy. But sometimes I have to do stunts with children and I have to be very, very careful. I have to make sure they’re very safe. And also, since it’s a children’s movie, I have to ask the director, ‘Can I do this?’ and be 100 per cent certain that children can go to see it.

Do you like making films for children?
I like to make children laugh. Especially when I’m walking down the street and they say, ‘Oh Jackie Chan I love your movie!’ That makes me feel good. And also, when I’m at a restaurant and the people come up to me and say, ‘I just want to tell you, my children love you.’ And that means I still can do an action movie; not just 10 years ago. Because the children right now still know me – three-years-old, five-years-old. 

What was it like acting with singer Billy Ray Cyrus?
I know Billy is a big country star. The first time I heard of him was because of one of his songs. And suddenly he’s on the set! The first thing I did was buy a CD and ask for his autograph. He has a very funny accent. But he doesn’t have many action sequences with me. I’m the one fighting and he’s the one talking. 

The Spy Next Door is available on Blu-ray and DVD on 2 August from Momentum Pictures