The small-screen version of “Rush Hour,” based on the trio of films starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, is scheduled to debut Thursday primetime on CBS. Twenty-eight-year-old Chinese actor Leon Lee Chenhao will be the show’s main antagonist*.

    ”Rush Hour” will be a mix of martial arts, comedy and opposites-attract storytelling.

    What makes the show even more refreshing is an appearance by Chinese actor Leon Lee. Lee plays Jawlong, who Lee himself described as “an agent of chaos.”

    “I was inspired by a lot of great actors and directors when I was preparing the role of Jawlong. I was inspired by Johnny Depp. He’s Jack Sparrow in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean.’ Also the Joker played by Heath Ledge in ‘The Dark Knight Rises.’ Jawlong is an agent of chaos. He enjoys breaking down everything. That’s the reason why he kidnapped the detective’s sister and turned her into a killer to go against the detective.”

    Jawlong is a vicious* and maniacal* criminal mastermind* as well as a kung fu master.

    When being asked whether he had practiced martial arts in preparation for the role, Lee disclosed that he actually learned martial arts at a very young age.

    “Actually I learned kung fu since I was very little. And then I quit because my parents found out that I was causing too much trouble. But later I picked up because I figure that kung fu is more of a way of thinking. Actually it’s not about fighting; it’s about a way to ‘express yourself’ and also a way of thinking.”

    Lee spent six weeks shooting on location in L.A.

    The new action-comedy series also stars newcomer Justin Hires as Detective Carter and Jon Foo as Detective Lee.

    Hires succeeds Tucker as self-styled Los Angeles police detective Carter, whose manner immediately clashes with that of his new partner: martial-arts-skilled Lee, who arrives in the “City of Angels” to probe* his sister’s presumed death.

    Lee also contributes to this storyline as the villain.

    “Take one scene as an example: the scene that I kidnapped the detective’s sister. We did like five or six takes in different ways; his way, the writer’s way and my way: more composed, crazy and all kinds of ideas I wanted.

    (SD-Agencies)