Jackie Chan brings stuffed pandas to Oscars red carpet

Jackie Chan attended Sunday’s Oscars ceremony with two unexpected guests in tow.

The industry icon carried two stuffed pandas under his arm on the red carpet outside Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre, and with good reason: Chan was named the Chengdu Giant Panda Research and Breeding Base’s panda ambassador in 2009, and has advocated for the mammals’ protection throughout his career.

An owner of two panda bears in China, Chan ultimately intends to sell the plush counterparts he brandished on the red carpet to benefit conservation efforts. He even documented the creation of the toys — which he named Chan La and Chan Zy — on his website.

“I am an ambassador of pandas,” Chan told E!’s Ryan Seacrest during his red carpet interview. “After the earthquake, they got hurt. I raised them.”

One of Chan’s stuffed companions also sported a UNICEF pin, representing the United Nations’ humanitarian organization that appointed Chan a goodwill ambassador in 2004.

At the Academy’s Governor’s Awards in November, Chan received an honorary Oscar for his philanthropic efforts and contributions to the film industry across a 55-year career.