Legendary action star Jackie Chan addressed fan concerns that he looked “old” in a recently posted photo. The 70-year-old, who just celebrated his birthday, reassured fans that the images were for an upcoming project and didn’t reflect what he actually looks like.
The “Rush Hour” star posted a lengthy explanation on Instagram.
“Even before today, many friends have been reminding me: ‘Jackie, it’s going to be your 70th birthday!l Every time I hear this number, my heart would stop for a second – l’m 70 years old already?” Chan wrote in the post caption.
“After recovering from the shock, the second thing that would come to my mind is a saying that my big brother, Sammo Hung once said: “being able to grow old is a fortunate thing.” Especially for us stunt people, we don’t know how lucky we are to be able to grow old.”
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He next addressed the image concerns that have been coming up.
“Not so long ago, a lot of friends saw some recent photos of me on the internet, and they were all concerned about my health,” the post continued. “I want to take this opportunity to let everyone know, don’t worry! It’s just a character appearance for my latest movie. The character requires me to have white hair, white beard and look old.”
Chan added, “Over the years, I’ve always been willing to try new things for a movie, no matter if it’s a challenging stunt or a breakthrough appearance for a character. I’ve been in the entertainment business for 62 years and I cherish every moment because I’m lucky I’m still filming today.”
The Hong Kong native concluded by saying that going through old photos has brought back “so many fond memories.”
“All I can say is: I love making movies and I love you all,” Chan concluded. “A big thank you to everyone for all your birthday wishes. Hope everyone stays happy and healthy!”
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The photo that had fans so worried shows Chan sitting on a stage with gray hair, a beard, and glasses.
Legend Jackie Chan turns 70 today 🐐 pic.twitter.com/meFuP6TLOW
— Every Movie Plug 🎬 🔌 (@everymovieplug) April 7, 2024
The actor, who has spent six decades performing as a stuntman and leading kung fu action star, is preparing to appear in the new “Karate Kid” movie.