Jackie Chan Shares Health Update after Fans Expressed Concern Over His Appearance

Jackie Chan wants fans to know he's happy and healthy.

The "Rush Hour" star, 70, took to Instagram to address concerns about his health sparked by his appearance in some recent photos, in which he is seen with gray hair. Chan explained that this appearance is actually for a role that requires him to look older.

"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," he wrote. "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 did not specify the role in question, but one of his most anticipated upcoming projects is a new "Karate Kid" film that was announced last year. Chan, who starred in the 2010 "Karate Kid" remake, will appear in the new movie opposite Ralph Macchio, the star of the original martial arts drama film. The new "Karate Kid" is scheduled for a December release. Chan has also teased a possible fourth "Rush Hour" movie.

"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," he said.

The legendary actor and martial artist's post came as he celebrated his 70th birthday on Sunday. He reflected that when people would remind him that he's turning 70, his "heart would stop for a second" and he would think, "l'm 70 years old already?"

But Chan, who is famous for performing his own stunts in his movies, added that "especially for us stunt people, we don't know how lucky we are to be able to grow old."

The "Police Story" star also said that after 62 years in the entertainment industry, he is "lucky" that he is "still filming today." He shared a gallery of photos from throughout his career and wrote, "All I can say is: I love making movies and I love you all."

Chan's film career dates back to the early 1960s, and his other movies include "Drunken Master" and "Rumble in the Bronx." In recent years, he has also performed numerous voice roles, including as Splinter in 2023's "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem" and Master Monkey in the "Kung Fu Panda" series.

April 09, 2024