It is very hard to believe but Jackie Chan has officially reached his 70s. The cinema legend recently celebrated his 70th Birthday on the 7th of April. On the occasion, he shared an emotional note for his friends and fans on social media where he discussed how it feels to be in the 70s. Following that, the Rush Hour fame also addressed his viral white hair photos in his long post.
Recently, the entire pop culture world became a little melancholic to spot Jackie Chan with white hair and an old look in some viral photos. Although it is not unnatural for a 70-year-old, the fans could not hold their emotions. However, Chan clarified in his post that the fans need not be concerned about his health as the look is for his latest project.
What did Jackie Chan say about his white hair photos?
Jackie Chan has made a massive and incomparable contribution to world cinema. He has amassed a monstrous fandom worldwide. Celebrating his 70th Birthday, the Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow actor admitted in his Instagram post that he still can’t believe he has reached 70- “Every time I hear this number, my heart would stop for a second – l’m 70 years old already?”.
Jackie Chan then went on to reveal how his big brother Sammo Hung once said that “being able to grow old is a fortunate thing”. As an action star, he considered himself lucky to grow this old. However, his fans were very concerned when photos of him sporting grey and white hair in an interview went viral on the internet. Now Jackie Chan has clarified that it was for his latest movie.
“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. 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.”
The Drunken Master star has opted for varied characters throughout his career of 62 years. He confessed that he has always tried new things for his movies- be it a new appearance or a challenging stunt. Nevertheless, the actor never felt tired of testing his limits and cherishes every moment. He feels lucky to still be able to continue his work.
Along with the note, Jackie Chan also shared several photos from different parts of his career. The Instagram post saw several fans and co-stars coming together to give wishes to their favorite star. The Jackass star Johnny Knoxville was also spotted in the comments section. He wrote- “Happy birthday Jackie!!! Love, Knoxville.”
Will Smith pens a lovely tribute to Jackie Chan
Will Smith took to an Instagram post to give good wishes to Jackie Chan. Even though the two actors never shared the screen, Will Smith’s son Jaden Smith co-starred alongside Chan in 2010’s The Karate Kid.
Will Smith claimed that besides making some of his favorite films, Jackie Chan also imparted valuable lessons to Jaden Smith during The Karate Kid’s filming. He met Chan in Beijing when his son was shooting for the film; according to him, it had an eternal impact on his family.
“In addition to making some of my FAVORITE movies of all time, creating some of the CRAZIEST moments that have ever been captured on film – I thank you most for helpin’ to raise Jaden. Our time with you in Beijing during the Karate Kid left an eternal impact on our entire family.”
Recently it was announced that Chan is all set to return alongside Ralph Macchio for a new Karate Kid installment. It raised a huge excitement among fans as the two eras of the franchise will join hands for the upcoming film. According to People, American Born Chinese star Ben Wang will play the lead.
The other details from the upcoming project are kept under wraps. It is reported that Jonathan Entwistle will helm as the director with Rob Lieber as the screenplay writer. The movie is scheduled to release on December 13, 2024.
