Jackie Chan may have turned 70 just this week but the dude is timeless. He exudes the youth that he had when he broke out in a big way in the ‘70s with movies like Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow, so much so that when he turned up earlier this year with white hair and looking plenty worn – hey, decades of death-defying stunts’ll do that to ya – fans just assumed he was in bad health. But fear not because Jackie Chan is dismissing any notions that he is the frail old man you saw, revealing it was all for a movie.
Jackie Chan took to Instagram this week to address fan concerns, posting, “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.” While Chan didn’t say what the movie was, it’s likely not for the much-discussed Rush Hour 4. Now, why he would be decked out in makeup for a speaking engagement is anybody’s guess…
The mass reaction over Jackie Chan’s part-time look also allowed the action star to take a trip – likely hanging from a helicopter without a harness – down memory lane, accompanying his post with several photos. “Recently my staff have been going through my photo archives and found so many memorable photos. I’ve selected a few to post with this message. Looking at these photos brings back so many fond memories. All I can say is: I love making movies and I love you all.”
It really does say something that fans would be surprised that Jackie Chan had white hair, considering it’s a natural part of aging, or that he might actually start to look his age. But because Chan always had such a dynamic and youthful onscreen presence, it was a shock…and it’s now even more so that he’s still in such incredible shape for being 70!
We here at JoBlo want to wish Jackie Chan another Happy Birthday and thank him for the endless supply of action he has given us. What would you pick as the ultimate Jackie Chan movie? What is the greatest stunt he ever pulled off? Let us know in the comments below!