Jackie Chan Shares Throwback Photos in Honor of His Milestone 70th Birthday: 'I Cherish Every Moment'

"Especially for us stunt people, we don’t know how lucky we are to be able to grow old," the actor wrote as he reflected on turning 70

Jackie Chan is celebrating a major milestone!

The legendary actor turned 70 on April 7 and marked the birthday with a reflective post on Instagram as he expressed his gratitude for being “able to grow old” given the intense stunts he’s been performing for decades.

“Even before today, many friends have been reminding me: ‘Jackie, it’s going to be your 70th birthday!’ Every time I hear this number, my heart would stop for a second - l’m 70 years old already?” Chan began his lengthy 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.”

Chan also addressed some concern that circulated online after photos of him surfaced that showed him looking older. “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," he explained.

The star then noted he’s “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,” before expressing gratitude for being in Hollywood “for 62 years.”

“I cherish every moment because I’m lucky I’m still filming today,” he said.

The post also featured a collection of photos of Chan from throughout his career, which he said was thanks for his staff, who have “been going through my photo archives” and found some of the gems he included.

“Looking at these photos brings back so many fond memories. All I can say is: I love making movies and I love you all,” Chan concluded the post. “A big thank you to everyone for all your birthday wishes. Hope everyone stays happy and healthy!”

The comments section of Chan’s post was filled with well-wishes from fans and friends, including a message from Jackass star Johnny Knoxville, who wrote to his fellow stuntman, “Happy birthday Jackie!!! Love, Knoxville.”

Related: John Travolta Shares His 'Favorite Birthday Gift' as He Celebrates Turning 70 with Family

Will Smith also took the time to wish Chan a happy birthday with his own post on Instagram, where he reflected on their time together when his son, Jaden Smith, was filming 2010’s The Karate Kid alongside the actor.

“Happy 70th (wow) Birthday to My Guy @jackiechan!! 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,” Will, 55, wrote. “Our time with you in Beijing during the Karate Kid left an eternal impact on our entire family. We wish you the deepest Love & Revelation on your next trip around the sun ☀️.”

Jaden, who is now 25, was 11 when the reboot of the 1984 movie was filmed. In the reboot, Jaden starred as Dre, who, after moving from the U.S. to Beijing, runs into some trouble and ends up learning a thing or two about self-defense from Mr. Han (Chan), a kung fu master.

Related: All About the New Karate Kid Movie

In November, Chan and Ralph Macchio, who played the teen protagonist in the first film, announced that they are making a third iteration of the movie — and shared a worldwide casting call for the lead.

"Hi everyone! We've got big news," Chan said in a video with Macchio, who announced: "We're starring in a new Karate Kid movie together."

"That's big news, but we even have bigger news," Chan continued. "We're looking for the next Karate Kid."

"That's right — the global search for the star of our new film starts right now. So let's wax on, wax off, everybody," Macchio said near the end of the clip, quoting Mr. Miyagi's (played by the late Pat Morita) famous line in the original movie.

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The duo later found their lead in American Born Chinese star Ben Wang, and production began on April 4, according to a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Plot details of the film remain under wraps, but it will be directed by Jonathan Entwistle, based on a screenplay by Rob Lieber and will be produced by Karen Rosenfelt, according to a press release.

The film is scheduled to hit theaters on Dec. 13, 2024.

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