Jackie Chan reassured fans he is healthy as can be in a recent Instagram post, explaining that he currently looks much older than he is because of his role in an upcoming 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,” Chan, who turned 70 on Monday, 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’s post also included a reflection on his platinum birthday, along with a series of throwback photos of his illustrious career. “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?” he wrote. “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.”
His message concluded, “A big thank you to everyone for all your birthday wishes. Hope everyone stays happy and healthy!”
Chan did not detail what role might have required him to age up, though he’s currently set to appear in the next Karate Kid installment, set to hit theaters in December. Both Chan and Ralph Macchio will reprise their roles from the beloved 1984 film.