Actor Jet Li, also known as Li Lianjie, attends the Ma Yun rural teachers awards ceremony in Sanya in south China’s Hainan province on Jan. 21. (Imaginechina via AP Images)
The man
in the photo looked both familiar and foreign. The media would describe
the bespectacled face, crows feet prominently framing the eyes under the
glaring sun, as “frail” and “unrecognizable.” One headline pondered, “is this the same Jet Li we all know.”
A picture
allegedly of the martial artist has alarmed fans and raised questions
about the 55-year-old action star’s health. Long known for his youthful
looks and acrobatic moves spanning decades of action movies, in recent
years Li has battled hyperthyroidism, a condition that can cause fatigue
and weight loss and that has previously ignited rumors of Li’s
declining health.
The
South China Morning Post reported Saturday that fans were “praying for
his health” after the emergence of the photo, which the SCMP said was
taken at a temple in Tibet and has been widely shared. Others have speculated that the man they believe is Li looks older because of bad lighting or the angle.
In a video posted to Li’s official Instagram last December, the actor wished fans a happy new year.
On Monday Li’s manager, Steven Chasman, said that it was just a bad photo of someone who is 55 years old.
“He
has hyperthyroidism that he’s been dealing with for almost 10 years.
It’s nothing life-threatening and he’s dealing with it,” Chasman told
the Washington Post, adding that he has spoken with Li’s assistant.
For
years Li was one of the most electrifying martial arts actors in the
world. A national wushu champion, he broke out in film after portraying
the legendary folk hero Wong Fei-hung in the “Once Upon a Time in
China” series. His fights, though choreographed and sometimes employing
wire tricks, evinced a fierce athleticism and fluidity of movement. He
would then branch out to American and European productions such
as “Romeo Must Die,” “The Expendables” and “Kiss of the Dragon,” where
his character subdued a room full of French police singlehandedly. Even
after going to Hollywood, Li would continue to work with Chinese
directors, such as Zhang Yimou in “Hero.”
Diagnosed with an overactive thyroid in 2010, Li said in 2013 that he was uncertain if he could continue working but was determined to, according to the Associated Press.
“I’m in pain, but I’m not suffering. I’m happy,” he said, adding that he took medication.
The SCMP reported he has also spoken about leg and spinal problems from decades of stunts and injuries from his films.
Last
year, the Beijing-born actor said during a dinner for his charity, One
Foundation, that his illness kept returning, according to the SCMP.
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, hyperthyroidism occurs when “the thyroid gland makes more thyroid hormones than your body needs.” These hormones “control the way the body uses energy, so they affect nearly every organ in your body, even the way your heart beats.”
About one out of 100 people in the United States have hyperthyroidism, the agency says.
Speculation
about Li’s health has bubbled up before. In 2016, he dispelled rumors
that his illness was worsening and that he needed a wheelchair, telling
Singaporean journalists that “even my friends are concerned and are
asking how I am,” according to the Straits Times.
“There
is nothing to worry about my health,” he said, joking that, “I’m not
sure which wheelchair company is putting out such news to sell more
wheelchairs. Perhaps someone wants me to be a spokesman for their
wheelchairs.”
The
actor, who has not taken on many roles in the past three years, most
recently appeared in a short film with Jack Ma, the founder of
e-commerce giant Alibaba Group. He is also reportedly in talks to appear
as the emperor of China in Disney’s live-action production of “Mulan,” which is currently scheduled to arrive in theaters in 2020.
Li,
perhaps cognizant of the larger-than-life image he has cultivated
through his many movie roles, said that in fighting the illness he was
“just a regular guy.”
“I’m not Wong Fei-hung, I’m not Huo Yuanjia. I’m not a hero,” he said, naming characters he had played. “I’m just like you.”
On
Monday, Chasman called the coverage of the photo “sensationalism” and
shared a picture of Li that he says was taken in the past week.
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