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.”
Long known for his youthful looks and acrobatic moves which spanned decades of action movies, Li — also known as Li Lianjie — has in recent years battled hyperthyroidism, a condition that can cause fatigue and weight loss. The condition has previously ignited rumors of Li’s declining health.
But Li’s manager refuted the rumors, and offered what he said was a recent photo of the star.
And Li himself has weighed in: On Wednesday, a message appeared on his Facebook page thanking people for their concern about his health.
“I’m doing great and feeling great!” the message said.
The South China Morning Post reported Saturday that Li’s 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 speculated that the man they believe is Li looked older because of bad lighting or the angle.
Is that Jet Li? Alleged photos of actor in Tibet fuel speculation about his poor health https://t.co/8JEM0gtF0f pic.twitter.com/23OG2MN65f
— The Straits Times (@straits_times) May 20, 2018
Li’s manager, Steven Chasman, said 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 on Monday.
“He’s all well and good,” Chasman added, saying he had just 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,” in which his character single-handedly subdued a room full of French police. 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.”
I am a fan of Jet Li. He is battling a thyroid disorder according to @tmz. Get well soon #JetLi 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/sGejcxjhUx
— danawhite (@danawhite) May 21, 2018
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.”
In a video posted to Li’s official Instagram in December, the actor wished fans a happy new year.
On Monday, Chasman called coverage of the photo “sensationalism” and shared a picture of Li that he says was taken on May 12 in Chengdu.
“It would be nice if people wouldn’t make something out of nothing,” the actor’s manager said.
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