After many years of almost "hiding" due to health problems, martial arts star Jet Li surprised fans when he returned to the big screen in the martial arts film project "The Cat: The Rebel". The film is considered a notable milestone, marking the reappearance of the action star after more than a decade of rarely participating in film projects.
According to Chinese media, Jet Li had a good performance in this comeback role. The work directed by famous director Yuen Woo-ping, with the participation of many familiar faces of Chinese cinema, including Nicholas Tse, had a comeback at the Tet box office. The cast of the film is considered a rare convergence of many generations of martial arts stars, from veteran artists to young faces.
In the film, Jet Li transforms into Emperor Yang Guang of Sui - a controversial historical figure. To prepare for this role, the actor is said to have lost about 12 kg to suit the character's image. His return to the martial arts film genre has attracted much audience interest, because before that Jet Li had almost withdrawn from film activities for a long time.
The most notable recent film he participated in was "Mulan", released in 2020, starring Liu Yifei. After this project, the actor rarely appeared in front of the media, causing many people to think that he had completely left the screen.
The reasons why Jet Li reduced his artistic activities mainly related to his health. The actor once publicly admitted to suffering from hyperthyroidism, causing his body to weaken and his appearance to change significantly. In addition, many accumulated injuries from his youth such as spinal pain, wrist and ankle also significantly affected his physical condition.
However, before the false rumors spreading on social networks about "heart transplants" or "blood transfusions to prolong life", Jet Li frankly denied it. He affirmed that he had never undergone any organ transplant surgery.
Revealing about his life after the glory of a decades-long film career, Jet Li said he chose to live simply. He spends most of his time meditating, studying philosophy and participating in charity activities. The actor once founded a charity fund to support people in difficult circumstances and raise social awareness about autistic children.
According to Chinese media, his daily life is very different from the image of a movie superstar. Jet Li lives simply in his private apartment, goes to the market himself and is willing to talk to people when recognized.
In community activities, the actor often participates directly instead of appearing as an honorary guest. Once, he spent many hours chatting and teaching autistic children to fold paper crane, making many people touched by his sincerity and closeness.
Currently, Jet Li said he no longer values fame or money. The most important thing for him is the health and happiness of his family.
