Will Smith has thanked Jackie Chan for “helpin’ to raise” his youngest son.
The King Richard actor marked the martial arts legend’s milestone 70th birthday on Sunday (Apr 7) with a heartfelt Instagram post in which he praised the Rush Hour star for the “eternal impact” he left on their family when he starred with Jaden Smith, 25, in the 2010 remake of The Karate Kid.
Sharing a series of photos of his son and Chan, Smith wrote: “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.
“Our time with you in Beijing during the Karate Kid left an eternal impact on our entire family. We wish you the deepest Love [and] Revelation on your next trip around the sun [sun emoji] (sic)”
Meanwhile, Chan also marked his birthday with a social media post of his own, expressing his gratitude for being “able to grow old”, especially after all the stunts he has put his body through over the years.
Sharing a series of photos of himself at varying ages, he wrote on Instagram: “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?
“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 told fans not to worry about recent photos of him with white hair and a beard, explaining he needed to “look old” for an upcoming movie.
He added: “Over the years, I’ve 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. I’ve been in the entertainment business for 62 years and I cherish every moment because I’m lucky I’m still filming today.”
The Hidden Strike actor ended his message with gratitude for his fans.
He wrote: “Recently my staff have been going through my photo archives and found so many memorable photos. I’ve selected a few to post with this message. Looking at these photos brings back so many fond memories. All I can say is: I love making movies and I love you all.
“A big thank you to everyone for all your birthday wishes. Hope everyone stays happy and healthy!”
