Making a remarkable entry into the movie industry, Jet Li has been entertaining the audience since the 1980s. Although he made his debut as a Chinese actor in the film Shaolin Temple, then played the role of an antagonist in Lethal Weapon 4. While other actors captivated the hearts of the viewers by playing the hero, he played the villain and bewitched the audience. For years, Li has been showcasing his martial arts skills in front of the camera, and he has been praised for his intense loyalty to the craft and his charismatic on-screen presence.
As a result, Jet Li has been compared as a direct rival of the hardcore action star, Jackie Chan. The Kiss of The Dragon actor spent 41 years as the rival of the Rush Hour actor, but everything felt worthless to Li when he nearly died in a tsunami while suffering injuries putting his Hollywood career to a standstill.
Jet Li Recalls His Close Call With Death
For most people, a tsunami is not a near-death experience because people do not live to tell the tale, but Jet Li was one of the few fortunate people that shares his tale. During an exclusive interview with Newsweek, the Romeo Must Die actor shared how the disastrous tsunami that had struck Maldives in 2004 played a turning point in his life, and how 41 years of his life flashed before him.
“That day in the Maldives was a real turning point for me. I had spent the first 41 years of my life thinking about Jet Li first, wanting to prove I was special, wanting to prove I was a star.”
In that instant, Li felt that there was more to life than fame and money, and switched his focus from making for himself to helping others in need, hence, he came up with One Foundation. Moreover, a career as a martial arts actor puts a heavy toll on the body, and as per THR, Jet Li suffered had suffered several leg and spine injuries. And he occasionally shares how continuing his as an action star would leave him in a wheelchair.
Jackie Chan Turned Sour On Jet Li
When one thinks of action stars, one definitely thinks about Jackie Chan, a legend of the industry making a significant impact on the genre. However, many fans believed that Jackie Chan and Jet Li were fierce rivals from the beginning, but that was not the case, as they were close friends at first. And the two action stars even worked together for The Forbidden Kingdom, earning $129 million with an additional $25 million in DVD sales.
They shared a close bond until Jet Li decided to hurt Chan’s ego by doing the 1995 film, High Risk, which poked fun at Jackie Chan by showing how he used stunt doubles in his films, used weird techniques to record his martial arts voice, and how he was a serious womanizer, often using his status to get women.
Jackie Chan was not thrilled with Li and Leung for making a parody film about him, and he said that they made the film to “make quick money.”
“Wong Jing always want to make quick money, everything quick. Of course I’m not happy, but what can I do? I cannot say, ‘Stop! Don’t do it.’ Naw, let them do it, let it be. People will know what happened. And later I found out I am right, nobody sees [the movie].”
The Drunken Master actor added how his close friend was embarrassed to do the film, as he could not see him in the eye, and he used to bow his head in shame and guilt.
“I’m so happy. A lot of people ask Jet Li and Jackie Cheung, ‘Why you doing this?’ I think they very embarrassed, even now they look at me they like this, [Jackie pretends to bow head in shame]. I’m so happy. Before they look at me, ‘Yes, yeah!’ But now they look at me like this [bows head again].”
Even though they made The Forbidden Kingdom together, it is difficult to think that Jackie Chan has forgotten Li for the film he did in 1995 which portrayed him badly in people’s eyes. However, that solely depends on the belief of the people, as the two actors have not publicly spoken ill of each other again.
Source: Newsweek
