Did he time-travel? Jet Li shocks fans with health turnaround after looking frail in 2018

Loh Keng Fatt
The Straits Times
Aug 14, 2019

Jet Li is no longer grounded but taking off again, health-wise.

Netizens were shocked in 2018 when a photo of a frail-looking Li - visiting a temple in Tibet - surfaced.

The gongfu star was diagnosed in 2010 with hyperthyroidism, whose symptoms include muscle weakness and sleeping problems.

In 2017, Li revealed that even though he was taking medication, the condition "kept coming back".

Fans now can breathe easier after two photos popped up recently that show Li, who stars in the upcoming Disney live-action reboot of Mulan, in better health.

One photo, taken with a fan, showed Li, 56, in a good mood as he smiled broadly for the camera.

The South China Morning Post reported that netizens, who were caught by surprise over his health turnaround, said it was wonderful to see him radiant and youthful again.

The thinking, for now, is that Li has his health ailment under control.

Another photo was taken with Mr Jack Ma, executive chairman of the Alibaba Group, at a fundraising event for the Jack Ma Foundation.

In a caption for the photo that Li posted on his Instagram account, he praised the work done by teachers in rural parts of China and asked for more support to bring about change.

The actor himself has drawn praise for staying true to his action-hero image on screen, and taking on his health problem without flinching.

At the height of speculation over his health in 2018, Li had addressed the issue in a Facebook post, telling his fans not to worry and even joking that he had received a "longevity potion" from someone who was keen to see him live a long life.