After being on a hiatus from the big screen for four years, Jet Li came back as the Emperor of the Middle Kingdom in Disney's live-action adaptation of "Mulan."
While many people were excited to see the martial arts legend back on screen, speculations on why he was not seen in movies for four years after his last movie "League of Gods" in 2016, resurfaced.
Many have suggested that the 57-year-old actor took a break from making films after suffering from health-related issues. This is after photos of Li in 2018 went viral where people claimed that he looked frail caused concerns about his health.
During that time, Li's manager brushed off the rumors and affirmed that the actor is completely fine.
In light of the recent release of Mulan, Jet Li's interview with USA Today back in March, where the actor laughed off the speculations about his health once again trended.
Rumors of Frail Health
In the interview, Li stated that he has no health problems and that people only assumed that he was sick due to the fact that he took a break from making movies. He also stated that he is fine with whatever people think or whatever theories they come up with.
Moreover, Li stated that he has kept a low profile in Hollywood since he has made changes in his main priorities in life.
"Life is a movie, too," the actor stated.
It can be recalled that in 2004, Li suffered from a foot-injury after protecting his daughter from tsunami waves that hit the hotel they stayed at in the Maldives. According to Li, having experienced being on the verge of death, he has made a decision to devote his time to charity.
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In 2007, the actor founded One Foundation, which aims to give counseling and help to those who have been victims of natural disasters and also young individuals struggling with mental health issues.
According to the actor, he has decided not to put all his energy into simply making movies but to also give back to society.
Meanwhile, in 2010, Li played the role of a martial arts specialist in the movie "The Expendables." It was also at the same time that he was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, which is also the root of many speculations about his health.
However, the actor emphasized that his health has nothing to do with his hiatus from movies. He noted that he has become picky with movie roles due to the things he prioritizes. He also added that he only agreed to do Mulan because the 1998 original animated film from Disney was loved by his daughters, Yahoo! News reported.
The Emperor
In Mulan, Jet Li plays the role of the emperor who leads the people against the Huns that sought to invade China. However, the role is very different from the usual roles that Li plays since it did not require a lot of action moves.
According to Li, the film's director Niki Caro reminded him during filming that he is not playing Jet Li but a king so he had to keep a straight face and not show any emotions.
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