Jackie Chan surprised the public by revealing that he has recorded a song that will only be released after his death, which he described as his “final message to the world.”
The confession took place on December 28 during the Beijing premiere of his new drama film Unexpected Family, according to the China.org.cn portal.
Visibly emotional as he addressed the audience, the 71-year-old actor explained that the loss of close friends and loved ones in recent years has profoundly changed his way of seeing life.
These experiences, he said, prompted him to express himself more honestly and fully live in the present, without postponing important words or decisions.
“I feel like everything I want to say, I should say now; everything I want to do, I should do right away,” he said.
In this process of personal reflection, the artist decided to pour his final thoughts into a song that has already been recorded, but remains unreleased at the request of his family and his representation team.As he explained, the issue should only be made public on the day of his death.
During the event, some spectators asked him to perform a fragment of the song, a request that Jackie Chan humorously rejected, stating that it would cause tears among those present.
In that same tone, he recalled how in his youth he fantasized about dying young performing dangerous stunts to achieve legendary status in the cinema. Today, however, he acknowledged that he no longer shares that obsession and values time and life differently.
Unexpected Family represents a significant turn in the career of the actor, known worldwide for his action and physical comedy roles.
In the film, Chan plays an old man who suffers from Alzheimer’s and who mistakes his tenant for his son, forming an unconventional home with several strangers.The famous man noted that this role reflects his desire to be recognized as a complete performer, beyond kung fu.
“I want to show the world that I am an actor who knows kung fu, not just an action star,” he said.
In that context, he also shared a professional regret: his interest, in the past, in participating in the classic Farewell My Concubine (1993), by ChenKaige.
According to him, his company rejected the idea due to the strict limitations then imposed on his public image, restrictions that no longer exist today.
Jackie Chan also spoke about aging, which he defined as a privilege.To illustrate, he mentioned a recent news video in which a boy in Gaza claimed that children there cannot grow up.“We old people are really lucky and happy,” he reflected.
According to China.org.cn, the actor was drawn to Unexpected Family because the story was inspired by director Li Taiyan’s grandmother, which reminded him of his own mother.
As part of his preparation, the Hollywood star spent time observing patients in a hospital to better understand the disease.Additionally, the celebrity expressed her hope that the film will help raise awareness about Alzheimer’s and encourage greater empathy toward those who suffer from it.
As for his next projects, Jackie Chan confirmed his participation in the kung fu comedy Panda Plan 2, scheduled for the Spring Festival, and in a sequel to the action film The Shadow’s Edge, whose production will begin at the end of 2026.
The actor concluded by thanking his followers for their constant support and assured that, as long as he has the ability to act, he hopes to continue making at least one film per year, exploring different film genres.
