Will Smith wishes martial arts legend Jackie Chan a very happy 70th birthday and shares throwback snaps from the set of The Karate Kid with his son Jaden

By William On Apr 7, 2024

Will Smith helped martial arts legend Jackie Chan celebrate his 70th birthday by sharing some throwback photos from The Karate Kid remake.

Smith, 55, served as producer on the 2010 remake, which starred Chan alongside the producer’s son, Jaden, now 25, who was just 12 when the film was released.

The actor/rapper/producer shared a slew of behind-the-scenes photos of himself, his son and Chan from the set.

Smith also sent a heartfelt message to Chan — who joins Ralph Macchio in a new sequel to the Karate Kid franchise — thanking him for helping to “raise” Jaden on set.

“Happy 70th (wow) birthday to my husband @jackiechan!!” Smith started off with the action icon in his heartfelt post.

Will Smith helped martial arts legend Jackie Chan celebrate his 70th birthday by sharing some throwback photos from The Karate Kid remake

Smith, 55, served as producer on the 2010 remake, which starred Chan alongside the producer’s son, Jaden, now 25, who was just 12 when the film was released.

The actor/rapper/producer shared a slew of behind-the-scenes photos of himself, his son and Chan from the set

“In addition to making some of my FAVORITE movies of all time and creating some of the CRAZIEST moments ever captured on film, I especially thank you for helping me raise Jaden,” Smith added.

“Our time with you in Beijing during the Karate Kid has had an everlasting impact on our entire family,” Smith continued.

“We wish you the deepest Love and Revelation on your next journey around the sun,” he concluded with a sun emoji.

Smith shared a photo of him and Chan hugging young Jaden on set, plus a photo of Jackie lifting Jaden above his head.

He also shared a behind-the-scenes look at the film in which Jaden performs an impressive high kick.

Another photo shows Smith talking to his son as Chan watches during production.

The final photo showed Chan hugging Jaden on set, both with big smiles on their faces during production.

Chan also shared several throwback photos on his Instagram, saying, “Even before today, many friends have reminded me, “Jackie, it’s going to be your 70th birthday!”

“In addition to making some of my FAVORITE movies of all time, and creating some of the CRAZIEST moments ever captured on film – I especially thank you for helping me raise Jaden,” Smith added.

“Our time with you in Beijing during the Karate Kid has had an everlasting impact on our entire family,” Smith continued

He also shared a behind-the-scenes look at the film in which Jaden performs an impressive high kick

Chan also shared several throwback photos on his Instagram, saying, “Even before today, many friends have reminded me, “Jackie, it’s going to be your 70th birthday!”

‘Recently my staff went through my photo archive and found so many memorable photos. I have selected a few to include with this post. Looking at these photos brings back so many wonderful memories. All I can say is, I love making movies and I love you all,” he continued

‘Every time I hear this song my heart stops for a moment – am I already 70 years old? After I recover from the shock, the second thing I think of is a saying my big brother, Sammo Hung, once said: “Being a parent is a happy thing.” Especially for us as stunt people, we don’t know how lucky we are to be able to grow old,” he said.

‘Not long ago, many friends saw recent photos of me on the Internet and they were all concerned about my health. I would like to take this opportunity to let everyone know: don’t worry! It’s just a character appearance for my latest movie. The character requires me to have white hair and a white beard and to look old. Over the years, I’ve always been willing to try new things for a film, whether it’s a challenging stunt or a breakthrough for a character. “I have been in the entertainment business for 62 years and I cherish every moment because I am lucky enough to still be filming today,” he added.

Thank you everyone for all the birthday wishes. I hope everyone stays happy and healthy!’ Chan concluded.

The Karate Kid reboot grossed $176.5 million and grossed $359.1 million worldwide on a budget of just $40 million.

There had been talk of a sequel for years after its successful release, but it never came to fruition.

In August, it was announced that Chan will return as Mr. Han alongside Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso

Production is set to begin this spring, with Sony setting a December 13, 2024 release date for the currently untitled project.