Actor Jackie Chan is alive, despite a false claim of his death that spread on social media.
A black-and-white photo of the 72-year-old star has been shared across social media. It carried the years 1954 and 2026, set out like a memorial notice.
IOL reported that the picture was made to look like an obituary. It led fans to ask whether the martial arts star had died.
One post on X used the picture next to a poorly worded tribute to Chan. IOL reported that the post drew millions of views. That pushed the claim far beyond the account that first shared it.
The picture gave no credible proof that Chan had died, IOL reported. International media outlets published reports on 29 September confirming that the claim was false.
There is a public record of Chan being active in 2026. On 7 July he visited Pei Chun Public School in Singapore. The event was organised with the Lim Family Foundation.
About 900 students and teachers welcomed him at the school. The programme included wushu, lion dances and dragon dances.
Chan spoke to the students about his childhood and his decades in the entertainment industry. He also told them about the importance of having dreams. Before he left, he sang one of his songs without planning to.
IOL reported that the school visit is a documented record of the star being alive and active. At 72, he is still often seen in public, the report said.
False reports of Chan’s death have followed him for more than a decade. Africa Check documented death rumours about him going back to 2011. Another hoax spread in 2015.
The 2015 rumour spread so far that Chan answered it himself. He told fans he was alive after seeing reports claiming he had died.
In 2025, another false claim that the actor had died spread on Facebook. That claim was also shown to be false.
Chan has worked in the entertainment industry for more than six decades. He is one of the best-known faces in international action films.
His films include Drunken Master, Police Story, Rush Hour, The Karate Kid and Kung Fu Panda. His career has covered both Hong Kong cinema and Hollywood.
Source: this article is based on reporting by IOL Entertainment. Image: IOL Entertainment. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Entertainment desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Rirhandzu Baloyi writes about entertainment for Tzaneen Voice. Rirhandzu covers South African music, film, TV, streaming, awards and celebrity news, from amapiano and local soapies to Showmax and Netflix releases. Stories stick to what happened, who was involved and when fans can watch or listen.