Recently, actor and martial arts artist Jet Li was seen looking a lot different than fans are used to seeing him. A fan shared a photo posing with the star on a recent visit to Tibet, in which he appeared frail and about 20 years older than he actually is.
Back in 2013, the actor revealed he was suffering from a heart condition as well as hyperthyroidism, which has contributed to his weight loss and fatigue. The image went viral and naturally, people were concerned about the condition and the toll it was taking on the actor, but Li's manager Steve Chasman has finally spoken up and claims the flick was just a bad photo of the star. "He has hyperthyroidism that he’s been dealing with for almost 10 years," he said to The Washington Post. "It’s nothing life-threatening and he’s dealing with it. He’s all well and good." He went on to call the frenzy over the photo "sensationalism."
It's reported that in addition to the hyperthyroidism and heart condition, Li has also sustained several injuries to his spine and legs after years of action films, making it difficult for him to stand up for long periods of time. Li himself has still not commented on the photo.
Since his last appearance in The Expendables 3 in 2014, Li stepped out of the Hollywood spotlight to focus on philanthropy after his doctor reportedly warned him of the adverse effects of making more action films. The actor is, however, in talks to play the Emperor of China in a live-action take on the classic, Mulan.
