Jet Li appears in public for 1st time in years: ‘I’m not dead yet’

Very much alive: The 60-year-old Chinese-born Singaporean actor jokingly confirmed to the audience at a Nov. 16 press conference for his book “Beyond Life And Death: Jet Li Looking For Jet Li” in Taiwan that he is still alive.

“There are still rumors in China saying that I’ve died. It’s been 10 years,” he said with a laugh.

Addressing the rumors: During the press conference, Li said that he is surprised people still fall for online death hoaxes about him, like the one that circulated in the Philippines claiming he died on May 26, 2018. That same year, a photo in which he was deemed to appear “unrecognizable” also began circulating online, bolstering the rumor that his health was failing.

“Some people wish it’s true. Some say, ‘He’s still not dead yet? After so many reports of his death, he’s still not actually dead,’” the reclusive actor said.

Health hit: Li admitted at the press conference that his health took a heavy hit about a decade ago. He recalled losing a lot of weight due to loss of appetite while filming the 2010 drama “Ocean Heaven,” in which he plays a father with liver cancer.

He was also misdiagnosed with cancer around that time, but it was corrected after doctors found him to have hyperthyroidism instead. Li told the audience that he has been taking medication for the condition since.

“I can still live happily”: Speaking about his diagnosis, Li told the audience that keeping an optimistic outlook has helped him cope with his hyperthyroidism, saying, “These are things that are correlated to each other. I have hyperthyroidism, come! Get it cured! If it cannot be cured, I can still live happily.”

His book: Released on Oct. 19, “Beyond Life And Death: Jet Li Looking For Jet Li” is Li’s first book and talks about his journey looking for the meaning of life.