Absolute joy beamed from Jaden Smith’s face when he was reunited unexpectedly with his mentor and friend, Jackie Chan. It all went down when Jackie Chan was unannounced at a Smith family gathering.
When Jackie Chan unexpectedly came to support Jaden Smith pic.twitter.com/Km9kRHX8hw
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Early in 2010, a young Jaden Smith, son of Hollywood luminaries Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, made the move that would change his life forever. Starring in the movie “The Karate Kid” with Jackie Chan, Jaden gave a brilliant performance besides undergoing a tremendous personal transformation. Trained under the eye of Jackie Chan and his professional stuntmen, Jaden learned intensely, pushed himself beyond his limits, and reached goals never before thought possible for him. One of them was Jaden triumphing in his ability to do the splits, which spoke volumes to how hard he’d worked and to Chan’s patient guidance.
Fast forward to now, and Jaden’s reaction to seeing Jackie Chan at the family gathering was just emotional. As the eyes met, a broad smile flashed on Jaden’s lips, and he embraced his old friend Jackie. The reunion was orchestrated by Will Smith, who recently threw in a sweet Instagram message to mark Jackie Chan’s 70th birthday. In an Instagram post he had, Will expressed his most profound gratefulness towards Jackie for “the infinite impact” on his family, at the same time continuing to give special mention to the significant part he played during filming “The Karate Kid” in bringing up Jaden and bringing him to great heights.
The visit brought back to them many pleasant memories from the shooting. Will Smith told how Jackie’s influence exceeded what had been performed in the movie because the man was sage and kind and how it impacted the boy’s character.
“Jackie was more than a co-star; he was a mentor and friend who guided Jaden in becoming the man he is today,”
responded Will in a brief interview.
“We will always be indebted to him for his contribution to our lives.”
As Jaden thinks about those transforming months in China, he will remember all too well the rigors of the sessions and the bond that formed between him and Jackie.
“The day I finally got to do the splits, that was the biggest, craziest moment for me,”
Jaden relayed, his voice filled with nostalgia. Jackie and his team were supportive, pushing me to believe in myself. Those lessons have stayed with me ever since. The admiration and respect the Smith family had for Jackie Chan tells of the power of mentorship and a lasting bond born from shared experiences. Jackie Chan is at the gathering was not just for his 70th birthday but also a show of friendship that lasts and mutual respect coming from the Smiths.
