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HONG KONG: Martial arts action hero Jet Li recently revealed that achieving fame early in life led him to lose himself, resulting in an unwillingness to visit crowded places or interact with people.
In a recent report by AsiaOne, Li, 62, stated, “I think I may be a bit of a recluse.”
Li, who made his show business debut in 1982 and became a Singaporean citizen in 2009, added that after gaining popularity, he was frequently approached by fans for autographs.
“I realised I had lost myself. I couldn’t even eat a meal outside because everyone would crowd around me to have a chat. If I didn’t smile, they would say I wasn’t courteous.”
Li further explained, “I realised that I couldn’t satisfy everyone. When I saw others unhappy, I felt a sense of fear and worry. I became unwilling to interact with others, attend gatherings, or go to crowded places.”
He once felt he should have been an athlete rather than an actor, as he would only have had to focus on his performance.
“Because of this, I wasn’t willing to do media interviews or go to crowded places, other than for filming,” Li said.
He also shared that to overcome his reclusive tendencies, he turned to charity work.
One Foundation is a charity Li founded in 2007, which focuses on disaster relief, children’s welfare, and funding grassroots charities.
“Doing charity work isn’t about me wanting to gain something from it. I was thinking about what I should do for society, so I had to go and communicate with people and encourage them to donate.
“Sometimes I think, when I’m helping others, I’m also helping myself to become someone who is more open to communicating with others,” he said.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
