The internet went into a frenzy after several posts on Facebook claimed veteran actor Jackie Chan had passed away, with some even mentioning that his family confirmed the news.
However, the 71-year-old actor is alive and has fallen prey to yet another death hoax on social media.
“Sad news: Jackie Chan, 71, passes away after battle with complications from decades of on-set injuries – family confirms heartbreaking loss amid tributes from Hollywood legends,” read a post on Facebook on 4 November.
“30 minutes ago, Jackie Chan’s daughter heartbrokenly confirmed the sad news that he had died,” another page shared a week later.
Facebook was rife with rumours about Chan’s death, with several users and pages even sharing obituaries. “Today, the most beloved person in the world cinema, all of our hearts, has passed away, especially our generation, a worthy actor, a great Kung Fu player, the man with a funny laugh, Jackie Chan, has passed away,” one of them wrote on Tuesday.
However, fans of the veteran actor, who were disturbed and quite confused by the absence of any reliable source, took to X for confirmation.
“Why is facebook tryna kill off Jackie Chan?” asked a fan on X. To which, another X user replied, “Okayyyyy I came here for confirmation.”
“Facebook’s latest fake news: Jackie Chan has passed. He hasn’t,” came another post on X.
This is not the first time Chan has been the subject of death hoaxes. Back in 2015, he spoke about a similar rumour, saying, “I was shocked by two news reports when I got off the plane. First of all, don’t worry! I’m still alive. Second, don’t believe the scam on Weibo using my name about the Red Pockets.”