Jackie Chan has once again been declared dead on social media, despite the martial arts star being very much alive.
A black-and-white photograph of the 72-year-old actor carrying the dates “1954–2026” has been circulating across social media, prompting fans to question whether one of cinema’s best-known action stars had died.
The posts are false.
Chan was publicly active earlier this year, including a July visit to Pei Chun Public School in Singapore, where he met about 900 students and teachers, performed songs and spoke about his career.
How the Jackie Chan death hoax started
The latest rumour appears to have been fuelled by a memorial-style image designed to resemble an obituary.
One widely shared post on X used the image alongside a poorly worded tribute to Chan.
The post quickly attracted millions of views, helping the claim spread far beyond the account that originally shared it.
The image itself offered no credible evidence that Chan had died.
The latest hoax has now been picked up by international media outlets, with reports published on September 29 confirming that the claim is false.
Jackie Chan was seen in Singapore in July
There is also a very recent public record of Chan being active.
On July 7, the actor visited Pei Chun Public School in Singapore at an event organised with the Lim Family Foundation.
He was welcomed by around 900 students and teachers and took part in a programme featuring wushu, lion and dragon dances.
Chan also spoke to students about his childhood, his decades in the entertainment industry and the importance of having dreams. Before leaving, he spontaneously performed one of his songs.
His appearance provides a recent, documented record of the star being alive and active.
This is not Jackie Chan’s first death hoax
Chan has been the target of false death reports for more than a decade.
Africa Check previously documented death rumours dating back to 2011, with another major hoax circulating in 2015.
In 2025, another false claim that the actor had died spread on Facebook and was again debunked.
The 2015 rumour became so widespread that Chan addressed it himself, reassuring fans that he was alive after seeing reports claiming he had died.
Jackie Chan’s career is still going
Chan has spent more than six decades in the entertainment industry, becoming one of the most recognisable faces in international action cinema.
From “Drunken Master” and “Police Story” to “Rush Hour”, “The Karate Kid” and “Kung Fu Panda”, he has built a career spanning Hong Kong cinema and Hollywood.
At 72, Chan remains a familiar presence in the public eye.
His July appearance in Singapore is the latest reminder that the latest social media reports of his death are simply another hoax.
