Jaden Smith and martial arts icon Jackie Chan have shared a heartwarming reunion, 16 years after their memorable collaboration in the 2010 remake of The Karate Kid.
Okay News reports that the reunion was made public via an Instagram post by Smith, who shared a photo of the duo to celebrate Chan’s 72nd birthday. In an emotional tribute, Smith credited the veteran actor with significantly impacting his life and career.
“I love you, you changed my life and taught me things I will never forget. I could never be who I am today without you,” Smith wrote, describing Chan as a “legend, an icon, and a leader.”
The pair famously starred as Dre Parker and Mr. Han in the 2010 film, which moved the classic story to Beijing and followed a young American boy learning kung fu to overcome bullying. The movie was a massive commercial hit, earning over $350 million at the global box office.
While Jaden Smith has largely focused on music and entrepreneurship since his early acting days, Jackie Chan has remained active in the franchise. Chan recently reprised his role as Mr. Han in the 2025 film Karate Kid: Legends, where he teamed up with the original 1984 Karate Kid lead, Ralph Macchio, to mentor a new generation of fighters.
