Martial arts icon Jackie Chan has opened up about his strained relationship with his son, Jaycee Chan, attributing their rift to his overly strict parenting.
While promoting his latest Chinese film Unexpected Family, the 71-year-old actor said a father-son reconciliation scene in the movie made him reflect deeply on his real-life bond with Jaycee, 43.
Jackie admitted that his long-held belief that “a strict father raises a filial son” was a mistake that only instilled fear. “In the past, whenever I saw my son, I scolded him. Whenever I went on television, I criticised him – there was never a kind word,” he said.
He acknowledged that this harsh approach led to a breakdown in communication, noting that Jaycee’s annual birthday calls eventually stopped after Jackie told him to “call at other times” instead.
“Education shouldn’t be like this. I should have given him more freedom,” Jackie said. He added that with age, he has softened his approach and no longer imposes expectations on his son, hoping for Jaycee to live a safe and happy life.
Jaycee, the only child of Jackie and Taiwanese former actress Lin Fengjiao, followed in his parents’ footsteps in showbiz. However, his career suffered a setback after serving a six-month prison sentence in Beijing in 2015 for drug offences. He has since appeared in only a handful of films, including Railroad Tigers (2016) and Good Night Beijing (2021), the latter of which he directed.
