Jackie Chan electrified the crowd! The iconic 70-year-old actor received a thunderous standing ovation as he made a rare public appearance at the prestigious 2025 Critics' Choice Awards on Friday, February 7th. Introduced to the stage by the veteran host Chelsea Handler, who affectionately dubbed him "a sexual icon" (presumably a light-hearted misquote intended as "action icon"), Chan emerged to present the award for Best Foreign Language Film, greeted by a prolonged standing ovation from his fellow industry professionals.
"Thank you," he exclaimed to the enthusiastic audience, his voice filled with genuine appreciation. "Thank you, wow!" As a fan's cheer rang out from the crowd, Chan playfully quipped, "Quiet, let me remember my lines."
"Tonight, we celebrate the magic of movies," the actor continued, his words resonating with warmth. "They remind us that, despite coming from different corners of the world and walking different paths, we all share the same joy of laughter, the same tears, and the same indulgence in popcorn while watching a film."
After Emilia Pérez was announced as the winner, director Jacques Audiard, at the onset of his acceptance speech, cheekily remarked, "This is a magnificent day indeed. Receiving a prize from Jackie Chan makes me feel like I've died and gone to cinematic heaven."
In November 2023, it was revealed that Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan would be reprising their roles in an upcoming Karate Kid movie, scheduled for theatrical release on May 30th. Macchio, now 62, first portrayed teenage mentee Daniel LaRusso in the original 1984 film, a role later essayed by Jaden Smith in the 2010 reboot that also starred the 70-year-old Chan.
The action-packed trailer for the eagerly anticipated flick, titled Karate Kid: Legends, premiered on December 17th, 2024, introducing newcomers Ben Wang, Joshua Jackson, Sadie Stanley, and Ming-Na Wen to the cast. According to an official synopsis, "Following a devastating family tragedy, kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Wang) is uprooted from his Beijing home and compelled to relocate to New York City with his mother. Struggling to let go of his past while attempting to blend in with his new classmates, Li finds himself你不想战斗，但麻烦似乎无处不在。"
"When a new friend seeks his help, Li enters a karate competition, but his skills alone prove insufficient," the synopsis continues. "Li's kung fu mentor Mr. Han (Chan) enlists the original Karate Kid, Daniel LaRusso (Macchio), for assistance, and Li learns a new form of combat, merging their two styles into one for the ultimate martial arts showdown."
Prior to the event's opening ceremony, Chan took to the streets of Paris in his inimitable style to carry the iconic flame of the awards show. Dressed in a white tracksuit and his signature black eyeglasses, the stuntman and martial arts master waved enthusiastically to the crowds lining both sides of the historic streets, his presence electric with excitement.
Catch PEOPLE's comprehensive coverage of the 30th annual Critics' Choice Awards, broadcasting live on E! from Barker Hangar in Santa Monica. The show will also be available for streaming the following day on Peacock.
