Joan Lin: Meet Jackie Chan's Wife

May 2024 · 4 minute read

Joan Lin is a former Taiwanese actress and businesswoman. Although she has an established career, she is most famous as the wife of movie legend Jackie Chan. Jackie Chan is a world-renowned Hong Kong martial artist, actor, producer, stuntman, director, and singer. Millennials or Gen Z, Jackie is a household name that transcends all age groups. 

While many might assume being the wife of Jackie Chan is a bed of roses, it appears to be the opposite. The famous action star is not as committed to his marriage as he is to his movies. Hence, like most marriages, the celebrity couple has had a rocky union.

Here’s everything we know about the former Taiwanese actress.

Who Is Joan Lin Feng-Jiao?

The former Taiwanese actress was born in Taipei, Taiwan, on June 30, 1953. While the identity of her parents remains unknown, Lin was the second of five children. She grew up in Taipei with her parents and siblings.

Lin had a difficult childhood because her family struggled financially. Consequently, she dropped out of school when she was twelve and had to work on a farm to help her family. 

However, the determined young girl refused to let her circumstances hold her back. She started looking for opportunities as she blossomed into a stunning teenager. Despite her difficult childhood, luck shone on her, and she became one of the biggest stars in Taiwan.

When Did Joan Lin Start Her Career?

As she grew, Lin determined to pursue a career in acting. After several auditions, she landed her first acting gig when she was nineteen in the 1972 Kung Fu film, “The Hero of Chiu Chow.” Her stellar performance in the movie propelled her to success, and she got multiple film offers.

It didn’t take long for her to establish herself as a prominent actress. Lin soon became popular in Taiwan’s entertainment industry, appearing in various movies and playing diverse roles. However, her career peaked in 1979 when she played the role of a mute young woman in the romantic drama film, “The Story of a Small Town.”

She won Best Leading Actress for her captivating performance in the movie at the 16th Golden Horse Awards in 1979. Unfortunately, her career was short-lived. Joan Lin retired from acting in the early 1980s after she appeared in over 70 films throughout her 10-year career. 

Joan Lin Movies

Although she had a relatively short career, she has made immense contributions to the Taiwanese entertainment industry after appearing in over 70 films. Some of the movies she appeared in include:

“Chinese Dragon” (1973), “The Two Tigers” (1973), “Chinese Kung Fu” (1973), “Hero of Chiu Chow” (1973), “The Furious Monk from Shaolin” (1974), “The Guy!! The Guy!!” (1974), “First Come First Love” (1974), and “Posterity and Perplexity” (1976). 

When Did Joan Lin Meet Jackie Chan?

According to Jackie Chan’s autobiography, “Never Grow Up,” Lin met the man who would later become her husband during a meeting with the editor of Cineart Magazine, Annie Wong. The Hong Kong-born actor revealed that he instantly liked her from the first meeting, and he got to know more about her through their mutual friend, Charlie Chin. 

Afterward, they agreed to meet up for dinner. While Lin attended the dinner with her little sister, Jackie showed up with his entire stunt team. Following their dinner date, they started seeing each other more often, and ultimately, the lovebirds started dating.

However, their relationship was not free of problems. In the early years, Jackie had a reputation for dating multiple women, but this did not faze the stunning actress. The two tied the knot a year after they met in 1982.

Although they have been together since then, they have had their fair share of scandals. Jackie had an extra-marital affair with Elaine Ng Yi-Lei. He also has a daughter, Etta Ng Chok Lam by her, born on January 18, 1999. 

Joan Lin’s Children

The former actress became pregnant in 1981. However, Lin and Jackie kept the news private. To keep it from the media, she traveled to the United States for the period of her pregnancy.

While Lin was alone in a foreign land, Jackie was busy filming and couldn’t be beside her. Joan Lin welcomed her son, Jaycee Chan, a day after she and her famous husband tied the knot in 1982. 

Like Jeremy Ayala Gonzalez, Jaycee followed in his parent’s footsteps and pursued an entertainment career. He is an actor and a singer. However, he is most famous as Jackie Chan’s son. 

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