Joan Lin is a well-known ex-Taiwanese actress and businesswoman. She isn’t very widely recognized for her own success, but more for her previous marriage to movie icon, Jackie Chan.
Joan Lin Quick Facts
Full name: Joan Lin Feng-jiao
Date of birth: June 30, 1953
Place of birth: Taipei
Age: 70 years (as of 2023)
Nationality: Taiwan
Height: 1.65 meters
Profession: Actress (retired)
Spouse: Chan Kong-sang (Jackie Chan)
Early Life
Joan Lin, born as Joan Lin Feng-jiao, is 77 years old as of 2023. On June 30, 1953, she was welcomed into the world in the Taipei province of Taiwan. She was the second born in a family of five siblings. Despite her success in acting, Joan Lin did not always come from wealth.
When Joan was born, Taiwan was a destitute state. She was born into a financially unstable family, and her family had very few luxuries. Her parents couldn’t even afford to keep her in school, and Joan had to leave at the age of 12. Her luck changed when she got a job in an acting role at 19, which would prove to be a transformative experience.
Career
At the age of 19, Joan Lin starred in her debut movie, The Hero of Chiu. During the 1970s, she built a substantial reputation in the Chinese and Taiwanese movie industry. She worked alongside Chin Han, Charlie Chin, and Brigitte Lin, who were also leading figures in the industry. She would go on to appear in 70 movies throughout her career.
Joan Lin’s filmography contains many cinematic interpretations of stories that had not previously been adapted, including books by Chiung Yao. During the 1970s, she was extremely successful, with multiple box office hits. She has received two nominations for the illustrious Golden Horse Awards, Taiwan’s most prestigious film accolade.
In 1978 and 1979, Joan Lin was nominated for Best Leading Actor for the movies He Never Gives Up and A Small Town Story, respectively. Unfortunately, she was defeated by Tien Niu for Di-Di’s Dairy in the first nomination.
However, her persistence paid off the following year as she won the nomination. Unfortunately, the same year marked the end of her career in 1982.
Joan Lin & Jackie Chan
Lin and Jackie Chan became a couple two years after his receipt of the GoldenCheval Award. Following their marriage in 1981, they relocated to Los Angeles for Chan to pursue his thriving acting career in Hollywood. While Chan was still an up-and-coming actor at the time of their meeting, Lin was already a well-known star in Taiwan.
Jackie Chan and Joan Lin welcomed their son, Jaycee Chan, a day after their nuptials. It was reported in a 2015 interview with Jackie Chan that the marriage was arranged due to Joan’s pregnancy. Nevertheless, over the years, the couple developed a deep affection for one another. Despite the hardships, the two have remained united.
Throughout their 37-year union, Chan has been suspected of being unfaithful to Lin multiple times, culminating in the revelation of a daughter he fathered with Hong Kong actress Elaine Ng. Nonetheless, they managed to get through their issues and are now content with each other. Their son, Jaycee Chan, is a performer and musician, just like his dad.
Joan Lin’s Net Worth
It has been said that Lin’s wealth is valued at an impressive $5 million. This is partly due to her marriage to a wealthy and popular Asian celebrity, Jackie Chan, but also because she is an entrepreneur, performer, and investor. Her lifestyle is truly luxurious.
The Today newspaper reported:
“It’s said that [Joan Lin] Fengjiao shops at the place twice a year, and each time, she spends NT$500,000 (S$24,000) on underwear and pays for it with a black card. This means she racks up a NT$1mil (S$49,000) bill there annually, which has unsurprisingly made her into the store’s VIP.”
