China-born superstar Jet Li warmed the hearts of fans on Fathers Day when he shared a video montage featuring photos of himself with all four of his daughters.
Over the years, Li has actively shared updates about his younger daughters – Jane, 26, and Jada, 24 – whom he shares with his second wife, retired Hong Kong actress Nina Li Chi.
However, the 63-year-old has rarely spoken publicly about his eldest daughters – Si, 38, and Taimi, 36 – from his previous marriage to former actress Huang Qiuyan, leading to speculation that he favoured his younger children.
Addressing the matter in a recent interview with Jada, Li admitted that his younger and elder daughters had vastly different childhood experiences.
The action star also dismissed rumours that Nina, 64, was a harsh stepmother, revealing that she was the one who volunteered to care for his two daughters from his first marriage.
"She said, 'I will take care of the two daughters. I will pay for their education and handle everything'," he recalled.
Li added that, aside from setting aside a substantial sum of money for Si and Taimi, Nina also bought them two homes – one in China and another in the United States.
"When they started working and earning money, (Nina) told them not to repay us. She told them to take good care of themselves and give money to their biological mother," he said.
Li also made it clear that his four daughters are much closer than many people realise, revealing that the family makes it a point to meet up each year.
Explaining why he had remained silent about the favouritism allegations for so long, the actor said his eldest daughters value their privacy and have no desire to be in the public spotlight.
He added that both Si and Taimi had planned on defending him publicly on several occasions, but he discouraged them from getting involved.
