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Jack Ma, the CEO of Alibaba, will star in the movie “Gongshoudao.” He is appearing alongside stars like Jet Li and Donnie Yen. Ma is famous for stunts like this, including singing on stage at a music festival, and breaking into a Michael Jackson-inspired dance routine.
Eccentric Chinese billionaire Jack Ma is starring in a kung fu movie alongside martial arts masters like Jet Li.
Ma, the CEO of Chinese e-commerce powerhouse Alibaba, has secured a starring role in the short film “Gongshoudao,” which translates to “The Art of Attack and Defence.”
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As well as Li, Ma will appear in the film with other famous martial artists, including Donnie Yen, who starred in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.”
Li is producing the movie, and none of the actors in “Gongshoudao” took a paycheck for their roles in the movie, Alibaba said in a Friday blog post.
In the film, Ma will practise tai chi, a traditional Chinese martial art that involves deep breathing and slow, fluid movements. He has been studying the art since 1988, Alibaba said.
In a statement to Business Insider, an Alibaba spokeswoman said: “As a passionate Tai-chi practitioner, Jack took part in the movie to promote this traditional Chinese martial art as well as the positive philosophy it embodies.
“He believes the spiritual and physical benefits of tai chi should be shared across the world and used to promote exercise and wellness and cultural exchanges among people of different cultures.”
On Saturday, Ma posted the movie’s promotional poster on popular microblogging platform, with the caption: “That night… That dream!”
Jet Li also tweeted an image of Ma with co-star Tony Jaa.
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“Gongshoudao” is scheduled to come out on November 11, also known as Singles’ Day in China, and will be available on Chinese video platform Youku.
Over the past few years, Singles’ Day has also been a huge online shopping event, on a par with Black Friday or Cyber Monday in the United States.
Alibaba said it made 120.7 billion yuan (£13.8 billion/$18.2 billion) from sales on that day alone last year.
Ma – the second richest man in China with a net worth of $28.3 billion (£21.5 billion), according to Forbes – is no stranger to the limelight.
He’s danced to Michael Jackson music and sung at a music festival in front of crowds of thousands, cementing his position as one of China’s most memorable corporate leaders.
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