Legendary film star Jackie Chan says seven-time snooker world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan is his ‘hero’.
Speaking to talkSPORT at the Karate Kid: Legends UK Premiere, Chan revealed his love for snooker.
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He said: “I’m a big fan of snooker. My hero is O’Sullivan.
“I gave him a surprise in Beijing Guangjo. I was filming there and I knew he was on the stage. I rushed… I took flowers.”
Last year O’Sullivan described Chan as a ‘lovely guy’ after the actor helped to promote the snooker player’s trip to Macau for an exhibition event.
They even played together for a bit before O’Sullivan got down to work.
“We have spoken a few times on the phone, and we have mutual friends,” O’Sullivan told reporters about meeting Chan.
“This was the first time we had met. He’s a lovely guy.”
Chan also played a few frames with 1997 world champion Ken Doherty in Hong Kong.
“I was invited to have dinner with him at a charity night, then we went to sing karaoke together, then played snooker and I showed him some trick shots,” said Doherty.
“He is great company, just the way you see him on screen. And he loves a sing-along, just like the Irish.”
The Rush Hour and Police Story star, worth a reported $400m, would be sad to hear the speculation around O’Sullivan’s retirement.
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After losing a Crucible semi-final tie to the eventual champion Zhao Xintong – the first Chinese world champion – the Englishman revealed his future is uncertain.
“I’m going to start a new life somewhere else,” he said. “I’ll still try to play snooker but I don’t know what the future looks like for me really.
“Am I not playing again? I’m not saying anything. I’ve said it so many times.
“I’m not saying anything other than I’m moving away soon. There’s a lot more important things in life to worry about than a game of snooker.
“For me, it’s a big part of my life, but I’ve got to try and figure out what my future looks like, whether it’s playing or not.”
Prior to the Crucible O’Sullivan was absent from many competitions down to health and questioned his skills upon his return to the table.
