From heartthrob to “uncle next door”: '90s Taiwanese actor Ma Jingtao even looks like… Elon Musk?  

Taiwanese star Ma Jingtao (also known as Steve Ma) was one of Taiwan’s most handsome and popular actors in the ‘90s.

Known for his roles in wuxia dramas like 1994’s The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, the former heartthrob also became a household name in Singapore after starring in Mediacorp dramas Legend of the Eight Immortals (1998) and The Legendary Swordsman (2000). 

He stayed largely out of the spotlight in the noughties, until 2020, he was spotted performing at a wedding in a Chinese village. Rumour has it that he began performing at weddings and events after acting jobs dried up.

Recently, a netizen spotted the star at a wedding in Switzerland and a shared pic of him online.

Dressed in a black suit, Jingtao was seen posing with wedding guests.

According to the netizen, the 61-year-old was there as a guest of the newlyweds.

"My mum attended her friend’s son’s wedding and one of the guests was …Ma Jingtao. If mum hadn’t pointed him out, I wouldn’t have been able to recognise him. You can see signs of ageing, but he is still in good spirits,” wrote the netizen.

The pic drew a range of reactions from netizens.

While some remarked that seeing the actor brought back childhood memories, many were surprised by how different he looked.

There were comments about his “swollen face” and “receding hairline” (ouch) and how the heartthrob of yesteryear now looks more like your approachable “uncle next door” (not so bad?).

One netizen said he looks a little like Elon Musk.

Now, we cannot unsee it.

Photos: Weibo

Catch Ma Jingtao in Legend of the Eight Immortals on meWATCH below: