Taiwan heartthrob Jerry Yan has responded for the first time to recent rumors that he was born out of wedlock, Channel NewsAsia reports.

"I don't really know [if the rumors are true], and I don't want to know," the "Meteor Garden" actor told reporters while attending a charity event on Sunday.

Yan called his mother his role model. "My mother worked very hard to bring me up... I will support her no matter what."

The 33-year-old recounted his poverty-dominated childhood, and admitted he was once approached to be a gigolo when he was still in high school.

"If I really became a gigolo, my mother would kill me," Yan quipped.

Yan gained instant fame after starring in the 2001 TV drama "Meteor Garden", which was extremely popular throughout Asia. He is also a model and singer.