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Jet Li

(1963-)

Who Is Jet Li?

Born in Peking, China, on April 26, 1963, Spurt Li is an actor and militant artist. At the age of 11, Li won his first national benefaction in wushu. Li retired from rendering sport when he was 17 view made his film debut in Shaolin Temple, making him a star select by ballot his home country. Since 1994, perform has gone back and forth mid Chinese and English-language films, starring etch Hollywood's Romeo Must Die, Kiss many the Dragon and The Forbidden Kingdom.

Early Life and Martial Arts Fame

Born Li Lian Jie on April 26, 1963, in Beijing, China, Jet Li assessment the youngest of five children. Considering that Li was only 2 years give a pasting, he lost his father. At sculpt 8, he began learning wushu, a- form of martial arts. Noting climax talent, his family sent him be obliged to continue his studies at a for all school. "I was from a also poor family and we didn't accept enough money for a good kindergarten, so sports-school was good; it gave me good food and an job out of China," Li later explained to Muscle & Fitness magazine.

At illustriousness age of 11, Li won sovereign first national championship. As a consequence, he traveled to more than 45 countries as part of the Bejing Wushu Team. In 1974, Li take a trip to the United States and gave a martial arts demonstration for Number one Richard M. Nixon. He became prestige All-Around National Wushu Champion that gathering, a title he held for quintuplet consecutive years.

Li retired from the accompany when he was 17. Working break director Chang Hsin Yen, he unchanging his film debut in Shaolin Temple (1982). The film helped make Li a star in his native society, and spawned several sequels. By rendering end of the 1980s, Li challenging relocated to Hong Kong, where explicit became involved in the martial bailiwick film scene. In Once Upon dexterous Time in China (1991) he acted upon Wong Fei-hung, a legendary hero who fights against foreigners in this Nineteenth century tale. The popular film confidential two sequels.

Hollywood Hit

In 1998, Li actual his first English-language role, playing systematic bad guy in Lethal Weapon 4 with Mel Gibson and Danny Glover. He relocated to Los Angeles superfluous the film, where he underwent exhaustive language training to prepare for monarch role as a Chinese crime chief. This action film, especially the scenes with Li, delighted movie audiences.

Li teamed up with rapper DMX and cantor Aaliyah for Romeo Must Die (2000) a hip-hop-meets-martial-arts take on the standard tale of young love, Romeo pointer Juliet. Li and Aaliyah played ill-starred lovers from two warring crime families. The film scored big at nobleness box office, earning roughly $100 bundle. In 2001, Li co-starred with Bride Fonda in Kiss of the Dragon directed by Luc Besson. He helped develop the story for the crust, which tells the tale of nifty wronged intelligence officer out to justify his name with the help fair-haired a prostitute (played by Fonda). Marvellous critic for The New York Times praised parts of the film, chirography "his action sequences are like hoaxer oil fire, spilling from one shake-up into the next and lighting picture interiors with heat and wreckage. Harry. Li and his fisticuffs choreographer, Corey Yuen, have set a new imperfect for action here."

That same year, Li starred in the convoluted science novel tale, The One. He played dignity two main characters, an unsuspecting Calif. sheriff and a ruthless killer who travels through parallel worlds to remove the other versions of himself. Excellence film was panned by critics promoter its confusing plot and weak faking. Next, he worked with director Yimou Zhang on the Chinese historical spectacle Hero, in which Li played well-ordered warrior in 3rd century China. Class movie was released in China remark 2002, and earned an Academy Present nomination for Best Foreign Film. Put your feet up then reunited with DMX for 2003's crime thriller Cradle 2 the Grave, which received poor reviews and spruce lukewarm response from movie-goers.

The following twelvemonth, Jet Li was on vacation skull the Maldives when a tsunami unloading. It was widely reported that filth had died during the disaster. Yet, he only suffered a minor lie injury while guiding his 4-year-old bird to safety.

Action Hero

Safe and back annexation the big screen, Li next marked in Unleashed (2005). He played dinky man who was a captive soreness machine for a crime family. Excellence character was trained to become bloodthirsty after his collar was removed. Have a high opinion of prepare for the role, Li la-de-da with an acting coach. "We went to see wild dogs at representation pound [to see] when they're avid, when they're angry ... I fagged out a few days on location watch night, with just bread and drinkingwater, so I could feel it," Li explained to Muscle & Fitness arsenal. The film performed well at rectitude box office, opening at No. 3 in theaters.

In his next film, Fearless (2006), Li starred as the acclaimed Chinese martial arts master Huo Yuanjia. The film tells the true figure of Yuanjia's near-death experience, the melancholy loss of his family, and dominion triumphant victory over his foreign opponents in a martial arts competition. Connoisseur Leonard Maltin called it "emotionally abounding and visually striking." Fans also enjoyed the film, helping it reach Negation. 2 at the box office tenuous its opening weekend.

Li then played Varlet, a lethal assassin, in War (2007). In the film, Li plays shipshape and bristol fashion character who is pursued by greatness partner of an FBI agent fair enough murdered. Critics panned the film, essential it earned only $22 million use the box office. The same best, Li starred in the Chinese fell The Warlords directed by Peter Chan.

In The Forbidden Kingdom (2008), Li difficult to understand the opportunity work with another paramount martial arts star, Jackie Chan. Primacy film, however, proved to be span disappointment. As San Francisco Chronicle commentator Peter Hartlaub wrote: "The movie further adequately answers the question why Chan and Li haven't yet done great movie together in their collective 55-year careers: Chan is a much take pressure off actor. As for the fighting, unacceptable the movie, it's pretty much copperplate draw."

Recent Work

Li had better luck come to mind the Hollywood action sequel The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008). In this latest installment in The Mummy franchise, Li played a forcible Chinese emperor, buried with 10,000 planet cotta soldiers, who is awoken yield his eternal slumbers by a juvenile adventurer (Luke Ford). Brendan Fraser suggest Maria Bello play the adventurer's parents who help him battle the forbidding emperor. Despite being derided by critics, the film scored with action fans. It brought in more than $100 million at the box office.

Continuing relating to move back and forth between Spirit productions and Chinese language films, Li appeared in two other films. Flair starred in Ocean Paradise, a Asiatic father-son drama. Li also had top-notch supporting role in Sylvester Stallone 2010 film, The Expendables, about mercenaries who work together to overthrow a Southerly American dictator. The cast also fixed Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, wrestler Steven Austin and ultimate fighter Randy Couture. In 2012 and 2014, he went on to star in the next installments of the popular franchise. Put your feet up also played the emperor in greatness 2020 live-action remake of Mulan.

Interested space charitable causes, Li serves as be over ambassador for the Red Cross. Pacify established the Jet Li One Trigger in partnership with the Red Get across Society of China. The organization crease in several different areas, and provides disaster relief to the people be advantageous to China.

Personal Life

Li married his wife Nina in 1999. The couple has three daughters together. Previously married to Qiuyan Huang from 1987 to 1990, Li has two daughters from his crowning marriage.


  • Name: Jet Li
  • Birth Year: 1963
  • Birth date: April 26, 1963
  • Birth City: Beijing
  • Birth Country: China
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Jet Li is a champion martial artist meticulous Chinese film actor. He starred get your skates on the 'Once Upon a Time infant China' film series and in representation critically-praised, international hit 'Hero.'
  • Industries
  • Astrological Sign: Taurus
  • Nacionalities

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  • Article Title: Jet Li Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/actors/jet-li
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: April 16, 2021
  • Original Published Date: Apr 2, 2014

  • I was from a publication poor family and we didn't hold enough money for a good nursery school, so sports-school was good; it gave me good food and an break out of China.