Li Lianjie, better known as Jet Li, was born on April 26, 1963, in Beijing, China. He was the youngest of four siblings, two boys and two girls. His father died when he was two years old, and the family suffered and lived in poverty as a result. His potential for Wushu was discovered while attending a summer session at school when he was eight years old. He later joined the Beijing Wushu Team, where he learned from famous teachers Li Junfeng and Wu Bin. Wu Bin would even buy meals for Li’s family because they couldn’t afford to buy meat.
He competed in the Chinese Wushu Championships as an adult when he was not even a teenager, winning fifteen gold medals and one silver medal. Li has mastered numerous Wushu techniques, with a focus on Chángquán (Northern Longfist Style) and Fnziquán (Tumbling Fist). Baguazhang (Eight Trigram Palm), Taijiquan (Supreme Ultimate Fist), Xing Yi Quan (Shape Intent Fist), Zui Quan (Drunken Fist), Ying Zhao Quan (Eagle Claw Fist), and Tanglangquan (Praying Mantis Fist) are among the other techniques and styles he has studied.
Personal Life
In 1987, Li married fellow Beijing Wushu Team member and “Kids from Shaolin” co-star Huang Qiuyan, whom he divorced in 1990. They have two kids, Si and Taimi, from their marriage. In 1999, he married actress Nina Li Chi, with whom he had two children, Jane and Jada. He had Chinese citizenship until 2003, and then he had US citizenship, which he obtained after years of living and working in the US. He did, however, abandon his US citizenship when he became a Singaporean citizen in 2009. According to reports, he selected Singaporean citizenship for his two younger kids because of the country’s school system.
Since January 2006, Li has acted as a “philanthropic ambassador” for the Red Cross Society of China. The International Red Cross then chose him as their first Good Will Ambassador in September 2010. Furthermore, following a horrific encounter in the Maldives during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, he established his own non-profit organisation named The One Foundation. In collaboration with the Red Cross, this organisation assists worldwide disaster relief operations and has assisted with recovery work in catastrophes such as the 2008 Sichuan earthquake and Typhoon Morakot in Taiwan in 2009. It is significant for being the first Chinese non-governmental organisation (NGO) that is not associated with the Chinese government or other government-sponsored organisations or agencies.
Career
Li established a career as a martial arts film star in China, thanks in large part to his martial arts accomplishments. In 1982, he made his cinematic debut in the Hong Kong-Chinese film “Shaolin Temple.” Prior to this film, all martial arts films were produced in Hong Kong, making this the first of its sort to be produced in mainland China. “Shaolin Temple” was a huge hit, grossing over US$85 million after selling an estimated 300 million tickets at the Chinese box office. It also established Li as Hong Kong’s and ultimately Hollywood’s first mainland Chinese star. It also produced sequels, both of which starred Li: “Shaolin Temple 2: Kids from Shaolin” (1984) and “Shaolin Temple 3: Martial Arts of Shaolin” (1986).
Among his other prominent Chinese ventures is the “Once Upon a Time in China” series, which is based on the mythical Chinese folk hero Master Wong Fei Hung. This series consisted of six films and a television programme, all of which were released between 1991 and 1997, albeit Li only appeared in the first three films and the last one. He also appeared in the movie “Fist of Legend” (1994), a remake of Bruce Lee’s 1972 film “Fist of Fury,” and “Fong Sai-yuk” (1993) and “Fong Sai-yuk II” (1993).
Li made his American cinematic debut with “Lethal Weapon 4” in 1998. This was also his first part as a villain in his career; in all of his prior Chinese films, he was the major hero. Li’s performance was warmly appreciated despite the fact that he spoke little English at the time. He agreed to shoot “Lethal Weapon 4” because producer Joel Silver offered him the lead part in his next project. This is how Li appeared with the late singer Aaliyah in the film “Romeo Must Die” (2000). During this period, he also acted in the American films “The One” (2001) and “Kiss of the Dragon” (2001).
In 2002, Li returned to the Chinese market with the period martial arts epic “Hero,” which was a tremendous critical and financial success. It earned a total of $177.4 million globally, making it the highest-grossing film in Chinese cinema history at the time. He has since continued on with both Chinese and American projects such as “Cradle 2 the Grave”(2003), “Unleashed” (2005), “Fearless” (2006), “War” (2007), “The Warlords” (2007), “The Forbidden Kingdom” (2008), “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor” (2008), “The Expendables” (2010), “The Expendables 2” (2012), “The Expendables 3” (2014), and the live-action remake of “Mulan” (2020).
Net Worth
Jet Li has a net worth of $250 million as a Chinese film actor, producer, martial artist, and Wushu champion. He is well-known for having had a successful career both in China and in the West.
Facts
| Net Worth | $250 Million |
| Date of Birth | Apr 26, 1963 (60 years old) |
| Place of Birth | Beijing |
| Gender | Male |
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.676 m) |
| Profession | Actor, Martial Artist, Film Producer |
| Nationality | People’s Republic of China |
