Below is a compiled list of the most interesting facts about Jet Li. Check it out!
Jet Li born Li Lian Jie in Beijing, China. He started training at the Beijing wushu academy (wushu is China’s national sport, largely a performance version of various martial art styles) at age eight. He won five gold medals in the Chinese championships, his first when he was only 11. In his teens, he was already a national coach, and before he was 20 he had starred in his first movie: Shaolin Temple (1982), which started the 1980s Kung-Fu boom in mainland China. He relocated to Hong Kong, where he was the biggest star of the early 1990s Kung-Fu boom. His first directorial effort was Born to Defend (1986).
Interesting Facts about Jet Li
- He was originally cast as Xiang in xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017), but dropped out for undisclosed reasons. Donnie Yen replaced him.
- Was originally cast in the role of the character Li Mu Bai in Ang Lee’s martial arts blockbuster Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), but turned it down. The decision was prompted by a promise to his wife Nina Li Chi that he would not work while she was pregnant. The role of Li Mu Bai went to actor Yun-Fat Chow. Li said this himself during an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992) promoting Kiss of the Dragon (2001).
- In his free time he likes to play badminton and table tennis, ride his bicycle, read and meditate. He collects rare Tibetan beads. He says he is never bored in his free time.
- He studies English with a tutor for 4 hours a day.
- One of 105 people invited to join AMPAS in 2008.
- Other than providing voice-overs for Kit Yun in Rise to Honor (2003), he also did the motion-capture for his fight scenes.
- In 2013, he revealed that he suffers from hyperthyroidism and has been dealing with the issue for the past three years. Since his heart rate can hit 130~140 at rest, Li takes medication to control his heart rate and has been advised not to do any sort of exercise. In 2016, he stated that he had recovered from his illness and that accepting fewer film offers was due to his charity work and not because of his health conditions.
- He founded Taiji Zen in 2011, along with co-founder Executive chairman Jack Ma. Taiji Zen is a lifestyle company with the mission of spreading “Health and Happiness for All” through a balance of physical wellness and mental fitness. Taiji Zen combined the martial art of Taijiquan (a.k.a. T’ai Chi Chuan) with mindfulness-based practices such as meditation. It packaged these art forms into several different classes and online programs.
- He was originally going to star in Crime Story (1993). While the film was still in pre-production, his agent Jim Choy was gunned down by the Triads. The incident caused Li to opt out of making a movie about organized crime, as he was afraid of attracting the wrong attention, so he chose to do Tai-Chi Master (1993) instead.
- As a Buddhist, believes that the difficulties of everyday life can be overcome with the help of religious philosophies. He thinks that fame is not something he can control; therefore, he does not care about it.
- He was considered for the role of The Amazing Yen in Ocean’s Eleven (2001).
- In 2009, he launched his own fitness program, Wuji. The programme consists of elements of martial arts, yoga and pilates; Adidas launched a special clothing line for it that bears the initials of “JL”.
Personal Quotes by Jet Li
Zhang Yimou tried to use martial arts to talk about Chinese culture, Chinese people. What do they think, what do they want and what do they hope.
Jet Li
Even when I use a word in the wrong order in a sentence, I get mad. It’s very stressful.
Jet Li
A weapon isn’t good or bad, depends on the person who uses it.
Jet Li
Jackie Chan is a very good comedy/martial arts star. He does one kind of martial arts that Jet Li doesn’t know how to do, and Jet Li does a martial art that Jackie Chan doesn’t know how to do.
Jet Li
I can feel very brave through all the action scenes in front of the people who are on the set, but when a girl comes close to me my face turns red because I’m so shy.
Jet Li
