"[18] He delivered his acceptance speech in his native language of Mandarin.[19]. [49], Li has been a "philanthropic ambassador" of the Red Cross Society of China since January 2006. He has a very good control of the strength of every fist and kick. The success of âLethal Weapon 4â also saw one of Liâs Hong Kong outings, âBlack Maskâ given a commercial release in the English-speaking world (complete with regrettably the worst English ever produced and a notoriously obnoxious hip hop soundtrack to boot!). Government relief is not always detail-oriented. Gyermekként lett Kína nemzeti vusu () bajnoka, és öt éven keresztül tartotta a címet. His early exposure developed into a lifelong passion and fascination with all forms of martial arts and tremendous passion for action and martial arts films. [35], He was in the Maldives when a tsunami hit during the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. He says he is never bored in his free time. The film was a major success, spawning two sequels with Li returning for both! Over three decades after his debut in “The Shaolin Templeâ, Jet Li remains one of the greatest and most inspiring martial artists to ever grace the silver screen. The fame gained by his sports winnings led to a career as a martial arts film star, beginning in mainland China and then continuing into Hong Kong. He co-starred in The One (2001) and War (2007) with Jason Statham, The Forbidden Kingdom (2008) with Jackie Chan, all three of The Expendables films with Sylvester Stallone, and as the title character villain in The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008). 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. Several of Jet’s next few movies are among his personal favorites. "Special Screening of Historic Movie "Hero" at the Library Promotes Cultural Understanding", "Behind the Curtains: The Evolution and Impact of Asian Americans in Theatre | US-China Institute", "AsianConnections: Coverage of East West Players Visionary Awards (Amy Hill, John Cho, Jet Li, John Woo)", "Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh: From ‘Tai Chi Master’ to ‘The Mummy’", "Tony Jaa, Jet Li and Deepika Padukone Join Vin Diesel In XXX: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE", "Disney's Live-Action 'Mulan' Lands Gong Li, Jet Li (Exclusive)", "How did you come to follow Tibetan Buddhism? T'ai Chi Chuan) with mindfulness-based practices such as meditation. The Paris-based thriller eschewed the wire work and would pit Jet against a then-unknown stuntman-actor Cyril Raffaelli (“District 13“). Li was also cast as Kato in The Green Hornet when the film was still in development in 2000. Li's 2007 Hollywood film, War, was released in August of that year, and re-teamed him with actor Jason Statham, who previously starred with him in The One, and action choreographer Corey Yuen. In 2006, the martial arts film epic Fearless, was released worldwide. Better known by his stage name, Jet Li, is a martial artist, actor, film producer, wushu champion, and international film star who was born in Beijing and has taken up Singaporean citizenship. 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. Nach drei Jahren intensiven Trainings gewann Li seine erste nationale Meisterschaft für das Pekinger Wushu-Team. [16] In 2003 he reunited with producer Joel Silver for the action thriller film Cradle 2 the Grave where he starred alongside rapper DMX and fellow martial artist Mark Dacascos. Tizenhét évesen visszavonult a versenysporttól. 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. [31] His master is Lho Kunsang. They likened his career to an aircraft, which likewise “takes-off” as quickly, so they placed the name Jet Li on the movie posters. He is a naturalised Singaporean citizen. The four of them were by the pool and slightly above the beach when the wave came ashore, barely escaping to the upper floors of a hotel building. Along the way, he pairs up with a wacky sell-out actor, Frankie (played by Jacky Cheung), and proceeds to engage in a series of violent battles in a high-rise building. Li turned down Chow Yun-fat's role in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) because he promised his wife that he would not make any films during her pregnancy. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. In 2002, the period martial arts epic film Hero was released in the Chinese market. However, he would still find time to make great martial arts films, finally fighting alongside (and in one scene, against) Jackie Chan in 2008’s “The Forbidden Kingdom“! Weight: 66 kg / 145.5 lbs After “Fearless”, Jet would scale back his involvement in movies, directing more of his attention towards his charity group The One Foundation, which he created after his firsthand experience in the Asian tsunami of 2004, along with promoting the art of Tai Chi through his organization Taiji Zen. War raked in a disappointing US$23 million at the box office, becoming one of Li's lowest grossers in America; however, it was a hit on video, accumulating nearly US$52 million in rental revenue, more than doubling its box office take. [2], In 2009, he launched his own fitness program, Wuji. These cookies do not store any personal information. Thank you all once again for your support and belief in me! Specifically, he plans to continue acting in epic action and martial arts films dealing more with religious and philosophical issues. & Edwards, Louise (eds. To promote tai chi, in 2012, Li starred in a film titled Tai Chi and co-produced the movie with Chen Kuo-Fu. […] Yes, he's still the best. The character was an obvious jab at Jackie Chan, whom Wong had worked with and not gotten along with on his previous film, “City Hunter”. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Xinhua News Agency. My winning first place caused quite a sensation because I was so young. In 2001, it was moved to another studio. Jet would portray the famed Confucian scholar one more time in “Once Upon A Time in China III” before taking a break from the character, making films such as “Tai Chi Master”, in which he played the fabled creator of Tai Chi, Zhang Sanfeng, and playing another famed Chinese folk hero in the two “Fong Sai Yuk” films, which combined wire-driven action with lots of hilarious comedy. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. [30], Li is a practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism. “Once Upon A Time in China II” was released two years later and was even more well-received and featured Jet in his first onscreen duel with the future king of Hong Kong action movies, Donnie Yen! Jet Li born Li Lian Jie in Beijing, China. He returned to China in 2002 to make “Hero”, a wire-driven wuxia drama in which he would play a nameless assassin who recounts his supposed defeat of the Emperor’s enemies during the Warring States Period. According to Li, once, as a child, when the Chinese National Wushu Team went to perform for President Richard Nixon in the United States, he was asked by Nixon to be his personal bodyguard. [63], He founded Taiji Zen in 2011, along with co-founder Executive chairman Jack Ma. Li portrayed Tai Chi master Yang Luchan. [15] He also turned down the role of Seraph in The Matrix trilogy, based on his belief that the role was not one which required his skills and that the films were iconic and stunning enough without adding his name to the cast list. Jet was trained in old style wushu. Fearless was released on 26 January 2006 in Hong Kong, followed by a 22 September 2006 release in the United States where it reached second place in its first weekend. 103–124. Afterwards, Jet would make his journey to the West in “Lethal Weapon 4”, his first Hollywood film in which he portrayed the villainous kung-fu master, Wah Sing-ku. [67], In 2010, the list started to include Chinese celebrities born in. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Name: Li Lian Jie (Mandarin), Lei Lin-Git or Lee Lin-Kit (Cantonese). Better known by his stage name Jet Li. In 1999, Li married Nina Li Chi (born Li Zhi), a Shanghai-born, Hong Kong-based actress. Li became involved in Wushu when he was eight yea… Terms of Use. Farquhar, M.(2010) ‘Jet Li: "Wushu Master" in Sport and Film’ in Jeffreys, Elaine. Audiences were blown away by the speed and power Jet displayed that was unlike anything they’d seen before in an American film and everyone agreed he was easily the best thing about the film. [67] Fearless is the seventh most successful foreign language film of all time in the US. Since the starting of the foundation, Li has been involved with recovery efforts in seven disasters, including the 2008 Sichuan earthquake[37] and Typhoon Morakot in Taiwan. Li Lianjie (courtesy name Yangzhong; born 26 April 1963), better known by his stage name Jet Li, is a Chinese-born film actor, film producer, martial artist, and retired Wushu champion who was born in Beijing. He won five gold medals in the Chinese championships, his first when he was only 11. When I grow up, I want to defend my one billion Chinese countrymen! The film featured major Hollywood stars such as Morgan Freeman and the late Bob Hoskins, as well as a who’s who of martial arts masters, including Michael Lambert, Silvio Simac, and even future action supremo, Scott Adkins! The film became a box office hit. After retiring from competitive Wushu at age 19, he went on to win great acclaim in China as an actor, making his debut with the film Shaolin Temple (1982). The film told the story of a martial arts expert raised from birth to be the personal rottweiler of a vicious loan shark, and who slowly begins to rediscover his humanity. Some of his more famous Chinese films include: Li starred in the 1995 film High Risk, where Li plays a Captain who becomes disillusioned after his wife is murdered by crime lords. OMAX (556), Sat, Nov 07 Choose an adventure below and discover your next favorite movie or TV show. After three years of training with acclaimed Wushu teacher Wu Bin, Li won his first national championship for the Beijing Wushu Team. [64], By US box office statistics, the most successful Jet Li film as of August 2010 is Lethal Weapon 4, which grossed over $130 million domestically, while the second is The Expendables with over $103 million. He did not learn Nanquan (Southern Fist), because his training focused only in the Northern Shaolin Styles. Jet says he doesnât remember ever feeling that way again, standing on a podium but he certainly did that time. "[61], It was also announced in September 2010, when Li was attending his wax unveiling ceremony in Hong Kong Madame Tussauds, that Li would be meeting Bill Gates and Warren Buffett to talk about charity work. on Privacy 5:10 PM PST In 1979, Li received his highest achievement in martial arts when he was crowned Gold Champion at the Chinese National Martial Arts Competition. Li was born in Beijing, China and was the youngest of two boys and two girls. [53], In April 2007, touched by his life-shaking experience in the Maldives when he was close to dying during the 2004 tsunami, Li formed his own non-profit foundation called The One Foundation. [27][28][29], Li was cast as the Emperor of China for the 2020 live action movie, Mulan. [34] They divorced in 1990. Soon everybody was calling him by this new name, (which coincidentally also happens to be based on the nickname, “Jet,” given to him as a young student) due to his speed and grace when training with the Beijing Wushu team. Although it was widely reported at the time that he had died during the disaster,[36] he only suffered a minor foot injury, caused by a piece of floating furniture while he was guiding his 4-year-old daughter Jane and the nanny holding his 1-year-old daughter Jada to safety of higher ground amid dangerously rising ocean water. Li would later publicly apologise to Chan for taking part in it. If Li or the other students complained that they had injured their arm, their coach was quick to respond with, âHmm. [37], In 2009, Li, who previously had US citizenship after years working in the United States, renounced his US citizenship. He collects rare Tibetan beads. So whether itâs about movies, books, training techniques, philosophy, stunts or seminars, we hope to inspire and stimulate your inner warrior! He won five gold medals in the Chinese championships, his first when he was only 11. It packaged these art forms into several different classes and online programs. As he stood there, listening, he began to feel overcome with emotion. Mit acht Jahren begann er die Kunst des Wushu zu erlernen und wurde in die Pekinger Kampfschule eingeschrieben. Together with the film Fist of Legend, Li has portrayed both Chen Jun, the student and avenger of Huo Yuanjia (a.k.a. During this stage of his life, he acquired the nickname “Jet” for his blazing speed. [57][58] Wu Jing was a One Foundation volunteer and helped in the effort. Li was presented the Visionary Award by East West Players, the oldest Asian American theatre in the United States,[17] in 2002 by contemporary John Woo. In 2012, he reprised his role briefly in the sequel The Expendables 2 and returned for the third film The Expendables 3 in 2014. According to Li, once, as a child, when the Chinese National Wushu Team went to perform for President Richard Nixon in the United States, he was asked by Nixon to be his personal bodyguard. Born in Beijing on 26 April 1963, Li grew up the youngest of five children, with two brothers and two sisters. ), Celebrity in China, Hong Kong University Press, Hong Kong pp. The Bodyguard from Beijing (aka The Defender), Shaolin Temple 3 (aka Martial Arts of Shaolin). [39] On 28 July 2009, the chairman of One Foundation (the charity fund of Li) announced that Li had indeed become a Singaporean citizen. Liâs talent in Wushu was such that he often found himself competing against adults. He and thirteen other students training under the same coach would awaken every morning at 6am , training for up to eight hours a day. He would like to see Wushu as a form of art, where artists have a distinctive style. Jet would return to the role of Wong Fei-hung twice more, once in the film “Last Hero in China”, a goofy comedy unconnected to the “Once Upon A Time in China” films, before assuming his signature role one last time in 1997 in Sammo Hung’s “Once Upon A Time in China and America”, which featured Wong in the Wild West! If someone learns martial arts solely to pick fights on the street, to lean on it as a keystone weapon in conflicts, to use it to bully and intimidate others – then that person, in my opinion, cannot be considered a true martial artist. You shouldnât overwork your arm. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Jet Li born Li Lian Jie in Beijing, China. This page was last edited on 3 November 2020, at 20:16. When the film was moved on again and released in 2011, the role of Kato was portrayed by Jay Chou. The film was based on the legend of the Monkey King from the Chinese folk novel Journey to the West. Brad is also an aspiring writer and deeply desires to share his love for martial arts and martial arts movies with the world! He contributed 500,000 yuan (US$62,500) of box office revenues from his film Fearless to the Red Cross' psychological sunshine project, which promotes mental health. In September 2010, he was appointed by the International Red Cross as the first Good Will Ambassador. However, many fans thought there was too much wire work in the film, so Jet decided to take the “Fist of Legend” approach with his next film, “Kiss of the Dragon” in 2001. [49], According to Li, everything he has ever wanted to tell the world can be found in three of his films: the message of Hero is that the suffering of one person can never be as significant as the suffering of a nation; Unleashed shows that violence is never a solution; and Fearless tells that the biggest enemy of a person is himself. He later explained that he had done so because his wife Nina Li-chi was pregnant at the time, and he had made her a promise that he would not work at all during her pregnancy. Fünfmal in Folge, von 1974 bis 1979, errang er den Siegertitel der chinesischen Meisterschaften in modernem Wushu. He's the archetype of power. Li believes that Wushu is not primarily for self-defense and instead of trying to play the hero people should think about peaceful resolutions of conflicts and call the police if necessary: "A gun outdoes years of martial arts training in a split second. All rights reserved. : New Angles, New Scenes, and Explosive Outtakes, Lethal Weapon 4: Cast and Crew Interviews, Eastern Heroes: The Video Magazine - Volume 2, The Best TV Shows About Being in Your 30s. 12.04.2020 - Entdecke die Pinnwand „jet li“ von Mrs. Strong °• ♡♡ •°. Li took on a more serious role in the 2005 film, Unleashed (a.k.a. [21], Li has stated in an interview with the Shenzhen Daily newspaper that this will be his last martial arts epic, which is also stated in the film's television promotions. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. However, he plans to continue his film career in other genres. [9] Li's martial arts prowess contributed to his domestic and international fame.[10]. He posted online, saying: "Today I signed a deal with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies – IFRC – to become the FIRST goodwill ambassador in the history of this humanitarian organization. [3], Li was eight when his talent for Wushu was noticed as he practiced at a school summer course. KMEXDT3 (207), Film Review: The Best of Shaolin Kung Fu (1976) by Jen-Tao Chang and Shao-Peng Chen, Warrior Season 2 Episode 4 Review: If You Don’t See Blood, You Didn’t Come to Play, ‘Mulan’ Exclusive Window on Disney Plus Ends Next Week, (soon) Will be A Legendary Actors ( born before 1970), The Most Wonderful Hollywood Actor Aged 55+, Jet Li Public Advertising for Earth Quake Zone, The Making of 'The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor', Red Carpet Revelations with Jet Li on 'Mulan', Before the Battle: The Making of' 'The Expendables', A Fearless Journey: A Look at Jet Li's 'Fearless', 'Hero' Defined: A Look at the Epic Masterpiece, Pure Lethal! Taiji Zen combined the martial art of Taijiquan (a.k.a. [26], After a one-year hiatus from filmmaking, Li returned to acting in 2010, portraying a mercenary in the film The Expendables, teaming up with action stars Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Mickey Rourke, Eric Roberts, Steve Austin, Terry Crews, and Randy Couture. He won a total of five gold medals in the national championships for 5 consecutive years, from 1974 to 1979. [45][46], Li, as a Buddhist, believes that the difficulties of everyday life can be overcome with the help of religious philosophies. [43] 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. The hero in movies may be able to knock the gun off his opponent and save the day, but in real life – probably that is not the case. He has also studied other arts including 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). I think I have proved my ability in this field and it won't make sense for me to continue for another five or 10 years. He would go on to take a number of different martial arts forms, including Shaolin Ch'uan fa, Taekwondo, Shotokan Karate and remains a devoted student, avid and eager to continue his martial arts studies. In 2001, he appeared in two more films: The One, which was the first of his films with Jason Statham, and Kiss of the Dragon opposite Bridget Fonda which did moderately well at the box office. Looking for something to watch? Soon everybody was calling him by this new name, which was also based on the nickname, "Jet", given to him as a young student, due to his speed and grace when training with the Beijing Wushu team. Cookies Jet was offered the role of Li Mu-bai in the film “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon“, but turn it down. After the release of his film “High Risk” in 1995, Jet would issue a public apology to Jackie for his involvement with it. In 2010, he would also be seen in “The Expendables”, midst a gathering of action movie icons such as Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Gary Daniels, Bruce Willis, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. While filming their climactic battle, director Chris Nahon had to tell both men to slow down, as they were going too fast for their movements to be captured clearly by the camera! Sat, Nov 07 I was 12 years old, and the other two medalists were in their mid- to late twenties. Wu Bin even bought food for Li's family because they could not afford to buy meat, which was essential for an athlete's physical condition. It must have been quite a sight. Contact Us Date of Birth: (born April 26, 1963) They likened his career to an aircraft, which likewise "takes-off" as quickly, so they placed the name Jet Li on the movie posters. In late 2007, Li returned again to China to participate in the China/Hong Kong co-production of the period war film The Warlords with Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro. “I never say to myself I’m the best fighter in the world. He has gone on to star in many international action films, including in French cinema with the Luc Besson-produced films Kiss of the Dragon (2001) and Unleashed (2005). If someone learns martial arts solely to pick fights on the street, to lean on it as a keystone weapon in conflicts, to use it to bully and intimidate others – then that person, in my opinion, cannot be considered a true martial artist.”, “You can beat me up, but don’t touch my hair, I will kill you!”. Why donât you work on leg exercises instead.â At one point, he even found out heâd been training on a broken foot for two whole days! Huo Yuanjia is a conclusion to my life as a martial arts star. [11][12], In 1998, he made his American film debut in Lethal Weapon 4 which also marked the first time he had ever played a villain in a film. He agreed to do Lethal Weapon 4 after the producer Joel Silver promised to give him the leading role in his next film, Romeo Must Die (2000), alongside late singer Aaliyah. Li replied, “I don’t want to protect any individual. Renowned coaches Li Junfeng and Wu Bin,[5] made extra efforts to help the talented boy develop. He won five gold medals in the Chinese championships, his first when he was only 11. 23 January 2006. I stepped into the martial arts movie market when I was only 16. He has also mastered wushu's main weapons, such as Sanjiegun (Three Section Staff), Gùn, Dao (Broadsword), Jian (Straight Sword). [citation needed]. It must have been quite a sight as the national anthem began to play. © Kung-fu Kingdom Limited. This film, with its focus on dramatics rather than martial arts, netted Li the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor. Li acquired his screen name in 1982 in the Philippines when a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce. 6:00 PM PST His father died when he was just two years old, which left his family in poverty. [5] A very young Li competed against adults, in the Chinese Wushu Championships and won fifteen gold medals and one silver medal.[6]. To this date no other man has won more titles. [59], Li discussed his commitment to philanthropy in an interview with the December 2009 issue of Alliance magazine, stating that "grassroots non-government organizations can help the government in its blind spots. In Jetâs day, they had to learn all of the Eighteen-Arms, internal styles, external styles, everything. Jet Li born Li Lian Jie in Beijing, China. [48], I never say to myself I'm the best fighter in the world. Overnight, Jet Li became a national superstar and the film sparked an explosion of interest in the Shaolin Temple among the Chinese people.