Li Lianjie ([lì ljǎntɕjɛ̌]; born April 26, 1963), better known by his stage name Jet Li, is a Singaporean film actor, film producer, Chinese martial artist, wushu champion, and international star who was born in Beijing. Li Lianjie was born in Beijing, People's Republic of China, the youngest of two boys and two girls. His father died when he was two years old, leaving the family struggling.
After three years of intensive training with Wu Bin, Li won his first national championship for the Beijing Wushu Team. 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. Li acquired his screen name in 1982 in the Philippines when a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce. They likened his career to an aircraft, which likewise "takes-off" as quickly, so they placed the name Jet Li on the movie posters. 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.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. The film became a box office hit. Li is a practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism. His master is Lho Kunsang of the Drikung Kagyu lineage of the Kagyu school. In 1987, Li married Beijing Wushu Team member and Kids from Shaolin co-star Huang Qiuyan, with whom he has two daughters, Si and Taimi. They divorced in 1990. Since 1999, he has been married to Nina Li Chi (born Li Zhi), a Shanghai-born, Hong Kong-based actress. He has two daughters with her as well, Jane (born 2000) and Jada (born 2002).Li was in the Maldives when a tsunami hit during the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. Although it was widely reported at the time that he had died during the disaster, 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. The four of them were by the pool and slightly above the beach when the wave came ashore.
In 2009, Li, who previously had American citizenship, after years working in the United States, was thought to have renounced his American citizenship and taken up Singaporean citizenship, although no official confirmation has been provided by Singapore authorities. On July 28, 2009, the chairman of One Foundation (the Charity fund of Jet Li) announced that Jet Li had indeed become a Singaporean citizen.He was said to have chosen Singapore for its education system for his two daughters.
In 2009, Li launched his own fitness program that he named "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".In his free time he likes to play badminton, table tennis, volleyball, ride his bicycle, read and meditate. He collects rare Tibetan beads. He says he is never bored in his free time.
Career
Actor: (films) Shao Lin tzu, 1979, Shao Lin xiao zi, 1983, Nan bei Shao Lin, 1986, Shao Lin Hai Deng da shi, 1988, Long zai tian ya, 1988, Long xing tian xia, 1989, Wong Fei-hung, 1991, Yi tian tu long ji zhi mo jiao jiao zhu, 1993, Shu dan long wei, 1995, Gei ba ba de xin (The Enforcer), 1995, Mo him wong, 1996, Hak hap (Black Mask), 1996, Sat sau ji wong, 1998, Lethal Weapon 4, 1998, Romeo Must Die, 2000, The One, 2000, Ying xiong (Hero), 2002, Cradle 2 the Grave, 2003, Fearless, 2006, War, 2007, Warlords, 2007, The Forbidden Kingdom, 2008, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, 2008, Jian guo da ye, 2009, Ocean's Heaven, 2010, The Expendables, 2010; actor & producer (films) Wong Fei-hung tsi sam: Siwong tsangba, 1993, Wong Fei-hung chi tit gai dau neung gung, 1993, Fong Sai-Yuk, 1993, Tai ji zhang san feng, 1993, Zhong Nan Hai bao biao, 1994, Jing wu ying xiong, 1994, Hong Xiguan zhi Shaolin wu zu, 1994, Danny the Dog (Unleashed), 2005, actor, writer, associate producer Kiss of the Dragon, 2001, actor, director Zhong hua ying xiong, 1986.