"He's absolutely fast. We can hardly hold all his actions in our camera. Director Donner even suggested slowing down to him. Kung Fu he takes is almost a piece of artistic masterpiece
rather than a martial art," Mel Gibson, famous movie star who starred in Lethal weapon 4 with
Jet Li, gave a comment on him. 

Profile

Name : Jet Li
 Birth date : April 26,1963
 Birthplace : Beijing, China
 Height : 169cm
 Weight : 66kg
 Movies he played
 1982 - Shaolin Temple
 1984 - Shaolin Temple 2
 1985 - Shaolin Temple 3
 1988 - Dragon Fight
 1989 - Dragons of the Orient 
 1991 - Once upon a Time in China
 1992 - Once upon a Time in China 2, Swordsman 2
 1993 - Once upon a Time in China 3, Fong Sai Yuk, 
             The Kung Fu Cult Master
 1994 - The Body Guard from Beijing, 
             First of Legend
 1995 - My Father is a Hero, High Risk
 1996 - Black Mask
 1998 - Lethal Weapon 4
 2000 - Romeo Must Die
 A true martial artist: The winner of Martial Art championship for five consecutive times 

                    Jet Li, the world famous lineal Kung Fu action star following Blues Lee, was born inBeijing, China in 1968. He was brought up as a baby child of 5 siblings under the care of his mother, after his father passed away in Li' age of 2. A baby Jet Li was like a shy boy, which is against all our imagination about him, in comparison to the way he looks. His mother never allowed him to go into anything dangerous or any exercises, because of his position among families, that is, the youngest boy. Even riding a bicycle was one of the forbidden exercises for him. Therefore, it was not until he's 15 years old that he began to ride it.
                    When in the first grade of elementary school, he came to learn the martial skills during a summer vacation. Eight-year-old boy Jet Li entered Beijing Athletic School (Martial Art Course), and became familiar with Wushu. With his inherent talent in athletics and hard training lasting 8 hours a day, he was finally picked up as a national representative. It was when he was ten years old. The next year, 1974, he took part in the fifth China National Athletic Competition. It was the authorized gate to expert in the martial art field in China. He won three divisions, that is, Kwonbup, stick fighting, sword skills. Furthermore, he built up the honorable record of the youngest champion in the history of the contest. Also, in 1979, he continued to win all kinds of championships and became famous as a promising martial expert. 

As an actor in 'Shaolin Temple'
                    The film industry never let him alone, who is endowed with extraordinary athletic talents and the attractive appearance. Jet Li made his debut in the movies 'Shaolin', which was exactly right in the mainstream of contemporary film preferences such as 'Drunken Master'. This movie helped him get a firm ground in the film area. Scenes of the film came from the inside of the real Shaolin Temple and from his personal backgrounds, like his being the champion in the National Martial Arts Competition for five consecutive times, and these facts raised explosive interests in the Chinese movies. Nevertheless, as martial movies go down the popularity slope as a theme, he could not help being forgotten by the fans. It was natural in some way, for he's good at nothing else but martial arts. His fame's almost gone when he finished starring in movies of Shaolin Temple [1, 2, 3].
                    He established Martial Development Company in 1984, which aimed at spreading martial arts to ordinary people, and giving medical services to people in need. However, he realized that the communism system worked as a impedance to his business. Finally, He made up his mind to  escape from China to Unite States of America, when the government censored even his movies. He left China with his wife Whang, Joo-youn who had acted with Jet Li in the movies of 'Shaolin 2', and 'Shaolin 3'. Things didn't go well for him in US, either. Though he cranked in movies, his movies 'Dragon Fight' and 'The Master' turned out complete failures. All the things he got from the hard struggles as a stranger in the new world were frustrations. 

Successful Return to Films
                    Continuous failures in US made people forget Jet Li little by little. At that time, Director Tsui Hark saved him from the difficulties. Tsui Hark, called Asian Spielberg, let him star in his new movie 'Once Upon a Time in China' despite fellows' resistance. 'Once Upon a Time in China' dealt with the legendary figure in the China's modern history, and actually the person Hwang Bi Hong by the Korean pronunciation) was the frequently used item in movies. More than 50 films had dealt with that figure before Jet Li appeared on movie. In a word, Hwang Bi Hong was a hero for the Chinese. As such this movie was pretty burdensome to Jet Li. In fact, he had to compete with a lot of ex-Hwang Bi Hong. 
                    'Once Upon a Time in China' turned out to be a great success. His energetic actions, based on his excellent martial skills, attracted thousands of people into his movie. 'Once Upon a Time in China' was the movie that helped him to recover the position as an actor. After that movie, he continued to appear on 'Swordsman', directed by Tsui Hark as well. 'Swordsman', which was characterized with imaginary settings and actions, was very successful among Asian countries. After his successive homerun in movies, 'Once Upon a Time in China3' 'Swordsman2' and 'Tai Chi Master' came to ride on the popularity stream to success. Obviously, he became a formidable film star.

The Chinese police officer; the typical character in the modern movies
Jet Yi, lucky guy in traditional martial art movies, tried to put himself in the modern settings; it was rather a striking trial as an actor. These movies contain 'Bodyguard from Beijing' 'Fist of Legend', and 'The Hero'. In these movies he starred as a Chinese police officer. Definitely, there was some criticism pointing out his copying after American movies. But, most people in Hong Kong favored his character in movies, because they regarded it as favorable signs which they wanted to show to the Chinese mainland, which was waiting for the return of Hong Kong. 
                    Irrespective of unfavorable criticism from film critics, the government of Republic of China allotted rather high grades to him because of his perfect play as a police officer. His play in this movie showed us positive aspects of the Chinese people.

Knocking on the Hollywood's door
                    Based on his formidable position in the Asia's film industry, Jet Li knocked on the door of Hollywood. He, who had already had a bitter drinking, had to be careful. And, there came up a chance. 'Lethal Weapon 4'. But, it was not a main character that was given to him. Moreover, he had to play a role that he had never done: a villain. After he got to accept this proposal, the Asian film industry got confused for a while. Nobody had ever imagined that Jet Li, the guardian angel of justice, could be a villain. 
                    Mel's movie 'Lethal Weapon 4', in 1998, get the great popularity in the box office. With this success, Mel Gipson, having starred as a main character, made sure that he's one of the best actors in Hollywood. Then, what happen to Jet Li? ; he put a careful step in to Hollywood. And explosive popularity!! Speedy way of moving, energetic actions based on the martial skills, and his attractive mask. Though Mel was the main character in the movie, Jet Li was the one in the real world. 
                    With the great popularity of 'Lethal Weapon 4', he has successively debuted in Hollywood movies. Now, he's planning to star on the new movie 'Romeo Must Die'. This time, he stars as the main character, not as a villain but as a guardian angel of justice. 'Romeo Must Die,' which is presented now in theaters since May 2000, runs the smooth sailing. 
                    Jet Li, starting as a martial art expert, reached a success as an actor. Considered as one of the best lineal martial art action movie stars in succession of Bruce Lee, he never forgot that martial art skills are the fundamentals in his life. He is still getting in shape with the marital exercises, and he is called more as a martial expert than as an actor. Donner, the director of 'Lethal Weapon 4', comments about him: "Jet Li is humble-minded and smart. His Kung-fu is almost a piece of 
artistic masterpiece rather than the military art."