Jet Li, also known as Li Yang Chung, Jet Lee Lin-Kit, Jet Li Lianjie and Lei Lin-Git, is an actor, martial artist and film producer who works with Hollywood movies and who has been able to earn estimate net worth valued at $55 million dollars. He is best known for his numerous roles in martial arts films released in United States, such as “Black Mask” where he played Tsui Chik, “Dr. Wai in The Scripture with No Words” and also in movies such as “Dragon Fight”, Fearless”, “Craddle 2 the Grave”, “Born to Defence” and many others. Today Jet Li is considered to be one of the most successful martial arts actors in the world.
Jet Li Net Worth $55 Million
Li Lianjie was born on April 26, 1963, in Beijing, China. He was raised only by his mother, as his father died when Jet Li was 2 years old. Jet Li came from a really poor background, but he was able to overcome all the circumstances and become successful in Wushu at a young age. Later he even had an opportunity to visit the United States together with his Wushu team, and that’s how the Jet Li began his career as an actor, coming here from a martial arts background. He was offered the work of a bodyguard, but refused and arrived back to his home country. The next time he visited United States was several years later, but then no one could even imagine how rich Jet Li was going to be in a short period of time.
Jet Li was a pupil of a famous Chinese coach and thanks to his hard work finally won the national championship of Wushu which was held in Beijing. He made a great career as a fighter, but after leaving Wushu Jet Li had to think about how to increase his net worth. Then he began to appear in Chinese action films which showed his great abilities in martial arts. These first movies didn’t reach American audiences, and so didn’t increase Jet Li’s net worth much at all, however, this experience later became very useful when Yang Chung decided to try his luck in the United States as an actor.
In Hollywood Jet Li first took the role of Wah Sing Ku in the movie “Lethal Weapon 4” directed by Richard Donner. Li was able not only to increase his net worth a little, but also show himself to other film producers and directors. That’s why in 2000 he was already starring as the main character Han Sing in the movie “Romeo Must Die”. Later Jet Li’s net worth was built up even bigger thanks to his abilities as a talented businessman, who provided girlish cosmetics, owned several restaurants called “Fat Li Burger” and even managed to launch a new brand of Vodka, “Pure Wonderli” in China.
During his career Jet Li starred together with many other Hollywood notabilities, such as Jackie Chan, Sylvester Stallone and even Brendan Fraser. That’s why Let Li’s net worth is this large now.
Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor, Shanghai Film Critics Award for Best Actor, Hong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor
Nominations
MTV Movie Award for Best Fight, Hong Kong Film Award for Best Film, Hundred Flowers Award for Best Actor, MTV Movie Award for Best Villain, Asian Film Award for Best Actor, People's Choice Award for Favorite Action Movie Actor
Movies
Fearless, Fist of Legend, Hero, The Forbidden Kingdom, The One, Tai Chi Master, Unleashed, Shaolin Temple, Kiss of the Dragon, Kung Fu Cult Master, Romeo Must Die, The Bodyguard from Beijing, The Expendables, Lethal Weapon 4, My Father Is a Hero, Black Mask, Cradle 2 the Grave, Once Upon a Time in C...
[on 'Kiss of the Dragon'] We used street fighting, hardcore fighting. Very straightforward, no cable, just hand to hand to hand, or gungfu to gungfu. We found a lot of good champions in Europe.
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[on 'Kiss of the Dragon'] After 'Romeo Must Die' a lot of hardcore Jet Li fans told me on my website they don't like the action sequences. They thought it was too choppy, not clear. Not as good as my older films. So, I thought it would be the right time for me to do some hardcore fighting with a strong character.
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[on 'Kiss of the Dragon'] This story focuses on a normal man, trying to do his job. He doesn't know how to deal with the girl. He gives the promise to the girl. Later on the character develops, because he has to do something to keep his word. Even if that something is against his job, his country. But he still needs to keep his word. It's a unique story. I like it very much.
4
You cannot make one film and make everybody happy. You make a PG movie and your hardcore fans say, "It's too soft".
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She's a wonderful actress and I'm glad Luc Besson decided to use her in this film. Usually, for action movies, the actress is a beautiful flower. They put the flower there, and then they fight. When they need the flower to come in, they bring her in. But this film, Bridget is the key.
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We are a global family. The religion is different, the languages are different but we are human beings and we need to help each other.
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I stepped into the martial arts movie market when I was only 16. 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. Fearless (2006) is a conclusion to my life as a martial arts star.
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[on Ying xiong (2002)] In the past two years, somebody tried to recut it the American way, looping English, but I'm glad right now we still keep the original way. I think the way the director shot [the movie] was not a normal action film.
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[on Ying xiong (2002)] Usually action films have a formula: good guy gets in trouble, his wife dies, friends have problems, so he goes to the mountain, learns martial arts, comes back, and kills the bad guy. But on this film, we talked about a totally different angle to see my character.
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You can beat me up, but don't touch my hair, I will kill you!
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I have met Jackie Chan about 6 times up 'til now . . . and even though many people think we are natural enemies, I personally think he is a cool bloke and would honestly love to work with him in a film one time - that would a well brilliant movie!
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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.
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Fact
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He did return to the movies after his 1 year break. [2009]
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Said that he will take a one-year break from movies this year, and concentrate on his The One Foundation work. [January 2008]
Worked with Chinese Director Tsui Hark on 5 films. This was: The Master (1989), Once Upon a Time in China, Once Upon a Time in China 2, Once Upon a Time in China 3, Black Mask.
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Chinese Director Jing Wong worked with Jet on 4 films. They were: Last Hero in China (1993), Kung Fu Cult Master, (1993), The New Legend of Shaolin (1994) and High Risk (1995).
Has played both real life legend Huo Yuan Jia (in Fearless (2006)) and his semi-fictional student Chen Zhen (in Jing wu ying xiong (1994)).
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His Mandarin name is Li Lianjie. His Cantonese name is Lei Lin-Git (or Lee Lin-Kit).
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Has claimed his upcoming martial arts film Fearless (2006) (Fearless) will be his last period kung-fu film, and that he will concentrate on other matters in the future. One of those matters is apparently a documentary about Buddhism.
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Injured his foot while escaping the tsunami that followed a 9.0 earthquake in the Indian Ocean. Li and his four year old daughter were on vacation in the Maldives on December 26th, 2004. The two were in the lobby of their hotel when the wave came ashore. Scooping up his daughter and running for higher ground, a piece of furniture hit his foot, causing the injury.
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Other than providing voice-overs for Kit Yun in Rise to Honor (2003), he also did the motion-capture for his fight scenes.
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Was originally cast in the role of the character Li Mu Bai in Ang Lee's martial arts blockbuster Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), but turned it down. The decision was prompted by a promise to his wife Nina Chi Li 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).
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Jet & wife Nina Chi Li became parents to a 6 lb. 13 oz. daughter, Jane. [April 2000]
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He studies English with a tutor for 4 hours a day.
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Won Chinese national championship in the acrobatic martial art wushu when he was 11; his prize was a trip to Washington D.C. to meet President Richard Nixon.