Li Bingbing

Li Bingbing (; born 27 February 1973) is a Chinese actress. She gained critical acclaim for her role in Seventeen Years and received widespread success with films such as A World Without Thieves (2004), Waiting Alone (2005), The Knot (2006), The Forbidden Kingdom (2008), The Message (2009), and Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010). Li has also starred in Hollywood films Resident Evil: Retribution (2012), Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014), and The Meg (2018).

Li ranked 26th on Forbes China Celebrity 100 list in 2013, 28th in 2014, 13th in 2015, 29th in 2017, and 76th in 2019.

Early life Li Bingbing was born to a workers' family in Wuchang, Heilongjiang, China, her parents were originally from Taigu in Shanxi Province. She has a younger sister Li Xue. However, the film went unnoticed in China due to a domestic ban. In 2001, Li gained attention for starring in the popular television series Young Justice Bao. She followed with a number of wuxia television series, such as Taiji Prodigy and Eight Heroes, earning her a label of "action actress."

In 2004, Li achieved breakthrough with her performance in Dayyan Eng's romantic comedy film Waiting Alone, for which she received her first Best Actress nomination at the Chinese academy awards (Golden Rooster Awards). Follow up with starring in Feng Xiaogang's A World Without Thieves, for which she received a nomination of Best Supporting Actress at the Hundred Flowers Awards. In the same year, her sister, Li Xue, became her manager.

In 2009, Li won Best Actress at the 46th Golden Horse Film Awards for her performance in The Message. Li then starred in Tsui Hark's 2010 action-mystery film Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame. She played Shangguan Jing'er, a fictional character based on Shangguan Wan'er, a prestigious politician during the Tang Dynasty. She, along with other partners including Li Xue, established a studio Hesong Entertainment in the same year, co-starring and co-producing the film 1911 with Jackie Chan, which was released in September 2011 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Xinhai Revolution.

English-language films

Li’s starred in her first English-language film with Wayne Wang's Snow Flower and the Secret Fan in 2011. It was adapted from Lisa See's 2005 novel of the same title. The film premiered at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. Li started to gain recognition in Hollywood after starring in Resident Evil: Retribution (2011), playing Ada Wong. The same year, she was cast in action fantasy film 400 Boys, directed by British director Alastair Paton.

In 2013, Li attended the 4th Annual US-China Film Summit and received the East-West Talent Award. Hollywood magazine Variety also named her Asian Star of the Year. The following year, Li featured in Transformers: Age of Extinction, the fourth installment of the film franchise. This helped solidify her success overseas.

In 2015, she was cast in 3D science fiction thriller Nest (also known as Guardians of the Tomb), a Chinese-Australian co-production that was finally released in January 2018. The same year, it was announced that Li would play China's first female superhero in upcoming film Realm, written by Stan Lee, though that project eventually stalled with Lee's passing.

In 2018, Li starred with Jason Statham in the box office hit The Meg, an American-Chinese shark film based on Steve Alten's 1997 novel Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror.

Other ventures

Ambassadorships Charity Ambassador of the Shanghai World Expo Goodwill Ambassador of UNEP

Philanthropy Li Bingbing has established L.O.V.E, a charitable organization dedicated to the promotion of a positive, environmentally responsible lifestyle. She is also one of the founders of the two-year One Million-Tree Forest project, launched in efforts to change the climate environment and help local residents of Gansu Province, Southwest China, to increase their incomes. Her commitment to green and charitable causes has earned her the recognition as "the most influential global ambassador" from World Wildlife Fund.

Personal life On 24 July 2013, it was reported that Li has a godfather Wang Lin, a qigong and psi practitioner. Li went to visit Wang for help to cure her mother of her disease.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1994 Spirit of Cops Shen Fang Qiaoqian Zhixi Juan Juan 1999 Lüse Rouqing Lin Qiaoqiao Seventeen Years Chen Jie 2003 Love for All Seasons Misery Cat and Mouse Ding Yuehua Purple Butterfly Tang Yiling 2004 Silver Hawk Jane A World Without Thieves Xiaoye 2005 Waiting Alone Liu Rong Premiered at 2004 Tokyo Film Festival, released in cinemas in 2005. Fight for Love Ma Lili Wait 'Til You're Older Kwong's mother Guest appearance Dragon Squad Yu Ching 2006 The Knot Wang Jindi 2008 Linger Fu Enjia The Forbidden Kingdom Ni Chang / White haired witch 2009 The Message Li Ningyu 2010 Triple Tap Zhao Anna Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame Shangguan Jing'er 2011 Snow Flower and the Secret Fan Nina / Lily 1911 Xu Zonghan 2012 I Do Tang Weiwei Resident Evil: Retribution Ada Wong 400 Boys Not released 2014 Transformers: Age of Extinction Su Yueming 2015 Zhong Kui: Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal Xue'er 2018 Guardians of the Tomb Jia The Meg Zhang Suyin 2022 Ordinary Hero Zhou Yan

Television Year English title Original title Role Notes 1994 Yilu Denghou Du Yuling 1995 No Regrets Feng Kangmei 1996 Zhanguo Chuanqi Hongnu 1997 Shang Yang Chuanqi Du Wa Fengsheng Shuiqi Gu Ting 1998 Qinmi Airen Bai Tong Palace of Desire Princess Anle Da Fating Xia Liyan The Female Official Sun Xiaohong Guest appearance 2000 The Nation Under The Foot Fan Yue'e Qingchun Chudong Guan Ping Yiben Wuhui Qin Xue Smart Kid Ying Ziyan Young Justice Bao Ling Chuchu 2001 Ye Yatou Ye Yatou Zheshan Tanhua Sixth Princess Taiji Prodigy Qin Sirong Sky Lovers Tang Wei 2002 The Blue Lotus Ye Zi 2003 Romancing Hong Kong Gao Shuang 2004 City of Sky Xiao Ruoning / Yu Bohan The Sea's Promise Bai Ying Changjian Xiangsi Fengyi Strange Tales of Liao Zhai Yu Xiaocui 2005 Eight Heroes Feng Laiyi Huiniang Wanxin Ye Wanxin 2006 Zaisheng Yuan Meng Lijun

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result 2000 Singapore International Film Festival Best Actress 2005 12th Beijing Student Film Festival Most Popular Actress Waiting Alone 25th Golden Rooster Awards Best Actress 2006 28th Hundred Flowers Awards Best Supporting Actress 2007 14th Beijing Student Film Festival Best Actress 11th Golden Phoenix Awards Special Jury Award 12th Huabiao Film Awards Best Actress 26th Golden Rooster Awards 44th Golden Horse Awards 2008 9th Changchun Film Festival 29th Hundred Flowers Awards 2009 46th Golden Horse Awards 2010 4th Asian Film Awards 3rd Iron Film Awards 10th Chinese Film Media Awards Best Rising Actress 17th Beijing Student Film Festival Best Actress 2012 31st Hundred Flowers Awards Best Actress 2013 9th Huading Awards 2015 3rd China International Film Festival London The Most Influential Star Overseas 2018 14th Chinese American Film Festival Best Actress in a Leading Role Chinese American Film Art Exchange and Contribution Award