Born in Beijing, Li began studying the art of Wushu (the general Chinese term for martial arts) and was enrolled in the Beijing Amateur Sports School at the age of 8. After three years of extensive training, Li won his first national championship for the Beijing Wushu Team. As part of a world tour in 1974, he had the honor of performing a two-man fight for President Nixon on the White House lawn. For the next five years, he remained the All-Around National Wushu Champion of China.

Shortly after retiring from the sport at the age of 17, he was offered many starring roles and subsequently began on his film career with director Chang Hsin Yen for Shaolin Temple. Upon its release, Li was propelled into instant movie stardom and the film was an enormous success that spawned two sequels. This led to Li completing 25 successful Asian films before coming to America.

Since his first English language film appearance as the villain in Lethal Weapon 4 opposite Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Rene Russo and Chris Rock, Li went on to star in the highly acclaimed Romeo Must Die, a film that blended hip-hop with martial arts and also marked Aaliyah Haughton’s first starring role in a film.

During production on Romeo Must Die Li announced his upcoming marriage to his long-time girlfriend, Nina Li. The couple married in September of 1999.

After Romeo Must Die, Li went on to star in Kiss of the Dragon opposite Bridget Fonda and Tcheky Karyo, and The One directed by James Wong and co-starring Delroy Lindo and Jason Statham.

Following completion of The One, Li returned to his film roots in China to work with renowned director Zhang Yi Mou on Hero, a film which has gone on to achieve significant critical acclaim and international distinction. The U.S. release of this film is scheduled for sometime in the second half of 2004.

After Hero Li once again teamed up with Producer Joel Silver and co-star DMX on Cradle 2 the Grave which was released in theaters in early 2003. Following Cradle Jet returned to Europe to work again with Producer Luc Besson on Danny the Dog, co-starring Morgan Freeman and Bob Hoskins. Danny is scheduled for a 2004 release.