Jessie Mei Li

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For the Chinese actress, see Jessie Li.

Jessie Mei Li
Jessie Mei Li in 2019
Born
Jessica Mei Li

(1995-08-27) 27 August 1995 (age 28)
Brighton, East Sussex, England
OccupationActress
Years active2018–present

Jessica Mei Li (born 27 August 1995) is an English actress. She is best known for her starring role as the main character and protagonist Alina Starkov in the Netflix fantasy series Shadow and Bone (2021–2023).

Early life and education[edit]

Li was born in Brighton, East Sussex to an English mother and a Chinese father who was raised in Hong Kong. She grew up in Redhill, Surrey and has an older brother.[1][2][3][4] Li attended Reigate College from 2010 to 2012 and began studying French and Spanish at the University of Sussex, but eventually dropped out.[5][6][7] For nearly two years, Li worked as a teaching assistant for children with special needs at secondary school.[6]

Li joined the National Youth Theatre in 2015 and trained part-time at Identity School of Acting from 2016 to 2017.[8][9]

Career[edit]

Li made her professional stage debut in February 2019 playing the role of Claudia Casswell in All About Eve at Noël Coward Theatre, directed and adapted for the stage by Ivo van Hove, alongside Gillian Anderson and Lily James.[10][11]

In October 2019, it was announced Li would star in the lead role of Alina Starkov in the 2021 Netflix series Shadow and Bone, an adaptation of Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse fantasy book series Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows.[12][13] Li initially had reservations about auditioning for the character of Alina Starkov, whose ethnicity was changed from white to mixed race for the show, citing concerns about whether the change was being made due to a diversity quota.[14][6] However, during the audition process, Li observed that the change in Starkov's ethnicity "wasn't just a diversity box ticker" and "was something to help build the world and to help build her character."[1]

Li appears as Lara Chung in Edgar Wright's 2021 film Last Night in Soho.[15][16]

Personal life[edit]

Li was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult.[6][17]

Li has spoken on growing up with a lack of positive East Asian and biracial representation onscreen.[2][18] Her conflict over her dual heritage was compounded when she began auditioning, where she noticed mixed-race roles would sometimes go to fully East Asian or white actors.[1] In an April 2021 interview, Li emphasized the importance of nuanced portrayals of East Asians in media.[14]

Li identifies as gender non conforming and uses she/they pronouns.[19][3][4]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
2018 Together, They Smoke Rose Shortflix
2019 All About Eve Claudia Casswell National Theatre Live
Travelooper Kiera Short film
2021 Last Night in Soho Lara
2024 Havoc Ellie Netflix film[20]
TBA Pork Scratchings Ericka Short film; upcoming

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
2018 Strangers 1 episode[21]
2019 Locked Up Abroad Christina Jocko Docuseries; episode: "Panamania"
2021–2023 Shadow and Bone Alina Starkov Main role

Music videos[edit]

Year Song Artist Notes
2018 "A Thousand Ringing Bells" Uri Sade
2021 "Three Weeks" James Humphrys Starred; co-directed; edited[22]

Stage[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
2019 All About Eve Claudia Casswell Noël Coward Theatre, London

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Mottram, James (17 April 2021). "Netflix's Shadow and Bone star Jessie Mei Li on being half-Chinese, growing up in England and her love for Edgar Wright". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  2. ^ a b Robinson, Joanna (22 April 2021). "Shadow and Bone Star Jessie Mei Li Steps Into the Grishaverse". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  3. ^ a b Dyke, Isobel Van (10 March 2023). "Shadow and Bone's Jessie Mei Li: 'Alina Starkov is a little sasspot'". Evening Standard. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Jessie Mei Li Has Already Found Her Inner Power". W Magazine. 23 April 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  5. ^ "On Route: Reigate College" (PDF). Reigate College. 6 March 2019. p. 6. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d Heritage, Stuart (21 April 2021). "Shadow and Bone star Jessie Mei Li: 'Fans find out everything'". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  7. ^ Kosin, Julie (22 April 2021). "Shadow and Bone's Jessie Mei Li Is The Fantasy Hero You've Been Waiting For". Elle. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  8. ^ "Jessie Mei Li". Independent Talent Group. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  9. ^ Llewellyn Smith, Julia (14 February 2021). "The ones to watch: meet the next generation of megastars". You Magazine. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  10. ^ Wood, Alex (4 January 2019). "Full All About Eve cast joining Gillian Anderson and Lily James confirmed". WhatsOnStage. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  11. ^ McPhee, Ryan (13 February 2019). "Read the Reviews for London's All About Eve, Starring Gillian Anderson and Lily James". Playbill. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  12. ^ Kanter, Jake (2 October 2019). "Shadow and Bone: Westworld's Ben Barnes & Last Night in Soho's Jessie Mei Li Among Cast For Netflix Series". Deadline. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  13. ^ Del Rosario, Alexandra (27 January 2021). "Shadow and Bone: Netflix Sets Official Premiere Date, Unveils First-Look Images". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  14. ^ a b Yee, Hannah-Rose (22 April 2021). "Like her Shadow and Bone character, Jessie Mei Li is changing the world". Vogue Australia. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  15. ^ Sprague, Mike (9 January 2020). "Edgar Wright's Last Night in Soho Involves "Abstract" Time Travel". Dread Central. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  16. ^ Bjella, Braden (May 2021). "interview | jessie mei li". Schön!. Schon Publishing Ltd. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  17. ^ Fuentes, Tamara (22 April 2021). "Exclusive: Shadow and Bone Star Jessie Mei Lin on How Alina Taught Them More Than Expected". Seventeen. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  18. ^ Pike, Naomi (23 April 2021). "Vegan Shepherd's Pie & Buffalo Trainers: Shadow and Bone Star Jessie Mei Li Shares Her Favourite Things". Vogue UK. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  19. ^ Hamilton, Mackenzie (3 May 2023). "Jessie Mei Li Shows Both Sides". Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  20. ^ Rubin, Rebecca; Frater, Patrick (28 June 2021). "Timothy Olyphant, Justin Cornwell and Others Join Tom Hardy in Netflix Action Thriller 'Havoc' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  21. ^ Redfern, Philippa. "Press Release: All About Eve" (PDF). The Corner Shop. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  22. ^ Peters, Jo (4 February 2021). "James Humphrys – Releases "Three Weeks" video starring/directed by Netflix's Jessie Mei Li (Shadow and Bone)". WithGuitars. Retrieved 29 April 2021.

External links[edit]

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