The first time Hollywood met Jet Li, directors and producers did not take his acting skills seriously. He struggled to survive in the film industry because of the low-paying roles he was getting. Shaolin Temple was the first big project was signed on offered $1 million but when he accepted the role, the company reduced his paycheck to 500,000. The money didn’t stop Li from taking the role, and he made the right choice by starring in the movie.
The film opened doors to many other projects that cemented his status in the industry. A coach from the Beijing Wushu team discovered Li’s innate abilities during his primary school days.
At the age of 11, he became a martial arts champion and started earning a salary to support his poor family. Jet Li’s life transformed with the 1982 movie that made him move to America in 1988 for better opportunities.
His martial arts talents stood him out in movies like Once Upon a Time in China, Romeo Must Die, Kiss of the Dragon, Lethal Weapon 4, Hero and many more. The originality of his oriental personality doesn’t change in his movies, a feature that helps him stand out in any movie. The actor who once brought the Chinese Wushu character to Hollywood has now become one of the greatest martial actors in the world.