Jet Li

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Born Li Lianjie on April 26, 1963 in Hebie Province China, Jet Li rose from a sheltered life to become one of China's finest athletes before gaining unparalleled success, perhaps as the most popular martial arts star in the world.

At the age of two, Li's father died, leaving him among two elder brothers and two elder sisters, cared for by his mother. At home Li was obedient and he studied hard at school. In 1971, Li began his wushu training at what was to become the Beijing Sports and Exercise School. He excelled in his training and outlasted most of his peers to win the only prize for excellence at his first national competition a year later. After plenty of harsh training, he went on to represent his country in a world tour that included a performance on the White House lawn for American president, Richard Nixon. By the age of 18, Li had won All-Round National Champion in wushu five times.

In 1981, due to his great status, Li was selected to star in Shaolin Temple, China's attempt to capitalize on the success of martial arts films in Hong Kong and elsewhere. The film was a huge success and not only propelled Li into international stardom, but revived interest in the real Shaolin Temple. Li starred in a sequel and two more films produced on the mainland. The last was Born to Defence, Li's only directorial effort to date and a disappointment at the box office.