Li Bingbing, a famous Chinese actress who has been one of the top movie stars in China for almost a generation, is now making waves in Hollywood. She has already acted in blockbuster movies like Resident Evil, where she supported Milla Jovovich in defeating zombies, and Transformers: Age of Extinction, where she played a significant role in a film that grossed $1.1 billion worldwide, directed by Michael Bay. However, her next role in Warner Bros. against giant sharks alongside Jason Statham would be her most remarkable breakthrough role yet.
Li Bingbing, a resident of Northern China’s suburbs, pursued her education in the field of theatre and film by enrolling in the Shanghai Academy. Her debut significant role was in the historical drama Seveпteeп Years directed by Trung Nguyen. The said work won the Best Director award in the Venice Film Festival. In 2001, she became famous for her appearance in the blockbuster series Bao Qiangtian’s Childhood. Currently, her most prominent role is in the American-produced big-budget film The Meg, where she played the role of the heroine. Starring Jason Statham, the film follows his character’s journey in saving passengers trapped in a submersible after escaping an attack from a prehistoric shark. Li Bingbing plays the role of his formidable ex-wife. The movie is directed by Jon Turteltaub and will be released worldwide in August.
Statham and Big Big made an appearance at the Shanghai International Film Festival to promote their latest film, The Meg, in the world’s second-largest film market. In an interview with THR before her appearance on the red carpet, Big Big discussed the making of the film, the future of Hollywood-China collaborations, and her thoughts on being one of the most famous stars in Chinese cinema for almost two decades. When asked about her interest in The Meg and why she decided to participate in the film, she shared her insights.
In 2015, I was initially approached about a role in the movie Meg, but I declined because I knew it would involve a lot of water shots, which didn’t appeal to me as a Chinese person who believes that cold is bad for our health. However, they persisted and asked me to reconsider with only two weeks left before filming began. Despite the challenge of learning my lines in English as a non-native speaker, I accepted the role and committed myself to daily practice in my room while others were out golfing and partying. Fortunately, filming took place in beautiful New Zealand, where walks and nature helped me relax. In the end, I felt proud to have accomplished something and enjoyed working with the director, Warner Bros., and my co-stars, all of whom were pleased with the film.
How was the experience of working with Jason Statham on set?
Jason Statham is a friendly and welcoming person. Initially, I was apprehensive when I first met him, as I anticipated him to be similar to his characters in films. However, during the rehearsal, he displayed such cuteness and kept repeating that he couldn’t perform these actions in Chinese. As a non-native speaker, I expressed my concerns about practicing more than usual since I was afraid of making him impatient. Nonetheless, he’s adorable and encourages me every step of the way.
What kind of roles are you currently interested in pursuing in your career? In my opinion, effective acting requires the ability to showcase a wide range of emotions. To truly become an actor, one must have experienced various situations and emotions in their life. I feel that I have had enough life experiences to portray characters with greater depth and complexity. Ideally, I would love to play a role in an independent film. Although I am uncertain about the specifics, I am drawn to characters with fascinating and dramatic stories, even if they are imperfect or flawed. Ultimately, I am searching for someone captivating and intriguing to portray.
One of the few actors to have experience working in both Chinese and Hollywood cinema, I am often asked about my impressions of these two industries and what they can learn from each other. From my perspective, the Hollywood film industry operates with a well-established system and highly efficient filmmaking processes, giving them an advantage through their extensive experience in the field. However, with the Chinese market growing at an unprecedented rate, our box office revenues surpassed those of the US last March, creating exciting opportunities for Chinese filmmakers. As the Chinese film market continues to expand, I believe that we will find ways to collaborate with Hollywood to produce more high-quality films.
Meg is an excellent example of how the Internet is rapidly growing in China. As a result, I believe it will revolutionize the way we produce movies. Chinese citizens can now easily access information and experience foreign cultures, so I anticipate that in the future we will see a plethora of films that blend Eastern and Western influences, telling stories that have never been seen before.
She has long been praised for her fashion sense. What current trends are inspiring you these days?
I don’t view myself as an icon or anything like that. To be honest, my personal style is all about comfort – whether it’s a t-shirt or yoga pants. I’m also interested in the fusion of fashion and cultural traditions. Recently, I collaborated with the Forbidden City in Beijing on a handbag design. My goal is to raise awareness for traditional Chinese culture and promote it for future generations. In addition, we were able to assist unemployed women through this project by donating a portion of the profits earned to the China Women’s Development Foundation (CWDF).
What is it like to be a famous individual in the most populous country in the world? Personally, I believe it depends on your own personal choices. You can choose to live a normal life and maintain your privacy, or you can choose to embrace your popularity and fame. For the last two decades, I have spent most of my time working and have had little to no private life. I never eat out, so I am unsure if this is a reflection of my personality or circumstances. However, I always feel that I have something incredibly important in my hands that I must complete.
I have been studying English without pause for quite some time now, as I am a very focused individual. But over the past 20 years, I must also apologize to myself for not paying attention to life. I placed too much pressure on myself and was always worried about the next task at hand. The natural beauty of New Zealand has helped me see things differently. While I plan to continue working hard, I also want to take a step back and enjoy things a bit more.
