Li Jun Li may not have always felt like she was destined to become an actress, but life has an interesting way of always bringing people where they’re supposed to be. Since beginning her on-screen career in 2008, Li has become well-known to people all over the world for her acting chops. She has built up an impressive list of acting credits and she’s gotten to work with some very talented people along the way. Most people will recognize her from shows like Quantico and The Exorcist. Recently, she has also gotten a lot of attention for her role as Francesca in the hot new Netflix series Sex/Life. Continue reading for 10 things you didn’t know about Li Jun Li.
1. She Was Born In China
Li has lived in the United States for almost all of her life, but she was actually born in Shanghai, China. When she was six years old, she moved to Colombia with her parents after her father, who is a painter, got a new job. She moved to the United States when she was about nine.
2. She’s Been On Broadway
Li Jun Li’s movie and TV roles are what people typically know her for, but she’s also a very talented theater actress. She was in the Broadway production of South Pacific which served as her first big break as an actress. The musical has won several Tony Awards since its release.
3. She Loves To Travel
On top of having lived in three countries, Li Jun Li has traveled to many more. She loves to get out and explore the world and she appreciates learning about new cultures. Over the years, she has gotten to visit several beautiful places including Italy, Spain, Mexico, and Belize. No matter where she goes, she’s always drawn towards the beach.
4. She Is A Dancer
Li fell in love with performing even before she started taking acting seriously. She attended Fiorello LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts where she was a dance major. Although she never pursued dance professionally, it’s still something she enjoys doing for fun.
5. She’s A Pet Parent
From what we can tell, Li is single and does not have any children, but she’s already started her own family. She is a very proud dog mom and her fur baby Toto is her world. Not only is he the star of her Instagram profile, but he also has an account of his own. His bio reveals that he had open-heart surgery in 2018.
6. She Loves Comedy
Many of the roles Li has played over the years have been a little more on the serious side, but she would love to do more comedy. She told Character Media, “I actually love doing comedy. I don’t get that opportunity very often; I’m mostly seen for drama. I don’t know if it’s because of my face—I look very serious.”
7. She Didn’t Always Want To Be An Actress
After seeing the movie Miss Saigon when she was just a kid, Li totally wrote off the possibility of becoming an actress. She simply wasn’t interested. On top of that, Li’s parents hoped that she chose a more traditional career path. Eventually, however, she began to warm up to the idea.
8. She Enjoys Doing Yoga
Li loves to stay active and yoga is one of her favorite ways to do that. She loves to get outside and do yoga whenever she gets the chance. Not only is it the perfect opportunity for her to exercise her body, but physical activity also has lots of mental health benefits.
9. She’s A Big Lucy Liu Fan
Growing up, Li Jun Li didn’t see a lot of people on TV who looked like her. The first time she felt represented on screen was seeing Lucy Liu in Ally McBeal. In an interview with Deadline, Li said, “I thought she [Liu] was brilliant and hilarious, and her story of how she was cast inspired me — she originally read for a different role but David E. Kelley loved her so much, he wrote a part for her. When I had the opportunity to work with her two years ago, I jumped on it. She was the best. I never told her that though. I’m shy.
10. She Has Spoken Out Against Racism
Racial tension in the United States isn’t anything new, but over the last few years, a lot of people have gotten a painful reminder that we’re not actually living in a post-racial society. Li has made it a point to use her platform to raise awareness and help spread anti-racist messages and resources.
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