Li Jun Li Explained

Li Jun Li
Birth Place:Shanghai, China
Nationality:American
Occupation:Actress
Years Active:2008–present

Li Jun Li is an American actress, known for her roles as Iris Chang in the ABC series Quantico, Rose Cooper in the Fox series The Exorcist, Jenny Wah in the Netflix series Wu Assassins and Lady Fay Zhu in the period drama Babylon (2022).

Early life

Li was born in Shanghai, China. Her father was a painter, and he moved the family to Bogotá, Colombia,[1] for work when Li was six years old. Three years later, they immigrated to New York City in the United States.

She graduated from Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School's dance program.[2] [3]

Career

Li had her first break in the acting world starring opposite Matthew Morrison in the Tony Award winning Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific (2008) at New York's Lincoln Center.[4] Following on from this early success, she won roles on a variety of TV shows and films including Blue Bloods (2010), Damages (2011), The Following (2013), Cédric Klapisch's Chinese Puzzle (2013) and Mistress (2014). Li expanded her visibility and presence on a global level by landing major television roles in Neil LaBute's Billy and Billie (2015) and Minority Report (2015) on Fox.

In 2016, Li was cast in the recurring role of FBI recruit Iris Chang on the ABC thriller series Quantico.[5] In the same year, she joined the NBC procedural Chicago P.D. in the fourth season.[6]

On July 26, 2017, it was announced by Deadline that Li would join as a series regular in the second season of the Fox television series The Exorcist as Rose Cooper.[7]

On January 15, 2019, it was announced that Li had been cast in the series regular role of Jenny Wah on the Netflix supernatural crime drama series Wu Assassins.[8] In December 2020, she was cast in Damien Chazelle's film Babylon, playing a role inspired by silent film actress Anna May Wong.[9] The film received polarizing reviews, though her performance attracted some praise.[10]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2013Chinese PuzzleNancy
2014Song OneJames Forester's journalist
data-sort-value="Humbling, The" The HumblingTracy
2015Front CoverMiao
Ricki and the FlashNail clerk
2021ConstructionTheresa
2022BabylonLady Fay ZhuNominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
2025Post-production
TBA [11] Post-production

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2010Live from Lincoln CenterLiatEpisode: "South Pacific"
2010Blue BloodsNickaEpisode: "After Hours"
2011Body of ProofMira LingEpisode: "Talking Heads"
2011One Life to LiveGothic Vegas chapel assistant1 episode
2011YasminEpisode: "Rispetto"
2011–2012DamagesMaggie HuangRecurring role (seasons 4, 5)
2012AmericanaEloise RussellTV film
2012Freestyle Love SupremeDanielleTV film
2012SmashStore clerkEpisode: "Enter Mr. DiMaggio"
2013data-sort-value="Following, The" The FollowingMeghan LeedsRecurring role (season 1)
2013Hatfields & McCoysCara QuoTV film
2013HostagesAttractive womanEpisode: "Truth and Consequences"
2014UnforgettableNatalieEpisode: "New Hundred"
2015One Bad ChoiceLisette LeeEpisode: "Meili Cady"
2015Minority ReportAkeelaMain role
2015–2016Billy and BillieDenise
2015Chicago P.D.Anna Tse Episode: "The Three Gs"
2016Chicago P.D.Julie Tay4 episodes
2016Chicago FireJulie Tay Episode: "The Hose or the Animal"
2016–2017QuanticoIris ChangRecurring role
2017BlindspotKaren SunRecurring role (season 2)
2017–2018data-sort-value="Exorcist, The" The ExorcistRose CooperMain role (season 2)
2018GoneDana ParkerEpisode: "Don't Go"
2019Wu AssassinsJenny WahMain role
2019Why Women KillAmy Grove 3 episodes
2019–2024EvilGrace LingRecurring role
2021–2023Sex/LifeFrancescaRecurring role
2023Based on a True StoryMichelleRecurring role
TBASpider-NoirTBAMain role[12]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Who is Li Jun-li, the Chinese-American actress in Babylon? . Umesh . Bhagchandani . December 24, 2022 . January 25, 2023 . SCMP.
  2. Web site: Why Did 'Wu Assassins' Actress Li Jun Li Swear Off Acting As A Kid?. Yu. Kaitlin. August 8, 2019. Character Media. February 4, 2020.
  3. Web site: CityViews: City's Arts High Schools Must Focus on Talent Rather Than Tests. Scaccia. Annamarya. October 28, 2016. City Limits. February 4, 2020.
  4. Web site: How Li Jun Li channeled Anna May Wong, Hollywood's first Asian American actress, in Damien Chazelle's Babylon . Insider . December 23, 2022 . December 23, 2022 . Yoonji . Han.
  5. Quantico: Jay Armstrong Johnson, Lenny Platt, Li Jun Li, joining as new recruits in mid-season. Li. Shirley. November 24, 2015. Entertainment Weekly. October 28, 2017.
  6. Web site: 'Chicago P.D.' Enlists 'Quantico' Grad for Season 4 (Exclusive). Stanhope. Kate. July 20, 2016. Deadline. October 28, 2017.
  7. Web site: 'The Exorcist' Adds Li Jun Li For Season 2. Petski. Denise. July 26, 2017. Deadline. October 28, 2017.
  8. News: Wu Assassins: Li Jun Li Cast In Netflix Martial Arts Series . Petski . Denise . January 15, 2019 . Deadline . January 15, 2019.
  9. September 7, 2022 . First Look: Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie Promise to Light Up 'Babylon' . September 7, 2022 . Vanity Fair . en-US.
  10. Ford . Rebecca . Babylon's Li Jun Li on Capturing Anna May Wong Onscreen . January 12, 2023 . Vanity Fair . December 16, 2022 . en-US.
  11. https://deadline.com/2024/03/ethan-embry-and-li-jun-li-to-star-alma-and-the-wolf-1235863762/amp/ Ethan Embry And Li Jun Li To Star In Republic Pictures Genre-Bender ‘Alma And The Wolf’
  12. Canfield . David . August 12, 2024 . Lamorne Morris Levels Up: 'I Want to Be Morgan Freeman' . limited . live . https://archive.ph/826tF . August 12, 2024 . August 13, 2024 . Vanity Fair.