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The 36-year-old actress was born Li Xue in Shandong Province. Not originally planning to enter the entertainment industry, she was trained in folk dance at the Beijing Dance Academy and once aspired to open a teahouse that would blend traditional performance with hospitality, according to the South China Morning Post.

Her career path shifted unexpectedly when she helped a friend shoot a short video while scouting locations for the business. With her delicate features and petite build, Li was noticed for her resemblance to established star Zhao Liying, which led to her first break as a body double.

In early roles, including the 2013 historical drama “The Palace,” she performed physically demanding scenes, often masked and uncredited, replicating Zhao’s movements in shots where the lead actress did not appear on camera.

Chinese actress Zhao Liying. Photo from Zhao’s Weibo

Despite working largely out of the spotlight, Li treated the experience as a foundation for her craft rather than a setback.

“I’m not afraid of people saying I resemble someone else,” she once said, as cited by 8days. “What I fear most is not performing each role well.”

Her breakthrough came in 2016, when producer Yu Zheng cast her as the lead in “Demon Girl” after an extensive search for new talent. The role, portraying a passionate and defiant character willing to risk everything for love, marked her arrival as a leading actress.

A year later, Li solidified her reputation with her portrayal of Huang Rong in the 2017 adaptation of “The Legend of the Condor Heroes.” Taking on a character long considered iconic, she won praise for delivering a fresh and nuanced performance that balanced intelligence with playful charm.

“She didn’t imitate, she reinvented,” one critic wrote at the time.

A significant turning point for Li came in 2019, when Zhao announced her pregnancy and temporarily stepped away from the spotlight. The shift created opportunities for emerging actresses capable of carrying major productions, and Li seized the moment, moving rapidly between film sets. Reports suggest she appeared in as many as 14 projects during that period.

Li has since maintained her momentum with a steady stream of roles. In 2022, she made a brief but memorable appearance in the hit fantasy drama “Love Between Fairy and Devil,” earning praise for her ethereal screen presence despite limited screen time.

Her recent trajectory shows no signs of slowing. In a 2025 interview with Lianhe Zaobaoproducer Yu praised Li for her “star quality.”

In the first three months of this year alone, two of her drama series have already aired, with six more projects reportedly awaiting release.