British actress Jessie Mei Li is one of the lead characters in the new Netflix sci-fi series ‘Shadow and Bone’, an adaptation of the popular fantasy books in which she gives a spirited, empathetic performance as Alina Starkov, a young woman with unique powers.
The show is receiving a positive response for being one of the best fantasy series ever. However, Mei Li has no plans to be famous.
“I don’t want to be famous. I don’t want to be a celebrity,” says Li in an interview with Hollywood Reporter. She added. “Whatever people say about me on the internet, good or bad, you’ve got to take it with a pinch of salt and think, ‘This is their interpretation of who I am.’ “
The actor has prepared for a month in Budapest for her role in the series.
“There’s something a little wild about it,” Li says of her character Alina’s movements. “It’s something that possibly, going forward, she will tame and refine.”
Li grew up watching martial arts movies with her dad and brother. She regrets that, in season one, Alina wasn’t too involved in the fight scenes but hopes that will change.
She would also enjoy pursuing a more action-oriented role in the future, perhaps something in the vein of a John Wick. “I’d love to do something very different from Shadow and Bone. A very different character,” says Li.