Jessie Mei Li was cast as the protagonist character, Alina Starkov, in the Netflix series Shadow and Bone, which is based on Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse fantasy book books Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows.
Li was initially hesitant to apply for the role of Alina Starkov because the character’s ethnicity had been changed from white to mixed race for the show. She was concerned that the change could just be the product of a diversity quota.
However, when Li continued through the audition process, she recognized that Starkov’s ethnicity change had a purpose other than diversity representation. It was meant to help to the show’s world-building and character development.
In Edgar Wright’s 2021 film Last Night in Soho, Li played Lara Chung. She has also spoken up about being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult.
Li has been outspoken about the dearth of positive representation for East Asians and mixed people on TV throughout her career.
Jessie Mei Li Age
How old is Jessie Mei Li? Jessie Mei Li is 27 years (born on 27 August 1995). When she auditioned, she realized that roles representing mixed-race folks were sometimes offered to actors who were entirely East Asian or white.
In an interview in April 2021, Li underlined the importance of depicting East Asians in the media in a balanced manner.