A career transformed
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Li Bingbing attends the New York premiere of Transformers: Age of Extinction at the Ziegfeld Theatre on June 25. |
She spoke with Bay often about her character's image while making the film. Li's studio even gave her character a new name, Su Yueming, because the original one didn't sound believable for a Chinese female CEO.
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Li wanted Su to appear courageous and resolute, so she took her ideas to Bay, who asked one of his friends, an Asian makeup artist, to work with her. They discussed every detail of her character's appearance, from her eyebrows, eyelashes to the color of her lipstick.
Li, a martial arts fan, performs kung fu in one of the movie's scenes shot in Hong Kong. Bay also asked her to perform in a motorcycle－racing scene, after he found out she was comfortable behind the wheel.
With appearances in international films such as Transformers, Chinese audiences have noticed that Li's English has improved greatly.
Like many other Chinese celebrities working in Hollywood, the language barrier was her biggest hurdle, but Li was determined to improve her English. Her secret is never being embarrassed, regardless of whether she makes a mistake.
In the beginning, her vocabulary was limited, but she used all of the words she knew. If Li couldn't understand what other people were saying, she studied harder.
In addition to improving her English while working overseas, Li says her experience in Hollywood has helped her grow as an actor.
Li said working with talented people like Bay has taught her that it's important to give your own opinions and suggestions to the director.
"In a Hollywood blockbuster, you can't just listen to others all the time like a puppet," Li told the Beijing News.
Li, who isn't married, says she's in no rush to leave her busy career and start a family.
"I'm not celibate. It's just that I haven't met my Mr Right. But getting married is not the final aim of my life, and I don't want to be kidnapped by traditional values," Li told the Beijing News.
"As long as I feel peaceful and unrestrained while getting along with myself, it's OK."
