Jessica Mei Li (born 27 August 1995) is an English actress. On television, she gained prominence through her role as Alina Starkov in the Netflix fantasy series Shadow and Bone (2021–2023). She has since starred in the Hulu series The Season (2026). Her films include Havoc (2025).
Early life and education Li was born in Brighton, East Sussex to an English mother and a Chinese father who was raised in Hong Kong. She grew up in Redhill, Surrey and has an older brother. Li attended Reigate College from 2010 to 2012 and began studying French and Spanish at the University of Sussex, but eventually dropped out. For nearly two years, Li worked as a teaching assistant for children with special needs at a secondary school.
Li joined the National Youth Theatre in 2015 and trained part-time at Identity School of Acting from 2016 to 2017.
Career Li made her professional stage debut in February 2019 playing the role of Claudia Casswell in All About Eve at Noël Coward Theatre, directed and adapted for the stage by Ivo van Hove, alongside Gillian Anderson and Lily James.
In October 2019, it was announced Li would star in the lead role of Alina Starkov in the 2021 Netflix series Shadow and Bone, an adaptation of Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse fantasy book series Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows. Li initially had reservations about auditioning for the character of Alina Starkov, whose ethnicity was changed from white to mixed race for the show, citing concerns about whether the change was being made due to a diversity quota. However, during the audition process, Li observed that the change in Starkov's ethnicity "wasn't just a diversity box ticker" and "was something to help build the world and to help build her character."
Li appeared as Lara Chung in Edgar Wright's 2021 film Last Night in Soho.
Personal life Li uses she/her and they/them pronouns, and identifies as gender nonconforming.
Li was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult.
Li has spoken on growing up with a lack of positive East Asian and biracial representation onscreen. Her conflict over her dual heritage was compounded when she began auditioning, where she noticed mixed-race roles would sometimes go to fully East Asian or white actors. In an April 2021 interview, Li emphasised the importance of nuanced portrayals of East Asians in media.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2018 Together, They Smoke Rose Shortflix 2019 All About Eve Claudia Casswell National Theatre Live Travelooper Kiera Short film 2021 Last Night in Soho Lara 2025 Havoc Ellie Cheung Netflix film 2026 Rain Catcher Yumi TBA Pork Scratchings Ericka Short film; upcoming
Television Year Title Role Notes 2018 Strangers 1 episode 2019 Locked Up Abroad Christina Jocko Docuseries; episode: "Panamania" 2021–2023 Shadow and Bone Alina Starkov Main role 2024 The Agency Rose 2 episodes 2026 The Season Coleen "Cola" Pierce Main role
Music video appearances Year Song Artist Notes 2018 "A Thousand Ringing Bells" Uri Sade 2021 "Three Weeks" James Humphrys Starred; co-directed; edited
Stage Year Title Role Notes 2019 All About Eve Claudia Casswell Noël Coward Theatre, London
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