Li Xian (; born 19 October 1991) is a Chinese actor, known for his roles in the films Feng Shui (2012) and Who Sleeps My Bro (2016), as well as the TV dramas Tientsin Mystic (2017), Go Go Squid! (2019), Flourished Peony (2025) and In the Name of Blossom (2025). He ranked 19th on the 2020 Forbes China Celebrity 100 list.
Early life Li was born on 19 October 1991, in Xianning and grew up in Jingzhou, Hubei. He attended the Jingzhou Middle School. In 2009, he planned to study STEM in college, but failed the college entrance examination. He retook the exam and was admitted as an acting major at Beijing Film Academy in 2010. For the convenience of entry, he changed his given name from "晛" to "现", which means "present".
Career Li began his acting career with a minor role in Wong Jing's film Feng Shui (2012). He followed with a role in romantic teen film Singing When We're Young (2012). He made his small-screen debut in web series City of Fantasy (2014). He garnered attention for his role in the coming-of-age web series, Who Sleeps My Bro (2016), which he reprised in the eponymous feature film adapted from the web series. He then made an appearance in the music video for the song I Am Jiang Xiaobai by Zhang Qi and the music video for the song Medals by Lu Han. Li was cast in the esports romance film Love O2O (2016) and web series Medical Examiner Dr. Qin. Li had his first starring role in the thriller detective web series Tientsin Mystic. He then appeared in the film The Founding of an Army (2017).
Li's breakthrough role came in the esports romantic comedy television series, Go Go Squid! (2019), based on the web novel Stewed Squid with Honey. The series was the most-streamed series in 2019. Li earned his first nomination for the Huading Award for Best New Actor in 2019 for the role.
Li then starred in the costume drama Sword Dynasty (2019). In 2020, Li participated in the CCTV New Year's Gala, where he performed "Hello 2020". In the same year, he had three films out: The Enigma of Arrival, Love Song 1980 and Soul Snatcher. He also made a cameo in Leap, the Chinese entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards. In 2022, Li starred in the historical drama A Love Never Lost which, however, was pulled from the air soon after its premiere for unspecified reasons.
Personal life Li has listed Ha Jung-woo, Oguri Shun, and Ryan Gosling as his favorite actors.
Controversy
Homophobia Li's attitude towards the gay community has sparked controversy several times. In 2012, Li posted on Weibo, "I am not gay, and I am repulsed by homosexuality." In 2015, Li posted on Weibo, "First of all, I want to clarify that I am straight, my sexual orientation is normal, and all my friends know this. But on Weibo, I am unaccountably mistaken as gay. I don't know why [...] Every time I see comments on my Weibo, I feel embarrassed and helpless, and explaining doesn't help."
In October 2017, rumors emerged that Li was slated to star in the TV adaptation of the popular BL novel Silent Reading, sparking controversy due to his previous homophobic remarks. The author later denied the rumors. In 2020, Li starred in the film Soul Snatcher, based on a BL novel but stripped of its gay content due to censorship in China.
Filmography
Film Year English title Chinese title Role Notes 2012Feng Shui万箭穿心Ma Xiaobao2013Singing When We're Young 初恋未满Da Wei2016Who Sleeps My Bro 睡在我上铺的兄弟Xie XunLove O2O 微微一笑很倾城Yu Banshan2017Deadly Love玩命试爱Fang ZhibinThe Founding of an Army 建军大业Luo Ronghuan2018Nuts 奇葩朵朵Xu Zicong2019The Captain中国机长Luo XiaolinCameo2020The Enigma of Arrival 抵达之谜Xiao LongLeap 夺冠General Administration of Sport's directorCameoLove Song 1980 恋曲1980Liang ZhengwenSoul Snatcher赤狐书生Bai Shisan2021Schemes in Antiques古董局中局Yao Buran2023I Believe靠近我一点Yu Kefeng2024She's Got No Name酱园弄Zhang Baofu
Television series Year English title Chinese title Role Notes 2014City of Fantasy奇妙世纪A Liang2016Four Ladies翩翩冷少俏佳人Ding ZihuiWho Sleeps My Bro睡在我上铺的兄弟Xie XunMedical Examiner Dr. Qin 法医秦明Lin Tao 2017Rush to the Dead Summer 夏至未至Qing YunCameo Tientsin Mystic河神Guo Deyou2018Only Side by Side with You南方有乔木Chang JianxiongWomen in Shanghai 上海女子图鉴Chen XiaoweiCameo2019 Go Go Squid!亲爱的，热爱的Han Shangyan2019Sword Dynasty剑王朝Ding Ning2021Go Go Squid 2: Dt. Appledog's Time 我的时代，你的时代Han ShangyanCameo11 Left剩下的11个Chen Zhenyu / Fan Qiang / Yao Yi2023Meet Yourself去有风的地方Xie Zhiyao2024Shooting Stars群星闪耀时Xiang Yuansheng/Hua ZhenWill Love in Spring春色寄情人Chen Maidong2025Flourished Peony国色芳华Jiang Changyang/Sui ZhiA Love Never Lost人生若如初见Liang Xiang / Yu BuguIn the Name of Blossom锦绣芳华Jiang Changyang/Sui Zhi 2026A Prophet长风起Shangguan ChengmingA Touch of Green雾里青Meng Fuyuan
Short film 12 Years, we see it first (2013) Confess (2013) Interstellar Gift (2016) Somehow I love You (2020) 11Left (TBA)
Variety show The Theory of Relativity (2017)
Discography Year English title Chinese title Album Notes/2019 "Give to the Future" Go Go Squid! OST "A Glorious Future" Red Fox Scholar OST with Chen Linong 2020 "Hello 2020" 2020 CCTV Spring Festival with Zhu Yilong, Zhou Dongyu, Sandra Ma, Li Yi 2020 "Wuhan, How Are You" with Chang Shilei, Doudou, Zhu Yilong 2021 "Running Youth" 2021 CCTV Spring Festival with Dilraba, Chen Linong, Liu Haocun, The9, TNT
Awards and nominations
Li's role as Guo Deyou in Tientsin Mystic earned him a nomination for Best Web Drama Actor at The Actors of China Awards and a popularity award from Netease Awards In 2019, his role as Han Shangyan on Go Go Squid! earned him a nomination for Best Newcomer at the Huading Awards, and a nomination at for Best Actor (Emerald Category) at The Actors of China Awards. He won Quality Actor of the Year at the Tencent Video All Star Awards and popularity awards from Weibo Weibo TV Awards, and iQIYI All-Star Carnival. He has also been recognized by GQ's Men of the Year, Esquire's Man at His Best Awards, and the Film and TV Role Model Annual Ranking. He won Best Choice of Multi-Screen Communication for an Influential Actor. The Beijing News selected him as an Entertainment Person of the Year, and he earned a spot in Forbes China's 30 Under 30 list. He ranked 19th on Forbes China Celebrity 100 list.
References
External links
Li Li 's profile on Easy Entertainment
Li Li 's Instagram