After conquering her homeland, award-winning Chinese actress Li Bing Bing is making waves in Hollywood. Her latest role sees her starring as Ada Wong in Resident Evil: Retribution, alongside Milla Jovovich and Michelle Rodriguez.

Li took some time to share her thoughts on her Hollywood learning curve and the extensive training she underwent for the film:

You have been in action movies like Detective Dee: Mystery of the Phantom Flame before, but Resident Evil: Retribution is your first Hollywood action movie. You received strict gun and wire training before shooting. Can you talk about the training process?

Li: I was told I would get training when I entered the team the first day. The training focused on gun shooting and wire-flying. When I played in Chinese period films, I was given similar training, so I am pretty familiar with wire-flying, horse-riding, and sword training.

But gun training was quite new to me. I was excited when I started training. There was a silver handmade hook gun that looked dazzling. It looks very light, but when I held it, it weighed at least five kilograms!

Although it didn’t take much strength to hold a gun, firing a gun takes more strength than just to hold it. When you shoot a gun, the pressure from the bullet shoots back at you, so holding it still is very difficult. This was especially difficult to do on camera. Luckily, I've been working out! 

In between scenes, I would go to the back parking lot to practice shooting without blinking but no matter how many times I practiced, I always blinked once or twice. The gun coach said that it was normal. He said that it was difficult even for people with ten years of gun experience to not blink when they shoot.

After the intensive training, how did you feel when you first shot a gun?

Li: When I first shot a gun for the first time, I was quite shocked. The sound was even louder than firecrackers!! The sand and smoke flew into my eyes. I had to try not to blink, which was very hard because it violated physical instincts.

Fortunately when it was my turn to shoot on camera, I shot the gun twice in a row without blinking! Suddenly, I did not feel nervous anymore. The gun coach said it was because I got used to the sound, that's why my own gunshot no longer scared me. Paul said: “you look like a real killer.”

Did Milla Jovovich use the same gun as you?

Li: When I saw Milla holding a gun twice as big as mine, and she looked so relaxed, I was amazed at her strength. Milla and I used different guns but there's one time in the movie, after she escapes, I use her machine guns to shoot my way out of a building.  

That was the most adrenaline-pumping experience I've ever had. The power of the guns shooting was enough to almost lift me off the floor!

When the film was shot in Toronto, the temperature was zero degrees Celsius and it was snowing. However, you had to wear a thin red cheongsam and a wig worth 7500 US dollars. Can you talk about your costume and style?

Li: On the first day of shooting, we shot an outdoor scene. My costume was very thin, which made me freeze! The printed cheongsam with one thigh-high slit is made by combining oriental and western elements; the top of the dress is Western and the bottom is Chinese. The dress was actually dyed red. The costume designer specially made several ones, in order to meets the functions of the action and gun scenes, as well as showing the curves of my legs.

I had to wear a very tight traditional corset underneath, which made it difficult to breathe. Also, I couldn’t eat much wearing this dress. It was certainly not easy to bend down to put on my shoes. It took me at least two hours to get make up done, put on the dress, wig and gun holster and clip on the microphone!

From Snow Flower and the Secret Fan to Resident Evil: Retribution, you’re gradually making your way in Hollywood. How has working in Hollywood impacted your career?

Li: It was very sudden for me actually. I got a call saying that they wanted to hear me say some lines for Resident Evil: Retribution. A couple days later, they called and said they wanted me!

I believe that opportunity belongs to someone who’s ready, I just tried my best and if Fate thought it was my time, I would get it.

The biggest impact participating in a Hollywood movie has on me is that it’s an opportunity to learn new things. I learned how Hollywood movies organise their time and their budgets, and I learned how to shoot in 3D. But most of all, it was a great opportunity for me to practice my English!

Can you talk about the collaboration with Milla Jovovich?

Li: Milla has a four-year old daughter, Ever, with Paul. Milla is such a great mother who always has Ever on her mind. We saw each other in Cannes this year and Ever was right by her side.

Sometimes, she would push me to find a husband, just like my mother, because she thinks it’s so wonderful to have a child.  But I believe in fate. I spend most of my time working. I think time is absolutely fair to everyone. When it's time for things to happen, they will happen for everyone.

Resident Evil: Retribution opens in cinemas in South Africa on Fri, 14 Sep.