Shadow and Bone is based on the bestselling Shadow and Bone trilogy by Leigh Bardugo and is headed to Netflix on April 23rd. While we wait and try to find some semblance of patience, (it’s really hard, ok) let’s introduce you to some of the talent behind the characters.
This deep dive is devoted to Jessie Mei Li, who was cast as Alina Starkov, the main character in Shadow and Bone.







Jessie Mei Li was born in Brighton, England, to an English mother and a Chinese father. She has worked with special needs children, and joined the National Youth Theatre in 2015.
Her first stage debut was in All About Eve, as Claudia Casswell alongside Lily James and Gillian Anderson, which hey, no small potatoes. Imagine acting with those legends in your first role!

Some of her other credits include mini-series Shortflix and Together, They Smoke. Her upcoming roles include Shadow and Bone, Last Night in Soho and Kukeri.
Jessie doesn’t have a lot of posts on Instagram, but you can find her here.
Here are some of the fan reactions for Jessie Mei Lei in Shadow and Bone:
Are you excited to see Jessie Mei Li as Alina Starkov? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
Shadow and Bone premieres April 23rd on Netflix.
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