Li Danning

Li Danning, born August 13, 1953 in China, had a father who once worked at the Beijing Film Studio. Detailed information about his early life is limited, but his family background was closely connected to the film and television industry.

Li began his acting career in 1978; his first film was The Story of Ba Ge (Part One), directed by Cheng Yin and starring Ma Changyu and Zhao Ziyue. That same year he began to gain visibility in the film world. On November 7, 1985, the film Wreaths Under the High Mountain, in which he appeared, was released. Directed by Xie Jin and featuring Lü Xiaohe and Tang Guoqiang, the film focuses on the inner lives of several main characters and the spirit of patriotism, reflecting social realities of the 1970s–80s. The film won the Best Screenplay Award at the 5th China Film Golden Rooster Awards and the Ministry of Culture’s 1984 First Prize for Excellent Films. In 1990 Li Danning returned to the screen in My September, directed by Yin Li and released in January 1990, starring Zhang Meng and Zhang Guoli. That film won the Best Children’s Film Award at the 11th China Film Golden Rooster Awards and the 1989–1990 Excellent Film Award from the Ministry of Radio, Film and Television.

Beyond his own acting work, Li Danning’s name has become increasingly associated with the accomplishments of his daughter, Li Xiaolu. In 1998 Li Xiaolu won the Best Actress award at the Taiwan Golden Horse Awards, becoming at the time the youngest actress to win that title. Li Danning was initially hesitant about his daughter entering show business, but an accidental opportunity changed his view: when Li Xiaolu was not yet three years old, a director from the August First Film Studio shooting a promotional short noticed her charm while she was playing in a courtyard and invited her to appear, and Li Danning then agreed to let his daughter enter the industry.

Li Danning’s wife is Zhang Weixin, an actress who won the “Most Beautiful Actress” award at the 25th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. She also served as Li Xiaolu’s agent. The couple welcomed their daughter Li Xiaolu in Beijing on September 30, 1981. Family members include his granddaughter Jia Yunxin, the daughter of Li Xiaolu and actor Jia Nailiang.

On the family front, in 2013 Li Xiaolu posted photos on Weibo celebrating her father’s 60th birthday and expressed deep affection for him. That same year Li Xiaolu starred in the film Time Lovers, and as an elder filmmaker Li Danning was full of expectation for his daughter’s performance. He went to the cinema on the film’s opening day, expressing pride in the new-generation director from the August First Film Studio and appreciation for his daughter’s work.

In recent years Li Danning and other family members have jointly participated in new business ventures. On June 29, 2022, Beijing Xinyuruilu Cultural Development Co., Ltd., a company jointly held by Li Xiaolu and Li Danning, was established. The company’s legal representative is Li Jingning, its registered capital is 1.18 million RMB, and its main businesses include film production, film and television production services, and copyright agency services.