We take a look at Liu’s rise to fame and why she’s perfect for the role.

Fairy Sister

Liu, who turns 32 in August this year, already has a portfolio filled with Chinese period dramas. Her ethereal looks in those productions have earned her the nickname “Fairy Sister”.

Rising star

Liu is dubbed as one of the New Four Dan Actresses alongside Yang Mi, Huang Shengyi and Wang Luodan. She has gained a strong fan base since joining showbiz in 2002 at the tender age of 15, starring in The Story of a Noble Family. One year later, veteran novelist Jin Yong, who’s known for his martial arts stories, cast Liu in the TV adaptation of his classic Demi Gods and Semi Devils.

Hollywood breakthrough

Liu made her Hollywood breakthrough with The Forbidden Kingdom (2008), starring alongside kung fu veterans Jackie Chan and Jet Li. The film, loosely built on the Chinese classic novel Journey to the West, was directed by Rob Minkoff. Liu was cast in another Hollywood blockbuster, Outcast , in 2014. She starred alongside Nicolas Cage and Hayden Christensen.

Action veteran

From Chinese Paladin (2005) to The Return of the Condor Heroes (2006), Liu is used to playing female leads in action-packed Chinese period dramas. In the 2017 film Once Upon a Time, Liu plays an immortal woman chasing a love from a past life.

All-round celebrity

Apart from being an actress, Liu also had a brief singing career. She signed with Sony Music Entertainment and was sent to Japan for a year-long singing and dancing training programme. She has released one Chinese album and a Japanese album.

Internet sensation

Liu has a strong fan following, with over 55 million fans on Weibo. Her relationship with K-drama star Song Seung-heon, which ended a year ago, was closely followed by fans and paparazzi. The couple met on the set of the romantic comedy, The Third Way of Love (2015), and started dating soon after.