Yin Yang, a martial artist, is the perfect example of The Expendables 2 just creating fictional counterparts for the actors they cast. Li is a real-life Wushu champion who first gained recognition for his skills at age 8, when he performed with the Beijing Wushu Team, earning fifteen gold medals (and one silver) at the All China Games, despite often competing against adults. Li worked in martial arts movies in the early ’80s but didn’t first make a splash in American cinema until 1998, when he appeared in Lethal Weapon 4. Li and Expendables 2 costar Jason Statham worked together on two separate films over a couple of years—The One and War. He also has teamed with Jackie Chan a couple of memorable times. However, The Expendables marked Li’s return to acting after a yearlong hiatus. With the sequel now in theaters, it doesn’t seem like retirement is knocking permanently anytime soon.