Jessie Mei Li And Ben Barnes Have A Close Connection Off-Screen Too

Let's start with the fact that Season 2 of "Shadow & Bone" is demonstrably darker than its predecessor. Where once the Darkling was peppering Alina with kisses, now we see him attempting to choke her. Given this dramatic shift, Ben Barnes explained that he and Jessie Mei Li had to trust each other on-set more than ever. "[Jessie is] my little sister, they're all my family, and I feel so affectionate and protective of all of this cast, but particularly Jessie," Barnes told Newsweek, adding that he and his co-star "built up a really good system" of communication.

Li took a similar stance and spoke with Cosmopolitan about how they and Barnes weren't afraid to push boundaries, given their established foundation of trust. "Luckily, we're such good friends, and there is so much trust there," the actor explained. "We're both so open to trying things. We worked with the stunt team and I said to Ben, 'Don't be afraid to make it look like you're really hurting me, because I'm in control here.'"

All that time spent working together and effectively communicating paid off. Apparently, Li knows Barnes better than anyone. In a Vanity Fair interview testing how well the cast of "Shadow & Bone" knew each other, Li was able to correctly answer all of Barnes' questions. Likewise, Barnes knew plenty about Li and their passions. Could the Darkling say as much?

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