Casting Call: Bruce Lee
In which we suggest who should star in the next big adaptation, remake, or historical film.
Actor and martial artistBruce Lee is a cult figure around the world. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Lee’s parents sent him to America after he was involved in a series of street fights as a teenager, While Lee began by teaching Kung Fu in Seattle, he quickly rose in the ranks and his teachings in Kung Fu grew rapidly. His reputation was marked by success stories, like the one-inch punch, and controversy, like his disgrace from the martial arts community for teaching Kung Fu to Westerners. Lee tried to pursue an acting career in Hollywood, but was unsuccessful. It wasn’t until he returned to Hong Kong that Lee became a film star. The Big Boss (1971) was an instant success, and Lee quickly went on to film other Cantonese blockbusters like Fist of Fury (1972) and Way of the Dragon (1972). At 32-years-old, Lee met his untimely death as he was working on Enter the Dragon.
Forty-two years after his death, however, Lee’s legacy continues. Earlier today, Shannon Lee, Bruce’s daughter, announced a biopic of his life is in the works in collaboration with Lawrence Grey and Janet Yang. While many documentary films have discussed Bruce Lee’s martial arts career, this biopic, Shannon explained in a press release, will dive into “his character and beliefs.” The production centers around an emphasis on both Chinese audiences and American audiences, and inspired by the idea, we have nominated a cast of East-meets-West talent to bring Bruce Lee’s legacy to life.
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