Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee broke down barriers for Asian American representation in Hollywood with his renowned martial arts and his highly prolific acting career. He was not only a talented actor and martial artist, but a philosopher who developed his own martial arts style called Jeet Kune Do. He believed in the importance of self-expression and personal freedom, which he incorporated into his fighting style.

Lee was born in 1940 in San Francisco, California, but spent much of his childhood in Hong Kong, where he was exposed to the traditional Chinese martial arts that would become the foundation of his own fighting style. Lee’s father, Lee Hoi-Chuen, was a famous Cantonese opera singer based in Hong Kong, which resulted in Lee being immersed into the world of cinema at a very young age. As a child, Lee appeared in films that would cast him as juvenile delinquents or street urchins, which translated into his real life at the time. His parents sent him back to the United States shortly after he turned 18 due to his increased amount of street fighting and run-ins with the police.

Once in the United States, Lee studied philosophy and drama. He opened his own martial arts schools which was where he began to develop his own technique—jeet kune do, which blended ancient kung fu, fencing, boxing and philosophy. His career in film began when he later moved back to Hong Kong, as he starred in two films that broke box-office records throughout Asia. It wasn’t until 1971  that he found success in the United States with Tang shan da xiong (Fists of Fury) and Jung we men (The Chinese Connection). His iconic performances in “Enter the Dragon” and “The Way of the Dragon” established him as a master of his craft, with his unique blend of physicality and charisma captivating audiences worldwide.

Despite facing racism and discrimination during his time in the industry, Lee refused to be typecast and sought to portray complex, nuanced characters on screen. In doing so, he challenged stereotypes and paved the way for future generations of Asian American actors. Lee’s influence on pop culture can still be seen in everything today, from movies and TV shows to fashion and music. Lee was named to Time magazine’s list of the 100 most important people of the 20^th century after he passed away at the age of 32.