Revisiting Tarantino's Controversial Portrayal of Bruce Lee in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Summary

Bruce Lee's daughter reflects on Quentin Tarantino's controversial portrayal of her father in 2019's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Shannon Lee maintains that Tarantino's perception of her father is largely influenced by the interpretations of white men who did not truly comprehend him, reiterating the sentiments expressed when the film was initially released.

In the past, Tarantino has defended his depiction of Lee, asserting his conviction that the martial artist possessed a degree of arrogance on certain occasions.

Shannon Lee, the daughter of martial arts legend Bruce Lee, revisits Quentin Tarantino's controversial portrayal of her father in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The film, released in 2019, is Tarantino's tribute to the 1960s movie-making scene in Los Angeles, receiving positive reviews and achieving commercial success. However, one aspect of the film that continues to divide opinions is a scene in which Brad Pitt's character fights Lee, played by Mike Moh, on the set of The Green Hornet.

In a recent interview with The Telegraph, Lee shares her thoughts on the Bruce Lee portrayal in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, despite Tarantino defending his depiction. It is evident that Lee's perspective on the matter has not changed. Below is Lee's complete comment when asked about her opinion on why Tarantino chose to depict her father in that particular way.

"It's intriguing. I lack personal acquaintance with him. His grievances towards my father remain unknown to me. Evidently, he views my father favorably, given his significant borrowing from him. However, it seems that he has received unfavorable accounts from individuals who have interacted with my father.

They found him excessively self-assured or arrogant. In my own encounters, I must emphasize that these narratives predominantly originate from white men. Quentin might have been exposed to many of these accounts and has come to believe them. It appears that many people perceived my father as assertive or presumptuous, wouldn't you agree?"

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood's Bruce Lee Controversy Explained

Tarantino's 2019 film has garnered generally positive reception, but his portrayal of Lee as an arrogant show-off has not been well received. The revered figure from martial arts cinema makes only a few appearances, flaunting his skills to the crew on a film set before engaging in a heated fist fight with Booth. While Lee emerges victorious in one round and Booth triumphs in the next, the third round is abruptly interrupted, leaving the fight essentially at a standstill.

The scene received immediate backlash, including criticism from Lee's daughter who found it disrespectful and disheartening, although she recognized its role in the story to highlight Booth's physical prowess. Tarantino later defended the scene during a press junket, claiming that he based it on real evidence of Lee's occasional arrogance.

In a subsequent interview with Joe Rogan in 2021 to promote the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood novelization, Tarantino once again defended the portrayal while acknowledging Shannon Lee's perspective. Lee responded by writing a guest column in The Hollywood Reporter, expressing her disappointment in how her father's legacy had been shaped by the stories of white men who didn't truly understand him. The passionate debate surrounding this issue underscores the iconic status that Lee held in Hollywood.

Source: The Telegraph