- Shannon Lee questions Quentin Tarantino’s negative portrayal of her father, Bruce Lee, in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
- Shannon believes Tarantino’s depiction may have been influenced by false, racially-biased stories about her father’s character.
- She suggests Tarantino should either apologize, acknowledge the portrayal was fictional, or refrain from discussing it further.
Shannon Lee, daughter of legendary actor and martial artist Bruce Lee, remains puzzled by Quentin Tarantino’s portrayal of her father as an “a**hole” in his film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Shannon has previously spoken out against the film’s depiction of her father, leading to several exchanges between her and the acclaimed director.
In a recent interview with The Telegraph, Shannon wondered why Tarantino decided to portray her father negatively, especially considering he seems to be a fan of Bruce Lee. She believes Tarantino may have based his character on false, racially-biased stories told by white men about her father’s alleged arrogance.
Tarantino’s film featured a scene in which Brad Pitt’s character, Cliff Booth, challenges Bruce Lee (played by Mike Moh) on the set of The Green Hornet. Bruce is depicted as extremely arrogant, prompting Shannon to criticize the portrayal at the time. Tarantino defended his version, arguing that his Bruce Lee was a fictionalized character and acknowledging that the real Bruce Lee was “kind of an arrogant guy” based on his research.
Shannon later commented on the controversy, expressing disappointment that some people had started to view her father as an “a**hole” due to the film. She admitted that everyone can have negative moments, but insisted her father was generally not like that. She suggested that Tarantino should apologize, admit the portrayal was fictional, or simply stop talking about it.
Shannon is currently promoting her upcoming book, In My Own Process, which features her father’s letters, poetry, and family photos, along with contributions from filmmaker Ang Lee and others. The book will be released in April 2024.