How well do you know Bruce Lee?
Bruce Lee brought martial arts to the world's cinemas. Six questions, from easy to hard, about the man behind the legend.
Did you know?
- Bruce Lee's famous advice to 'be water' comes from a 1971 interview, in which he described how water adapts to any container. The phrase has since been used by athletes, coaches and even protest movements to express flexibility.
- Lee's yellow jumpsuit from his final film, 'Game of Death', became iconic. Director Quentin Tarantino later paid homage to it with the costume worn in 'Kill Bill'.
- Lee appeared in around 20 films as a child in Hong Kong. His first screen role came when he was just a few months old, carried on camera by his father.
More than a movie star
Bruce Lee made only a few films as an adult star, and he died young in 1973. Yet he changed how martial arts were seen worldwide, broke stereotypes about Asian actors in Western films, and left behind a philosophy of training and self-expression that still inspires athletes and artists.
A philosophy of adaptation
Lee studied philosophy at the University of Washington in Seattle and combined Eastern and Western ideas in his teaching. He believed fighters should not be trapped by one style and should keep only what works for them. This approach anticipated modern mixed martial arts, and several MMA leaders have called him an important influence.
Breaking barriers in film
In the 1960s, Asian actors in Hollywood were often limited to small or stereotyped roles. Lee's success in Hong Kong films, then in 'Enter the Dragon', showed studios that audiences everywhere would follow an Asian leading man. His films created a worldwide boom in kung fu movies and martial arts schools.
Training obsession
Lee trained with great intensity, studying anatomy, nutrition and exercise science. He kept detailed notebooks on workouts, and his lean, muscular physique inspired bodybuilders and fitness trainers. Many of his training methods, including specialised equipment, were unusual for his time and influenced later generations.
A lasting legacy
Decades after his death, Bruce Lee remains one of the most recognisable faces in popular culture. Statues of him stand in Hong Kong and in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and his films are still screened worldwide. Video game characters, cartoons and action films regularly pay tribute to his style, and martial artists continue to study his writings, which were collected and published after his death.