Trivia

Growing up in Bruce's shadow wasn't always easy for the younger Lee. As a child, Brandon was about to sign up with a local martial-arts studio, until he noticed a large poster of his father on the wall. Brandon ran from the dojo in tears. As a teenager, he was kicked out of two different high-schools (once after an "altercation" with the vice-principal) and dropped out of a third. After giving up on high school, Lee took some time to clear his head and spent 1982 hitchhiking around the United States before giving high school one last shot by writing and passing a high school equivalency test.

Was Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski's original choice and source of inspiration for the character of Thomas "Neo" Anderson in The Matrix (1999).

The manner of his death is as follows: Michael Massee, the actor portraying Funboy, was required to fire a .44 magnum revolver loaded with blanks at Lee. The revolver had been inspected days earlier for a previously filmed scene in which it was not fired but needed to be seen loaded. Dummy rounds are used for this, which have a bullet, a spent primer, but no powder. One of the dummy rounds had a bullet, a live primer, and no powder. When test-fired, the primer propelled the bullet into the barrel, where it stopped. The gun was then rechecked, but no anomalies were found because the primer was now spent and the barrel was not inspected. Then, when filming the fateful scene days later, the same gun was used with blanks. Blanks are fully charged rounds with no bullets, but there was a bullet in the barrel. The blank round propelled it into Lee's abdomen just as if he had been shot with a live .44 magnum round. Michael Massee spent a year, devastated by what happened, deciding whether or not to return to acting.

Dedication at the end of Lee's last film, The Crow (1994), reads "For Brandon and Eliza (Hutton)".

Was first asked to play the role of Bruce Lee in his father's biopic. The role was later given to Jason Scott Lee.

There was already a sequel planned to Rapid Fire (1992) as part of a three picture deal with Fox, which was going to be called 'Simon Says'. Actress, Angela Bassett was originally slated to work with Lee in the sequel. However, Lee passed away in March of '93 & the script was rewritten into Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995).

He was a troubled youngster but an outstanding surrogate-parent. When his actress-sister Shannon Lee was arrested for underage-joyriding in their mom's car, Brandon sat Shannon down and gave her a classic "It's Okay To Have Fun But Don't Ever Take It Too Far" lecture. Indeed, Shannon claims that if Brandon had lived to see her wedding day, he would have walked her down the aisle.

He was offered the chance to play his dad in Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993). Understandably, he turned it down so he could star in The Crow (1994). The film was later dedicated to his memory.

In 1990, Lee happened to arrive to his Echo Park home, just as a burglar was robbing it. He chased the burglar around the house until the burglar grabbed a kitchen knife. Lee disarmed him by dislocating his shoulder, then breaking his arm, nose, and jaw. The burglar received two years in prison for breaking and entering and attempted robbery.

Son of Bruce Lee and Linda Lee Cadwell.

Was set to be married to Eliza Hutton in Ensenada, Mexico on April 17, 1993. For the wedding, the pair planned to take a bus load of guests (100 in total) over the border into Mexico, where they planned to marry at sunset on the walkway to the beach. They also had booked out an entire hotel in Rosarito for their guests.

Spoke Cantonese.

Was engaged to Eliza Hutton, prior to his death.

Stan Lee wanted to make a Shang Chi film or series with Lee in the title role and even met with Lee to discuss the project.

Brandon eventually started to study martial arts around the age of 19, and because he was naturally coordinated he was able to pick it up quickly. He studied at the Inosanto Academy with Dan Inosanto and picked up proficiency in Wing Chun, Shaolin Kung-Fu, Muay Thai and Jeet Kune Do, and while he enjoyed martial arts it was not his life's passion. Brandon studied martial arts because he kept being asked to do action films, but ultimately wanted to be a real actor and not be stuck in action roles.

Older brother of Shannon Lee.

His Chinese zodiac sign is the Dragon. He was born on the eve of Chinese New Year, just before the year of the dragon ended.

Interred at Lake View Cemetery, Seattle, Washington, USA.

Lived in Hong Kong for a couple of years as a little boy.

Brandon's father was of Chinese, and some European (usually described as German) descent. Brandon's mother, who is Caucasian, has English, Irish, Swedish, and Dutch ancestry. Brandon was born with blond hair, but as he aged, his hair color changed to brown.

Lee was very close with Lou Diamond Phillips, Miguel Ferrer, Jeff Imada, and Bill Allen.

Lee's favorite movies were Harold and Maude (1971), A Clockwork Orange (1971) and Last Tango in Paris (1972).

He had hoped to move on to more traditional dramatic roles rather than exclusively playing action roles, citing Mel Gibson's career as an example of the kind of balance he wanted to strike between action films and riskier parts.

He was trained in Jeet Kune Do, Yee Chun Tao, Wing Chun Kung Fu, Shaolin Kung Fu, Kali, Escrima and Muay Thai.

Nephew of Jan-Fai Lee

Grandson of actor Hoi-Chuen Lee.

Actor Miguel Ferrer was a close to Brandon and served as a pallbearer at his funeral.

Brandon loved nature and loved going camping with friends. From when he and his sister were young, their mother would take them on camping trips and he continued to love nature and camping into his adult years. As an adult, he would often take his motorcycle and go on solo camping trips.

Lorenzo's Oil (1992) was the last film Lee saw.

The apple never falls far from the tree: Brandon played the character "Jake Lo" in Rapid Fire (1992); his father Bruce Lee played the character "Billy Lo" in Game of Death (1978).

Lee's favorite book was "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" by Robert M. Pirsig.

Was born six days before his paternal grandfather, Lee Hoo-Chuen passed away at age 64.

John Lee Hancock wrote the first draft of The Little Things (2021) in 1993. Lee wanted a role in the film after reading the script just before he died.

His dream role was to play Eddie in the David Rabe play, "Hurlyburly".

Lee's friend, Miguel Ferrer, was in the band Seduction of the Innocent with Bill Mumy & mystery novelist Max Allan Collins. Seduction often performed in and around San Diego Comic-Con. Lee loved being around Seduction of the Innocent, and he played roadie for them at several gigs, and partied with them afterwards.

Brandon Lee was tragically killed on the set of The Crow, when a prop pistol accidentally shot him in the abdomen. Two decades earlier, Mel Novak who portrayed Stick the Assassin in Game of Death, shot Bruce Lee's character with a prop gun during a take.

Brandon Lee was killed by a wad from a blank pistol. In a scene from Bruce Lee's 1978 film, "Game of Death," a prop man handling out blanks to some actors says,"These are blanks....There's a wad of paper that comes out and can injure someone.".

He did a play called Fullfed Beast by John Lee Hancock in '89. In '91, along with Hancock, George Davis, and Bill Allen, the four founded the now-defunct Legal Aliens Theatre Company in Los Angeles.

Once dated Shannon Bradley-Colleary & Lisa Griffin.