Shannon Emery Lee Keasler(born April 19, 1969) is an Americanactress,businesswoman,singer,andmartial artist.She is the only living child of actor and martial artistBruce Leeand retired martial arts teacherLinda Lee Cadwell,and is the younger sister of actorBrandon Lee.Through Bruce Lee she is a granddaughter ofCantoneseoperasinger and film actorLee Hoi-chuen.[1]
Shannon Lee | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Lý hương ngưng | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Lee in 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Shannon Emery Lee April 19, 1969 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | Actress, businesswoman, martial artist | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years active | 1993–present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse |
Ian Keasler (m.1994) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parents |
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| Relatives |
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| Martial arts career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Style | Jeet Kune Do Taekwondo Wushu Kickbo xing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Teacher(s) | Richard Bustillo(Jeet Kune Do) Ted Wong(Jeet Kune Do) Tan Tao-liang(Taekwondo) Eric Chen (Wushu) Benny Urquidez(Kickbo xing) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Musical career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Also known as | Shan Shan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese | Lý hương ngưng | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Early life
editShannon was born on April 19, 1969, atUCLA Santa Monica Medical CenterinSanta Monica, California.[2]She is the youngest child and only daughter of martial arts film starBruce LeeandLinda Emery.In her youth she studiedJeet Kune Do,the martial art created by her father, underRichard Bustillo,one of her father's students.
Career
editIn 1993, Lee made a cameo appearance as a party singer performing "California Dreamin'",in her father's biopicDragon: The Bruce Lee Story.[3]This was followed by supporting roles in the filmsCage II(1994), withLou Ferrigno[4]andHigh Voltage(1998) withAntonio Sabato Jr.[5]
In 1998, Lee played her first leading role in the Hong Kong action filmEnter the Eagles,directed byCorey Yuen,co-starringMichael WongandAnita Yuen.In the film, Lee had a fight scene withBenny Urquidez,who went on to teach herkickbo xing.[6]That same year, sheguest-starredin an episode of the television seriesMartial LawalongsideSammo Hung.
In 2000, Lee sang a cover of "I'm in the Mood for Love"for the filmChina Strike Forcedirected byStanley Tong.[citation needed]
Lee appeared in the sci-fi television filmEpoch,which first aired on theSci Fi Channelin 2001. In 2003, she played the leading role in the action filmLessons For An Assassin.She was also the host of the first season of the television showWMAC Masters.
Lee sang on the bandMedicine's albumThe Mechanical Forces of Lovein 2003.[7]
Lee is president of theBruce Lee Foundation.[8]She was the executive producer of the 2008 television seriesThe Legend of Bruce Lee,based on her father's life, and the 2009 documentary filmHow Bruce Lee Changed the World.[9]
In 2015, Perfect Storm Entertainment and Shannon Lee announced that the seriesWarrior,based on an original idea byBruce Lee,would be produced and air onCinemax.FilmmakerJustin Linwas chosen to direct the series,[10][11]which debuted April 5, 2019.[11]
In 2023, Lee guest starred in Season 3, episode 6 ofWarrior,which marked her return to acting after 20 years.[12]
Personal life
editLee's husband is Ian Keasler. Their daughter's name is Wren Lee Keasler.[13]
Lee is the daughter ofBruce Lee,granddaughter ofLee Hoi-chuenandGrace Ho,sister ofBrandon Lee,and niece ofRobert Lee Jun-faiandPeter Lee Jung-sum.[citation needed]Lee's paternal great-grandfather was Ho Kom Tong, half-brother ofRobert Hotung.[14]
Martial arts
editIn her youth, Lee studiedJeet Kune Do,with her father's discipleRichard Bustillo,but did not practice it seriously until the late 1990s. To train for parts in action movies, she studied Jeet Kune Do withTed Wong.[6]
She studiedTaekwondounderTan Tao-liangAKA"Flash Legs" andWushuunder Eric Chen. She also studied under the tutelage of the director ofEnter the Eagles,Yuen De,Jackie Chan's Chinese opera brother. Because the filmEnter the Eagles(1998) required her to fightBenny Urquidez,Urquidez himself taught herkickbo xing.[6]
Filmography
edit| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1993 | Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story | Party Singer | |
| 1994 | Cage II | Milo | |
| 1997 | High Voltage | Jane Logan | |
| 1998 | Enter the Eagles | Mandy | Alternative title:Gwan Guen See Dam |
| Blade | Resident | ||
| 2001 | Lessons for an Assassin | Fiona | |
| 2002 | She, Me & Her | Paula Jemison | |
| 2020 | Be Water | Self | |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1995 | WMAC Masters | Host | 13 episodes |
| 1998 | Martial Law | Vanessa Feng | Episode: "Take Out" |
| 2001 | Epoch | Pamela | Television film |
| 2012 | I Am Bruce Lee | Executive producer, herself | Television documentary |
| 2023 | Warrior | Wen | Season 3, Episode 6 |
References
edit- ^"Lee, Bruce, (1940–1973) Martial Arts Master and Film Maker",HistoryLink.org. Retrieved January 1, 2011.
- ^"Lee, Bruce (1940-1973)".historylink.org.RetrievedJuly 20,2020.
- ^"AFI|Catalog".catalog.afi.RetrievedAugust 1,2021.
- ^"Cage 2: Arena of Death".TVGuide.RetrievedAugust 1,2021.
- ^"High Voltage".TVGuide.RetrievedAugust 1,2021.
- ^abcReid, Dr. Craig D. (1999)."Shannon Lee: Emerging From the Shadows of Bruce Lee, the Butterfly Spreads her Wings".Black Belt.37(10): 33.
- ^Abebe, Nitsuh (July 15, 2003)."Medicine: The Mechanical Forces of Love".Pitchfork.RetrievedDecember 23,2023.
- ^Bruce Lee Foundation website.Retrieved December 10, 2014.
- ^Bellafante, Ginia (May 15, 2009)."The Hagiography of the Dragon, a Continuing Saga".The New York Times.
- ^Andreeva, Nellie (May 21, 2015)."Cinemax Developing Bruce Lee-Inspired Crime Drama 'Warrior' From Justin Lin".
- ^abCecchini, Mike (August 22, 2018)."Warrior: First Teaser for Bruce Lee Inspired TV Series".Den of Geek.
- ^"Warrior Season 3 Just Unveiled the Ultimate Bruce Lee Easter Egg".July 20, 2023.
- ^"Shannon Lee & Daughter Wren Lee Keasler Wish Bruce Lee A Happy 80th!".YouTube. November 27, 2020.Archivedfrom the original on December 13, 2021.RetrievedAugust 17,2021.
- ^Russo, Charles (May 19, 2016)."Was Bruce Lee of English Descent?".Vice.RetrievedFebruary 16,2020.
Further reading
edit- Wolfe, April (September 6, 2016),"How Bruce Lee's Daughter Is Sharing His Philosophies With the Digital Generation",LA Weekly