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Some stories are worth telling, and some… well, they’re meant to be told in a way that sparks fire, controversy, and, quite frankly, a bit of a stir. But why does art sometimes paint a picture of our heroes that doesn’t quite match our own cherished view? Quentin Tarantino, a maestro of bold storytelling and cinematic flair, has often danced on the razor’s edge of controversy, and his portrayal of martial arts legend Bruce Lee in Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood offers no exception.
A still from Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood | Credit: Columbia PicturesQuentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood certainly had no shortage of buzz, but the depiction of Bruce Lee, portrayed by actor Mike Moh, ignited a firestorm. The scene, which featured Lee squaring off against Brad Pitt’s character, saw the martial arts legend painted as an arrogant, almost combative figure—a far cry from the revered, disciplined icon known for shaping modern martial arts.
Lee fans couldn’t have been more upset, slamming the portrayal as disrespectful and downright inaccurate. But here’s the thing about Tarantino: he’s never one to back down from his creative choices.
Quentin Tarantino defended Bruce Lee’s controversial portrayal in Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood
When it comes to his films, Quentin Tarantino stands tall, unshaken by the noise around him. If anyone thinks they can push him into a corner or make him say sorry for his bold choices, they’re in for a rude awakening. The man’s got a spine made of steel, and his artistic vision? Immoveable. He’s got no time for the naysayers—he’d rather turn up the volume on his own creative voice.
In the 2019 film, Bruce Lee, played by Mike Moh, isn’t the untouchable legend we know from his real-life legacy. Instead, he’s depicted as arrogant, cocky, and overconfident—especially in the now-infamous fight scene with Brad Pitt’s character, Cliff Booth.
To say that fans of Lee, as well as his daughter, weren’t happy would be an understatement. For many, this portrayal felt like a slap in the face to the man who revolutionized martial arts and shattered racial stereotypes in the process.
Mike Moh as Bruce Lee in Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood | Credit: Columbia PicturesBut Tarantino? He didn’t apologize. Not even a little. On the Joe Rogan Podcast, while discussing the novelization of his film, the director was blunt:
I can understand his daughter having a problem with it. It’s her f*cking father, alright, I get that. Everybody else: Go s*ck a d**k.
Tarantino explained that the fight was crafted to show that Cliff Booth—though a stuntman—was able to outwit Lee. Tarantino said:
He gives Bruce no resistance whatsoever and Bruce knocks Cliff on his a*s. But most of the time if a guy has a particular move and it looks like the other dude is a big mouth who can’t defend himself, they do the first move again a second time. But now Cliff knows what it is. He prepares for it and throws [Bruce’s] a*s into the car. He just tricked him.
To Tarantino, this was an intentional part of his narrative—a way to show Booth’s cunning and Lee’s vulnerability in that moment. But Shannon Lee, who has been vocal about how her father was represented, had some choice words for Tarantino’s comments.
Shannon Lee called out Quentin Tarantino: Frustration over misrepresentation of Bruce Lee
Brad Pitt and Mike Moh in a still from Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood | Credit: Columbia PicturesWhile Quentin Tarantino remains unapologetic for his creative choices, Shannon Lee, Bruce Lee’s daughter’s frustration, continues to simmer over the portrayal of her father as a brash, arrogant figure.
In an interview with South China Morning Post, Shannon Lee shared her deep disappointment with Tarantino for not reaching out to her after the film’s backlash.
It’s unfortunate because it has started this narrative in some places where some people are saying, ‘Oh, Bruce Lee was an a**hole.
According to Shannon, while Bruce Lee had his flaws—like anyone else—his true nature was that of a passionate, driven man, not a brash troublemaker. She was clear about what was wrong with the depiction:
Look, everybody can be an a**hole sometimes. I can be arrogant and angry in my life — is that something I would say I am like generally? No, my father was not generally like that. He was extremely passionate and driven.
Brad Pitt in Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood | Credit: Columbia PicturesShe also stressed that Bruce Lee was never the type of person to go around challenging people to fights, especially not after his teenage years.
My father worked extremely hard and directly toward the idea of authentic representation in Hollywood for an Asian man, so I don’t think he would’ve gone around beating up stunt people and that kind of stuff as a way of furthering his cause.
And while some, like martial arts star Donnie Yen, believe the 2019 film makes an “obvious statement” on Lee’s character, there’s no escaping the fact that the portrayal has become one of the film’s most talked-about moments. Yen told Variety:
Obviously, he was making fun of Bruce. It was cartoonish.
Was it a creative decision or a step too far? Whether you agree or disagree with his portrayal of Lee, it’s clear that Tarantino’s commitment to his art—no matter how controversial—has sparked one of the most intense debates in recent memory.
Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood is available to stream on Hulu.
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