A legacy may not always be carried forward. Stars like Bruce Lee, who died an untimely death, left behind a void among family and fans. And while he cut out a niche within action films, he might not have a successor for his fighting prowess.
In an interview with Bleach Report in 2011, Bruce Lee’s daughter, Shannon Lee, sat down to talk about some of the actor’s highs and lows. From movies to martial arts, Shannon reflected upon her father’s legacy and carried it forward. While the CEO of Bruce Lee Enterprises is doing her best to keep Bruce’s memories alive, there are some parts she couldn’t continue.
Shying away from the combat side of Bruce Lee
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Bruce Lee was the pioneer of mixing the art of combat with entertainment. The star choreographed fight sequences so well that people remember some of the iconic ones even today. He developed the martial arts philosophy of Jeet Kune Do – a technique that combined a form of kung fu with Lee’s Taoist philosophies. Consequently, both his children, Brandon and Shannon, received training under their father’s wing.
When Brandon began trudging the same road that his father did, his martial arts training came in handy. Sadly, when Bruce Lee passed away, a wave of grief swept over the family. Amidst the sadness, legal battles, and dealing with a lot of attention, both Brandon and Shannon crept away from their father’s passion.
Speaking about her interest in martial arts and watching fights, Shannon confessed something disheartening, “After my father died, my brother and I both sort of tended to shy away from the martial arts.? I don?t know why.? It just felt like a lot to continue after he was gone.” While Shannon continued to manage his estate and foundation, she nor her brother desired to continue martial arts.
Bruce Lee’s demise also brought some legal issues
When Bruce Lee passed away in 1973, a lot came crashing down on Linda Lee, Bruce’s wife. Not only was she a single mother of two, but she also faced some legal obstacles. Due to the untimely nature of the star’s death, he left his family without a will.
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Due to this, Linda spent seven long years trying to get back the rights to Bruce’s estate. She also had to deploy a legion of lawyers to negotiate with producer Raymond Chow – the man who discovered Bruce Lee. After constant visits to Hong Kong and a huge debt, the family finally gained the right to authorize Bruce’s estate documents.
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Despite the struggles and obstacles, Shannon maintains that it was all worth it. Being able to keep most of her father’s legacy up and running is something she continues to do. And fans are grateful for that.