‘Stressed’ Bruce Lee Once Lost 15% Of His Total Body Weight While Shooting an Iconic Film With Chuck Norris

Published 03/27/2023, 5:45 AM EDT

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Bruce Lee was the personification of strength, determination, and perseverance. Not only did he make martial arts popular across the globe, but he also came up with newer forms of the art. Starting as an avid traditional kung fu practitioner to perceiving the idea of Jeet Kune Do, Lee left no stone unturned. And this never-ending zeal differentiated him from everyone. Notably, Lee, known as a perfectionist, removed his sweat glands to look great in his last movie with Chuck Norris, Enter The Dragon. But that eventually caused dysfunction in his body.

However, after going through several tests and consultations with the doctors, Lee finally got clearance from his doctor and was ready to look forward to new assignments, until he met with other circumstances. 

Bruce Lee got indications of his upcoming problems

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As per Matthew Polly’s book, Bruce Lee: A Life, on May 10, 1973, Lee had a terrible seizure while dubbing for his big banner film. After undergoing quite an unsatisfactory consultation with doctors from Hong Kong, the martial artist chose to visit L.A. for a second opinion. However, doctors couldn’t identify the actual reason behind it. The Hong Kong doctors said it happened due to his use of hash, while the L.A. doctors didn’t know what caused the collapse.

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Apparently, Lee was suffering from a heat stroke. The hot and humid weather of China in May had caused that, and his removal of the sweat glands added more pain to it. Nevertheless, doctors couldn’t understand the high temperature, loss of consciousness, seizure, and most importantly his loss of body weight. Notably, the ‘dragon’ lost over 15% of his total body fat while shooting for the movie, which drained him mentally and physically.

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In fact, his friends could tell the visible difference in his body. He lost weight while training for Enter the Dragon and also looked pale. But as the L.A. doctors informed him that he still had the body of an 18-year-old, Lee was in leaps and bounds. He soon forgot all the health issues and called his friends to talk about the same.

Lee was ecstatic after the doctor’s review

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Lee merrily chatted with his brother and informed him, “You know what? The doctors tell me I have the body of an eighteen-year-old.” He was so happy that Lee invited Chuck Norris over lunch and told him the same, “I passed with flying colors,” When Norris asked what caused the seizure, the ‘ Little Phoenix’ lightly asserted, “He didn’t know. Probably overwork and stress.”

However, he was more excited about his next offers in hand, “They’re offering me blank checks for my next movie. Imagine it, I can fill in any amount I want if I’ll just sign with them.” But when he exclaimed, “You watch. I’m going to be the first Chinese film actor to become internationally famous.”, little did he know what was coming his way.

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Watch This Story – Relive the Iconic on-Screen Fights of the GOAT Bruce Lee From His Movie Collection

Within just two months of his first seizure, Lee faced another one (cerebral edema), and that, unfortunately, became the reason behind the end of the Little Phoenix.

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Written by:

Soumili Chatterjee

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Soumili Chatterjee is a US Sports author for EssentiallySports. She secured her bachelor’s and master's degree in English literature from the University of Calcutta. After being a technical and blog writer for nearly three years, it was her ardent love for sports that steered her career toward the sports industry.
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Edited by:

Simar Singh Wadhwa