Two Years Ago, Quentin Tarantino Did Not Hold Back When Joe Rogan Questioned the Controversial Bruce Lee Fight Sequence From His 2019 Blockbuster

Quentin Tarantino is well known for his dark aesthetics and unique non-linear storytelling, and stylized violence. The director found himself in the midst of controversy after the release of his 2019 film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The three-hour-long R-rated film ranked as Tarantino?s best opening weekend record.

Despite the film’s global commercial success, it provoked a controversy involving one particular scene. In an episode of the Joe Rogan Experience, the director spoke to Joe about the heated debate involving Mike Moh?s portrayal of legendary martial artist Bruce Lee.

Bruce Lee was a bit of a nuisance

According to Tarantino, Bruce Lee?s on-screen portrayal was quite justified. In the movie, Lee was portrayed in a negative light and his character was humiliated on account of comic relief. This led to backlash from his cult following, and even his own daughter. Although, the director remained unfazed.?

?I can understand his daughter having a problem with it, I get that. But anybody else? go s**k a d**k,? said Tarantino, speaking to the retired UFC pro. ?Even if you just look at it, it is obvious that Cliff (Brad Pitt) tricked him,? he continued, ?and Bruce realized that he got tricked.?

In the wake of the controversy, Lee’s daughter spoke to the media about how uncomfortable she felt watching the movie in the theatres as the audience laughed when her father was ridiculed on screen. Although this did not break the movie’s streak of earning a fortune at the box office.

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Tarantino further elucidated how difficult it was to work with the actor in reality. ?Bruce had nothing but disrespect for American stuntmen,? he stated, ?he was always tagging them.? He explained to Joe Rogan that tagging is a slang term for when an actor hits a stuntman for real.?They don?t like that, that?s unprofessional,? concluded Quentin.

Bruce Lee?s rise to fame and mysterious death

Bruce Lee, who was born in San Francisco, spent most of his formative years in Hong Kong. The American actor was renowned for carrying the martial arts film genre in modern Hollywood. He was in charge of making martial arts prevalent in movies in the 1970s.

After co-producing, directing, and starring in The Way of the Dragon in 1972, Bruce Lee quickly rose to stardom. He then worked on Enter the Dragon after that. It was the first collaboration between American and Hong Kong production companies. The 1973 film, which was a big hit all over the world, catapulted Lee to fame.

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Sadly, Lee passed unexpectedly just six days before the movie’s Hong Kong premiere. He passed away in a strange accident. Much to the speculation of fans and historians alike, the cause of death was officially listed as an allergic reaction to a headache medication. After his death, his movies gained a cult following. Bruce Lee became one of the biggest pop culture icons of the 20th century.