Bruce Lee proudly rode the wave of success after his first film, The Big Boss, became a blockbuster in Hong Kong. Fans and media outlets could not stop appreciating the Little Phoenix’s heroic performance. After working in nearly 23 films since his childhood, it was Lee’s first film that had acclaimed massive recognition for his acting talent. It made the master realize that he had finally developed his X-factor as an actor after experiencing years of rejection, hard work, and perseverance. 

Lee’s biography, Bruce Lee: A Life, discusses the master’s growth as an actor ever since he began acting when he was three months old. Moreover, it contains anecdotes about the Little Phoenix, describing his happiness as he discovered his acting prowess. 

Bruce Lee could see himself making the best of his acting talent

Bruce Lee faced the camera first when he was an infant in the 1940s. Ever since then, he acted in several movies as a child artist in Hong Kong due to his father’s contact in the acting industry. However, when Lee attempted to make his name in Hollywood, he experienced several highs and lows. In the truest sense, the world recognized Lee as a lead actor when he did The Big Boss in Hong Kong in 1971. 

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Not just his fans, Lee himself realized the mettle of his acting. He once expressed to his friends after becoming a superstar, “I can feel it sort of bubbling and roaring up inside of me.” Lee also credited his experience while working in the crime drama Longstreet (1971) that he did before The Big Boss. Playing the role of a martial artist in the American series, Bruce Lee explained, “I had more confidence as I had just done Longstreet.”

His 25 years of journey as an actor taught him how to invest actions with emotions. Lee’s biography stated, “The transformation from the pleasant manservant Kato in The Green Hornet to a berserker in The Big Boss was dramatic.” After his last film The Orphan (1960), the Lo Wei directed film was the first film after 18 years where he played the lead role.

Years of struggles helped him deliver his career’s best acting performance in The Big Boss, making him acquire his X-factor as an actor. Moreover, filmmakers like Paul Heller, co-producer of Enter the Dragon, also recounted in Lee’s biography that the camera loved the master. He also described how, “Bruce’s energy, his raw talent, and his excitement all came through the camera and onto the screen.”

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Although Lee developed his uniqueness as an actor in the 1970s, it did not come to him so easily. He had to learn several lessons that shaped him into a fine actor. One such teaching moment took place on the sets of The Green Hornet. 

Bruce Lee explained his acting lesson that succeeded his role in Longstreet

 Bruce Lee’s performance in Longstreet (1971) is a forgotten wonder. However, when the series was released it played an important role in highlighting Lee as an actor. When asked how he managed to perform so well in the series, he recalled a lesson he had learned while working on The Green Hornet. 

He explained that while working in the 1966 series, Lee was only following instructions on the set; he was not being himself. At one point, he felt like a robot. So from the next day, he tried to add a part of himself to his performance. Eventually, he carried the same technique in the films that he did further. He didn’t need to copy anyone, he had his style! 

He told to Hong Kong Press “I am a personality and each role I play shares a bit of that personality, I think the successful ingredient in it [Longstreet] was because I was being Bruce Lee. I was free to express myself.”

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Indeed, Lee’s actual acting lesson was held on his film sets which eventually helped him to become one of the biggest global stars.