Shannon Lee

Biography

Shannon Emery Lee Keasler is an American actress, producer, martial artist, businesswoman. She is the daughter of legendary martial artist Bruce Lee.

She has appeared in movies such as Blade(1998), Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story(1993), High Voltage(1998) among others. She has produced many works on her Father Bruce Lee, such as: I Am Bruce Lee (2012), How Bruce Lee Changed the World (2009), The Legend of Bruce Lee (2009), The Bruce Lee Project among others.

Childhood- Family

Shannon Lee was born on April 19, 1969 in Los Angeles, California to Linda Lee Cadwell (Linda C. Emery) (Mother) a teacher & Bruce Lee (Father), a martial artist and actor. Her name Lee Heung Yee in Cantonese means Fragrant piece of ice.

Father- Bruce Lee

Image: Shannon Lee with father Bruce Lee

She was just 4 year old when her father died in July of 1973. She has practiced and followed martial arts in her father's (and brother's) footsteps. 

Bruce Lee has been the biggest influence on her for Life. Her work is largely inspired by the works and personality of her father. She founded Bruce Lee Foundation along with her mother, with the vision to incite positive changes at the individual, community and global level programs, exhibits and social initiatives. She manages the popular, Bruce Lee's official page on instagram.

Her paternal grandfather Lee Hoi-chuen was a Cantonese singer, Grace Ho was her paternal grandmother , Peter Lee Jung-sum (assistant director) and Robert Lee Jun-fai (musician) are her paternal uncles, Agnes Lee and Phoebe Lee are her paternal aunts.

Paternal great-grandfather Ho Kom-Tong, was a Chinese philanthropist. Businessman and philanthropist Sir Robert Ho Tung was her great grand uncle

Image: Shannon Lee Family: father Bruce Lee, brother Brandon, mother Linda

Brother- Brandon Lee

[Shannon Lee with brother Brandon Lee and Mom Linda]

She has an elder brother named Brandon Lee (born 1965), he was a martial artist and actor too. He has acted in martial arts movies such as Legacy of Rage(1986), Laser Mission(1989), Showdown in Little Tokyo(1991), Rapid Fire(1992) and The Crow(1994)

He died in 1993 while shooting for the movie The Crow. He was killed accidentally during the shooting. He was fired upon with dummies during the shooting, unfortunately, some gun powder residue from the previous actual firings, and the gun malfunctioning casued real shooting. He collapsed on being shot and didn't recover, at first the crew didn't realize he was not acting. He couldn't be saved even as he was taken to the hospital.

Martial Arts

Shannon is a trained martial artist herself, she trained in the martial art system 'Jeet Kune Do', a system invented and popularized by her father Bruce Lee. She was trained under Richard Bustillo, a student of Bruce Lee.

She has been trained under various teachers in various martial arts forms like Jeet Kune Do(invented by her father, taught by her father's student Richard Bustillo, later with Ted Wong), Taekwondo(under Tan Tao-liang), Wushu (under Eric Chen), kickboxing (under Benny Urquidez, whom she fought in Enter the Eagles(1998)) among others.

Leeway Media

She runs a website and youtube channel, where she produces inspirational content inspired her father's philosophy on life. 

Education

• The Chadwick School (1987)
• B.F.A, Major in Music, Tulane University

Marriage- Husband

Anthony Ian Keasler

Shannon & Ian Keasler started seeing each other in August 1988, they got married on August 22, 1994. Keasler is an advocate by profession. 

They have a daughter Wren Lee Keasler born in 2003.

[Shannon Lee with daughter Wren]

Career

Shannon started her career in movies with the movie Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story(1993) it was a biopic based on life of her father Bruce Lee.

Enter the Eagles(1998) was the most popular among her movies, her TV debut was while hosting WMAC Masters(1995). 

Some of the movies Shannon has appeared in are: Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story(1993), Cage II(1994), High Voltage(1997), Enter the Eagles(1998), Blade(1998), Lessons for an Assassin(2001), She, Me and Her(2002).

Some of the TV series or shows she has been part of are: WMAC Masters(1995), Martial Law(1998).

She has also been part of TV movies like- Epoch(2000), I Am Bruce Lee(2012).

Shannon Lee Interview

Interesting Facts

• From Maternal side she is of German, Swedish descent. From her father's side- Chinese
• She is the CEO of 'Bruce Lee Enterprises'. She holds the rights over her father's works.
• She is a self-admitted lazy person for a martial artist.
• Bruce Lee Foundation: She overlooks affairs at Bruce Lee Foundation, founded to raise awareness about the philosophy of her father Bruce Lee. The mission statement reads 'encouraging people to strive for honest self-expression in alignment with their mind, body, and spirit.' They also provide financial assistance to the needy.
• She is the executive producer for LeeWay Productions.
• Shannon manages the official Facebook fan page of her father.
• She was 4 year old when her father died.
• She moved to United States from Hong Kong after her father died.
• After the accidental death of her brother she gave up acting.
• Her Chinese zodiac Sign: Rooster.

Filmography

Movies

Series

Sources

1. Shannon Lee on wikipedia
2.