They Call Us Bruce - Episode 19: They Call Us Philip Ng

Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.



What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. Each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.

This week, we welcome actor Philip Ng, who stars as Bruce Lee in Birth of the Dragon. He talks about the premature controversy around the film -- it's not a biopic -- his approach to playing an icon, and some of the big differences between Hong Kong and Hollywood action.

Birth of the Dragon: "The Fight That Created The Legend"

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Set against the backdrop of 1960s San Francisco, Birth of the Dragon is a modern take on the classic movies that Bruce Lee was known for. It takes its inspiration from the epic and still controversial showdown between an up-and-coming Bruce Lee and kung fu master Wong Jack Man -- a battle that gave birth to a legend.

Before becoming a legendary icon, known to millions around the world, Bruce Lee was a driven young man working to establish himself as a top kung fu master. In 1964, everything changed for Lee when Wong Jack Man, a Northern Shaolin master from China, arrived in San Francisco and stepped forward to accept Lee's public challenge. Remarkably, the outcome of that ensuing confrontation was observed by only a handful of witnesses and, still hotly contested today, has taken on mythic proportions. But one thing appears certain: from that epic battle, Bruce Lee emerged as The Dragon -- the man who brought kung fu to the world.

Directed by George Nolfi, Birth of the Dragon is a lively imagining of that mythic fight. Philip Ng stars as the then unknown but irrepressibly talented Bruce Lee, and celebrated Chinese actor Xia Yu plays Wong Jack Man. The film also stars Billy Magnussen, Jingjing Qu, Jin Xing and Simon Yin.

Here's the trailer:

They Call Us Bruce - Episode 18: They Call Us Birth of the Dragon

Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.



What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. Each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.

This week, we got an early look at Birth of the Dragon, the upcoming action flick inspired by Bruce Lee's most famous fight. Our reaction will probably surprise you. We offer our takes on Bruceploitation, fan fiction, Some White Dude, and why this movie is absolutely not a biopic.

Bruce Lee Movie Stars a White Guy Because Of Course it Does

By Keith Chow. Cross-Posted from The Nerds of Color.



This morning, Deadline unveiled the first trailer for Birth of the Dragon, which recently made its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival. Ostensibly, the film depicts the legendary fight between Bruce Lee (played by Philip Ng) and Wong Jack Man (Yu Xia). But because this is Hollywood, the movie is going to be told from the perspective of a white dude.

Philip Ng cast as Bruce Lee in 'Birth of the Dragon'

Movie inspired by the story of Bruce Lee's most famous fight.



So there's this Bruce Lee movie that's been in the works for a while. Birth of a Dragon is a "biopic" of sorts, inspired by Lee's infamous Chinatown fight with Master Wong Jack Man. And now, the project has found its Bruce Lee. The legendary martial artist will be played by Hong Kong-born actor Philip Ng.

Philip Ng cast as Bruce Lee in Birth of the Dragon

According to Entertainment Weekly, Ng will play Lee, while Chinese actor Yu Xia will play rival Wong Jack Man. As legend has it, the two martial artists fought in a real-life confrontation in Oakland in 1965. Details about the duel -- including why they fought and who actually won -- have been debated for decades, but Lee's family credits the fight for sparking the development of the philosophy that would eventually become Jeet Kune Do.

Birth of the Dragon will be told from the perspective of Steve McKee. Wait, who the hell is that?

Director signs on for Bruce Lee biopic 'Birth of the Dragon'

Story of Bruce Lee's most famous fight will be told from the perspective of a young disciple



The Adjustment Bureau director George Nolfi has signed on to direct the Bruce Lee "biopic" Birth of the Dragon, an upcoming action movie inspired by one of the legendary martial artist's most infamous real-life fights. The story of the match is told from the perspective of Steve Macklin. Wait, who the hell is Steve Macklin?

Bruce Lee Biopic Draws 'Adjustment Bureau' Director

Birth of the Dragon is inspired by the true story of Lee's historic 1965 Oakland duel with kung fu master Wong Jack Man -- a fight that's already been fodder for considerable mythmaking over the years. According to Variety, this tale is told from the perspective of Steve Macklin, a fictional young disciple of Lee, who ultimately joins forces with Lee and Wong to battle a vicious band of Chinatown gangsters. Um, okay.