Brandon Lee, the son of martial arts legend Bruce Lee and Linda Lee Cadwell, was born on February 1, 1965. He had a younger sister named Shannon Lee. In 1970-71, his family relocated to Hong Kong, where Brandon spent his early years and became fluent in Cantonese. He was already involved in learning martial arts from his father by the time he could walk.
As he grew up, Brandon attended high school in Los Angeles, where he discovered his passion for acting alongside his martial arts skills. Unfortunately, he was expelled from school in 1983 due to misbehavior, but he went on to receive his diploma from Miraleste High School. Brandon then pursued his interest in acting at Emerson College in Massachusetts, majoring in theatre.
He continued his education in acting at the Strasberg Academy, studying with Eric Morris in New York and Los Angeles, and Lynette Katselas' class in Los Angeles. Brandon's first professional acting job came at the age of 20, when he was cast in the CBS television film Kung Fu: The Movie (1986).
Lee's early film credits include Legacy of Rage (1986) and Showdown in Little Tokyo (1991). He also appeared in Rapid Fire (1992) and The Crow (1994). Notably, he turned down an offer to star in Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993).
Tragically, Brandon Lee died at the age of 28 while filming The Crow (1994). He was struck by a blank round that had become lodged in the barrel of a prop gun, which was fired without the knowledge or consent of the weapons coordinator. Despite desperate efforts by doctors, Lee was pronounced dead the next day. He was scheduled to marry Eliza Hutton on April 17, 1993, and his body was laid to rest beside his father's in Lake View Cemetery in Seattle.
