Ang Lee cast son Mason Lee as Bruce Lee: 5 other times directors cast their kids in their movies, from Sofia Coppola to Clint Eastwood’s children
- Ang Lee has cast his actor son Mason in the title role of his biopic Bruce Lee, the director revealed. It’s a casting practice more common than you might think
- From Clint Eastwood to Francis Ford Coppola and Sammo Hung, we recall five other directors who have cast their children in their movies
Ang Lee, the Oscar-winning director of Brokeback Mountain and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, has revealed this week that he is finally beginning work on Bruce Lee, his long-gestating biopic about the martial arts legend, and has cast his own son in the lead role.
Mason Lee, 32, has apparently been training for three years already for the role of the “little dragon” in the project.
This is not the first time an influential filmmaker has cast a family member in their projects, of course.
Legendary director John Huston not only earned his father an Academy Award after casting him in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, but then repeated the favour for his daughter Angelica Huston in Prizzi’s Honor.
Oliver Stone put his son Sean in numerous films, often as younger incarnations of the lead character.
Ang Lee’s son on playing people like him: ‘I am not an alpha male’
In light of Lee’s revelation this week, we recall five other examples of performers landing pivotal roles in major motion pictures directed by their own flesh and blood.
1. Sofia Coppola (The Godfather Part III)
Production had already begun on the third instalment of Francis Ford Coppola’s seminal mafia epic when actress Winona Ryder unexpectedly dropped out because of nervous exhaustion.
2. Maude and Iris Apatow (Knocked Up, Funny People, This is 40)
Judd Apatow is responsible for some of the most successful comedies of the past two decades, many of which star his wife, Leslie Mann, alongside the likes of Paul Rudd and Seth Rogen.
So why not use his daughters too? Maude and Iris appear in many of their father’s films, frequently stealing scenes from their more illustrious co-stars with their sharp-witted improvisational skills.
3. Harley Quinn Smith and Lily Rose Depp (Yoga Hosers)
Kevin Smith shot his debut movie Clerks in the convenience store where he worked, so he’s no stranger to cutting corners on set.
His daughter Harley Quinn had appeared in small cameos in a number of Smith’s films before he cast her, and good friend Johnny Depp’s daughter Lily Rose, as the leads in his 2016 horror comedy Yoga Hosers.
The results were terrible, but both actresses have since gone on to better things.
4. Scott Eastwood (Flags of Our Fathers, Gran Torino, Invictus)
Clint Eastwood is no stranger to keeping it in the family however, having also given screen time to his other children, Kyle, Alison, and Francesca, during his prolific career.
5. Timmy Hung (Slickers vs Killers, Don’t Give a Damn, Septet: The Story of Hong Kong)
Hong Kong actor Timmy Hung Tin-ming started out appearing in numerous films directed by, or starring, his father, martial arts legend Sammo Hung. He also served as assistant fight choreographer on the 1997 Jackie Chan action vehicle Mr. Nice Guy.