Ang Lee

Ang Lee was born and raised in Pingtung, Taiwan. The date of his birth is October 23, 1954. Ang Lee is an independent producer, director and also screenwriter now. But long ago when he was young, he grew up educated in the Chinese classics. His mother, Lee Yangsi and his father, a scholar and school principal, were from mainland China and moved to Taiwan when there was the Chinese Civil War in 1949.

In 1978, Lee moved to the United States. Before he moved, he had studied in Taiwan Academy of Art Taipei in 1973. Then, five years later he had studied and received a BFA in theater from the University of Illinois. After that, he went on to New York to complete an MFA in film production, where he began his movie-making career. His thesis work at NYU, earned prizes and led to representation by the William Morris Agency, a famous talent and literary agency which later became Lee’s agent. However, the William Morris Agency didn’t bring Lee any opportunity to make any films in U.S. Lee was playing househusband to his two sons, Han Lee and Mason Lee, during this period. His wife, Jane Lin, a molecular biologist, provided the income for the family of two adults and two kids. With a lot of social pressure, Lee and his wife didn’t stop. His wife’s support meant Lee could continue to absorb new ideas from movies and he also wrote screenplays during that time. I personally think Ang Lee and his wife were tough people. They were great people who could manage their life with their totality of work.

Ang Lee’s filmography are Brokeback Mountain (2005), The Hulk (2003), Chosen (2001), Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), Ride with the Devil (1999), The Ice Storm (1997), Sense and Sensibility (1995), Eat Drink Man Woman (1994), The Wedding Banquet (1993) and Pushing Hands (1992).

All of his debuts were very full of excitement. He was making his directorial debut in 1992 with "Pushing Hands." Lee followed this film with 1993's "The Wedding Banquet," which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The film also received six Independent Spirit Award nominations and five Golden Horse Awards, including Best Film and Best Director.

Following this success, Lee ventured into the world of mainstream Hollywood filmmaking with "Sense and Sensibility" in 1995. This film made Ang Lee very succeessful person an that time. Lee next directed 1997's "The Ice Storm," adapted from Rick Moody's novel. Lee next tried his hand at Civil War drama with "Ride with the Devil" (1999), followed by the action film, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (2000). The release of this film to the American market received a surprising welcome. At the 2001 Golden Globes, Lee won two awards for his efforts, one for Best Director and the other for Best Foreign Film.

He continues to try new things such as Brokeback Mountain (2005), the forbidden love between two cowboys that received a the prestigious Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. He earned a second Golden Globe for his work on the controversial film and his first Academy Award, for Best Achievement in Directing.

Ang Lee is a great person. He can bring Eastern culture into Hollywood which was impossible when I looked at that. I am proud of his job, his life, his product of film. All of that was so exciting and different than other film. His spirit, his creative ideas and his low profile can make me and maybe other peopke follow these good things. I hope his hard work can beneficial in our world.