The Academy Museum X Bruce Lee Foundation

Bruce Lee (1940–1973) left behind a legacy that transcends generations, genres, and cultures. Lee got his start acting in Hong Kong as a child and began martial arts training at age 13. His first US role, as Kato on the 1960s television show The Green Hornet (1966–67), combined his acting and fighting skills. Fame did not immediately follow. After struggling to find work in Hollywood, Lee returned to Hong Kong and went on to achieve international stardom for martial arts films including The Way of the Dragon (Meng long guo jiang, Hong Kong, 1972)—which he wrote, directed, and coproduced—and Enter the Dragon (Hong Kong/USA, 1973). Despite his untimely death at the age of 32, Lee remains one of the most iconic performers of all time.