At just 28 years old, Brandon Lee saw his promising career cut short by a tragic accident on the set of a film. The crow. Son of action movie icon Bruce Lee, Brandon began following in his father’s footsteps and began acting in Hollywood productions.
In this article, we will cover Brandon’s short film career, his life, and his tragic, accidental death that changed the way Hollywood productions treat the use of guns.
Brandon Lee’s Family and Education
Brandon Lee was born on February 1, 1965 at East Oakland Hospital in California. The son of a movie star and a martial artist . He started learning martial arts from his father at an early age and even accompanied him on some shoots.
The family split their time between the United States and Hong Kong due to Bruce’s international career. At age nine, Brandon began training with Dan Inosanto, one of his father’s top students, but as a teenager, he faced an identity crisis that led him to temporarily abandon martial arts.
Brandon then moved to New York where he completed his studies and graduated with a degree in theater from Emerson College. During this time he participated in several theater productions.
Brandon Lee’s Career
Between 1985 and 1990, Brandon began to distinguish himself as an actor. He made his debut in the television film Kung Fu: The Movie (1986), although he was hesitant to pursue the martial arts genre that marked his father’s career. Also in 1986, he starred in his first film, Legacy of Rage, which was successful at Cannes and in Japan.
In 1993, Brandon landed the lead role in the film The Crow, based on a cult comic book. This would be the first major role of his career, cementing his rise in Hollywood.
In his short career, Brandon Lee has had 6 film credits, 5 of which were during his lifetime and one posthumous. Highlights include The Crow, as well as Gust of Fire, where he starred, and Japanese Quarter Massacre, with actor Dolph Lundgren.
The tragic accident during the filming of “The Crow”
On March 31, 1993, while filming The Crow, Brandon Lee was accidentally shot by his co-star Michael Massee. The scene depicted his character, Eric Draven, returning to his apartment to find his wife being attacked by thugs. Upon arrival, the thugs mercilessly shot him. However, after the recording, the team realized something was wrong when Lee did not get up.
Production paramedic Clyde Baisey quickly noticed the severity of the situation. Lee began to lose consciousness, even without visible signs of bleeding. The actor was taken to the hospital, but six hours after surgery he was pronounced dead due to severe internal bleeding.
What happened was that . The weapon, a Smith & Wesson Model 629 .44 Magnum revolver, was loaded with hastily made blank cartridges made by the team.
The team removed the gunpowder from the live rounds, but a fragment of one remained lodged in the barrel during an earlier scene. When Massae fired a blank, the fragment struck him with the force of a live round and fatally struck Lee in the abdomen. .
Film Conclusion and Legacy
After Brandon Lee’s death, his girlfriend Eliza Hutton and his mother supported the completion of The Crow, which was almost finished. Most of Brandon Lee’s scenes were already done, with only eight days left to go before the end of filming. To finish the film, a stunt double completed the missing scenes.
Fun fact: the stuntman was Chad Stahelski, who was just starting out and would later become the director of the John Wick franchise. This was one of the first instances of CGI being used to replace a deceased actor in a film production.
Rupert Sanders, who directed the 2024 adaptation of The Crow, decided to ban all real guns from the set. Instead, they used airsoft guns, deeming the cost “worth it” to ensure the safety and comfort of the cast and crew.
The Brandon Lee incident has brought about major changes in the film industry regarding the use of weapons on film sets. Tightening security measures and reducing the use of real weapons in filming have been one of the main actions to avoid further incidents.
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Source: Olhar Digital
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
