It's hard to fill the shoes of a very iconic martial arts celebrity ever. But now, they have found the one to play Bruce Lee's part. Philip Ng will play Bruce Lee in Birth of the Dragon.
Philip Ng was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He then returned to Hong Kong in his earlier years to pursue a career in acting and martial arts choreography. He was well trained from his childhood to adult years in Karate, Jujitsu, Escrima, Boxing, Hung Gar Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do, and Kickboxing. Not only is he an accomplished martial artist and actor, he's also a great fight choreographer.
He is clearly the perfect guy to fill the role. Based on the 1960s movie, the character Wong will be played by Mainland Chinese Actor Yu Xia and Bridge of Spies actor Steve McKee will be played by Billy Magnussen.
The storyline is still sketchy but the movie is known to be an epic point on Lee's philosophy in fighting.
Principal photography is set to begin tomorrow, November 17, in Vancouver, British Columbia and it will be a Groundswell Productions film, Coming Soon said.
George Nolfi, director of the movie and known for his work in The Adjustment Bureau, claims that the film is a ".. rare opportunity to make an action film with rich characters based on real events and real people." The film is a story between the East and West and eventually transcending their differences of opinion.
The action movie will center around the fight between a young version of Lee and a Northern Shaolin Master named Wong Jack Man. The film was set in the 1960s and in Northern California.
Lee's family is planning a biopic in his memory. He died from cerebral edema in 1973, as posted in EW.
