Channel: Bruce Lee

Category: Film & Animation

Description: It's a new season of the Bruce Lee Podcast hosted by Shannon Lee. Shannon's third guest: The multi-talented Diana Lee Inosanto. Bruce Lee Podcast is also available at brucelee.com/podcast, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeart Radio and more. Flowing with Diana Lee Inosanto: My guest this week on the Bruce Lee Podcast has known me my whole life! Diana Lee Inosanto is a lifelong family friend and my father’s goddaughter. She is a martial artist, actress, director, writer, author, and producer. You may have seen her recently as Morgan Elsbeth in Disney’s The Mandalorian. For Diana, becoming part of the iconic Star Wars franchise seems like a dream, but it is very much the real-life culmination of 30 years of dedication and hard work as an actress, filmmaker, martial artist, former stuntwoman and now children’s book author of the book The Curious Mind of Sebastian. Diana also wrote, directed and starred in the film The Sensei. She continues to teach martial arts around the word with her husband Ron as well as fight for inclusion and social justice wherever she goes. She is a warrior woman who has certainly carved a unique and personal path in the world. Diana credits her success to having the good fortune of being raised in a charmed circle of renowned martial artists, actors and stunt-people who paved the way for so much of the excitement in today’s action filled media. Let’s listen to Diana share her warrior spirit with us as well as some great tips for staying safe on the streets for our AAPI communities and all vulnerable groups. Please welcome to the podcast, part of my extended family, Diana Lee Inosanto! Get to Know Diana: Diana joined the cast of The Mandalorian for the show’s second season as the Magistrate Morgan Elsbeth after doing most every job Hollywood has to offer, from stuntperson to director. But mostly, Diana credits her success to having the good fortune of being raised in a charmed circle of renowned martial artists, actors and stunt-people who paved the way for so much of the excitement in today’s action filled media. Diana Lee Inosanto is the daughter of martial arts legend, Dan and his wife Sue Inosanto. She is also the goddaughter of global icon, the late Bruce Lee (hence, Diana Lee). As an American actress, director, writer, martial artist, stuntwoman, and children’s book author, Diana paved a way in the Hollywood ecosystem that is unique, modern, and inclusive. Throughout her professional career in Hollywood, when it came to acting and directing, Diana discovered that the Hollywood system was not particularly inclusive. As a young mother of a son with Autism, the road was not easy. In time Diana met her future husband, Ron Balicki, a former deputy sheriff and renowned martial artist turned stuntman, action coordinator & choreographer in Hollywood. Throughout their years together, they formed MARS Action Group and would teach martial arts across the country and internationally. Over the years Diana became an activist for racial justice causes, including the recent participation in the nationwide Wash-the-Hate PSA, a campaign that would address the growing hate incidents against Asian Americans since the outbreak of Covid-19. She was asked to participate with other prominent Asian Americans in the film and fashion industry, speaking in front of a virtual panel for NIKE ‘s employees worldwide. In 2016, during President Obama’s administration, Diana was also a guest at the White House joining Asian American leaders and Influencers for the Filipino History Month, championing the Congressional Gold Medal Bill for WWII Filipino American Veterans. As a woman of many interests, Diana has now released a children’s book, teaming up with her adult Autistic son, an illustrator, S.G Inosanto and telling their story in The Curious Mind of Sebastian—an amusing tale about Diana as a young mom, curiously trying to understand the mysteries of Autism through her four-year-old son's quirky behavior. Sebastian’s inability to verbally express his love led Inosanto on an incredible journey to find out that love will always find a way to speak. In 2018, Diana joined Oscar winning producer, Mark Gordon (Saving Private Ryan) and Matt Jackson (Molly’s Game) in developing the story on her father Dan Inosanto’s work creating a secret training program for the 1977 Dallas Cowboys that helped them to win Super Bowl XII. Diana feels that her personal philosophy of life is best expressed by Dr. Mae Jemison, the first African American female astronaut: “Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations.” Connect with Diana: IG: @TheRealDianaLeeInosanto instagram.com/therealdianaleeinosanto/?hl=en The Curious Mind of Sebastian amazon.com/Curious-Mind-Sebastian-Diana-Inosanto/dp/B087R82LT5