Ang Lee, the Oscar-winning director of Brokeback Mountain and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, has revealed this week that he is finally beginning work on Bruce Lee, his long-gestating biopic about the martial arts legend, and has cast his own son in the lead role.

Mason Lee, 32, has apparently been training for three years already for the role of the “little dragon” in the project.

While relatively unknown to international audiences, the Taiwanese-American actor has played small roles in The Hangover Part II and Lucy, and has been nominated for two Golden Horse Awards (most recently for his role in Soi Cheang Pou-soi’s Hong Kong thriller Limbo), and previously worked for his father in 2016’s Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk.

This is not the first time an influential filmmaker has cast a family member in their projects, of course.

Legendary director John Huston not only earned his father an Academy Award after casting him in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, but then repeated the favour for his daughter Angelica Huston in Prizzi’s Honor.

Oliver Stone put his son Sean in numerous films, often as younger incarnations of the lead character.

Ang Lee’s son on playing people like him: ‘I am not an alpha male’

In light of Lee’s revelation this week, we recall five other examples of performers landing pivotal roles in major motion pictures directed by their own flesh and blood.

1. Sofia Coppola (The Godfather Part III)

Production had already begun on the third instalment of Francis Ford Coppola’s seminal mafia epic when actress Winona Ryder unexpectedly dropped out because of nervous exhaustion.

This forced the veteran director to push his own inexperienced 18-year-old into the pivotal role of Mary, Michael Corleone’s doomed daughter. Sofia’s performance was ravaged by critics, but she has since become a hugely respected filmmaker in her own right.

2. Maude and Iris Apatow (Knocked Up, Funny People, This is 40)

Judd Apatow is responsible for some of the most successful comedies of the past two decades, many of which star his wife, Leslie Mann, alongside the likes of Paul Rudd and Seth Rogen.

So why not use his daughters too? Maude and Iris appear in many of their father’s films, frequently stealing scenes from their more illustrious co-stars with their sharp-witted improvisational skills.

3. Harley Quinn Smith and Lily Rose Depp (Yoga Hosers)

Kevin Smith shot his debut movie Clerks in the convenience store where he worked, so he’s no stranger to cutting corners on set.

His daughter Harley Quinn had appeared in small cameos in a number of Smith’s films before he cast her, and good friend Johnny Depp’s daughter Lily Rose, as the leads in his 2016 horror comedy Yoga Hosers.

The results were terrible, but both actresses have since gone on to better things.

4. Scott Eastwood (Flags of Our Fathers, Gran Torino, Invictus)

It certainly doesn’t hurt that Eastwood, 36, is the spitting image of his old man, Clint, but before he landed high-profile roles in the Fast & Furious, Pacific Rim, and Suicide Squad franchises, Scott cut his teeth on a number of his father’s films.

Clint Eastwood is no stranger to keeping it in the family however, having also given screen time to his other children, Kyle, Alison, and Francesca, during his prolific career.

5. Timmy Hung (Slickers vs Killers, Don’t Give a Damn, Septet: The Story of Hong Kong)

Hong Kong actor Timmy Hung Tin-ming started out appearing in numerous films directed by, or starring, his father, martial arts legend Sammo Hung. He also served as assistant fight choreographer on the 1997 Jackie Chan action vehicle Mr. Nice Guy.

More recently, Hung played the strict martial arts instructor in Exercise, his father’s memorable contribution to the anthology film Septet: The Story of Hong Kong.Want more articles like this? Follow SCMP Film on Facebook

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