Jason landed a part at his very first audition, as an illegal Asian immigrant trying to pass as a Chicano in the film Born in East LA, cast by Cheech Marin. Although his versatile looks landed him many roles after this, the number was limited. He says, "It can get boring, getting pigeonholed as ethnic or exotic because of how you look, but the gates are starting to open up a bit. Now, I'm getting offered the sorts of roles that used to go to Blacks or Italians." When asked if his distinctive looks have skewed his career, he says, "I don't think in that manner. I do films to progress in more of an emotional, intuitive state. I do things according to my feelings."
But no matter what role, Jason takes his preparation seriously, and his body is just part of the character's make-up. He'll even put on weight for a role. He says, "It's demanding to get into shape for a part. I have to train, and go running. I usually stay in pretty good shape by doing a little bit of martial arts and by going swimming, but I get really bored with working out, so I have to do things that are fun." Jason is not only a serious surfer and gymnast, he also practises Jeet Kune Do. "You don't get any belts. It's about your ability to gain as much self-knowledge as you can through practising it."
This spirituality helps him cope with the mania that often bedevils the movie industry. He also prefers herbs and healers over drugs and the fast lane. At home Jason is able to relax and get inspiration. He is thinking of becoming a herbalist, rather than directing or producing, as many other actors have done. Lee is aa keen gardener and grows a variety of tropical fruits. He won't give up acting for now, but he'd like to devote more time to the therapeutic arts. "It's a blessing to live in Hawaii, which is a very healing place - it has really heavy vibes."
Some parts Jason has played include a brief appearance as a Korean in "American Eyes", as a hoverboarder named Whitey in "Back to the Future Part II", a Vietnamese named Ha-Kuhn in the TV movie "Vestige of Honor", and as the lead Kyle in "Ghoulies 3: Ghoulies Go to College". He then landed the lead in the film "Map of the Human Heart" (1992) as an eskimo named Avik, starring opposite Anne Parillaud of "Nikita" fame. In this movie, he an Anne make love nude atop a giant hot air balloon, but he says that it was hardly the height of passion: "It was very cold," Lee says with a twinkle in his eye. "It was so cold my buttock cheeks were shaking!" However, it was this movie which brought him international arthouse acclaim, and most importantly the offer to play Bruce Lee in the movie that made him a star, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story. He was also spotted as perfect for Dragon while auditioning for "The Last of the Mohicans". The casting director had thought Jason too Asian to play a Mohican, but was impressed enough to recommend him to play as Bruce Lee.
At first, Jason wasn't sure he was right for the role. "I thought it was ridiculous, because he's way too big, he's a legend." Nevertheless he trained in Jeet Kune Do for seven weeks just for the screen test. It was tough, and when he got the part, he trained a further four months with former Bruce Lee student, Jerry Poteet. "I remember being on my knees weeping for days and wondering how I was going to pull this off. Bruce Lee was more gregarious and outspoken, I'm much more reserved." Lee (no relation to his screen persona) managed in the end to so master his stunts, he did most of his own in the film.
"That movie changed my life dramatically," he says, but he prefers to focus on the spiritual enlightenment it brought him, rather than thee career opportunities. "Dragon brought me an understanding of what the body is capable of. The kind of energy you can generate mentally and command your body to respond with is incredible. Personally, it helped me to challenge myself; I saw my limitations and was able to move past them. What hit me the hardest was the seeking, that Bruce Lee was a man who kept on searching. It was almost like there was a demon inside him that drove him to such levels of excellence."
Next, Jason starred in "Rapa Nui" in 1994 as Noro, a Polynesian prince of the long ear tribe. The movie, directed by Kevin Costner, was a disaster from the start to the end. Not only was the set plagued by problems, the movie was also a disappointment at the box office. "I worked for five months on "Rapa Nui", he says, "It seemed it would be a great guerilla adventure, but it was a nightmare, much more physically demanding than my starring stint in Dragon. It was the most difficult thing I've ever worked on. Nothing, I don't think, will ever come close to that. There were all the elements to deal with. It's a whole other ball game when you're running barefoot on razor-sharp rocks."
While standing on a plateau for one scene, the actor was swept into the ocean by a huge wave and suffered deep wounds, contusions and shock. The rugged terrain and the thunderstorms were part of the reason why the US$22 million movie went US$2 million over the budget and seven days over the schedule. Jason puts it as being more a stuntman's retreat than an actor's dream. "One thing I learned is that you have to have a good script. With "Rapa Nui", I agreed to do it before I even saw the script, which is definitely a no no, but I wanted the experience." One good point of Jason's is that he doesn't behave like a celebrity- no tantrums, no demands for ultra-expensive perks. He is a professional no matter how trying the work is.
Following this, Jason did his latest film, "The Jungle Book" (1994) by Rudyard Kipling as an Indian youth Mowgli. The show was another trying project. Most of the cast and crew got sick while on location in India, and Jason readily admits he didn't have time to prepare properly for the role, especially when it came to handling the animals. It was bad because one of the wolves had even bitten him on the chest while on location. Recalls Jason, "For the first couple of weeks, there was complete chaos. There are egos on all sets, even when it's subtle. Some people try to make changes in the scripts out of vanity or laziness, and often, the studio hovers over you, waiting to give you a slap on the wrist. You can't stress out. I think it really affects your immune system, for starters. Instead of getting uptight, I usually try to enjoy being on location, absorbing a new environment and a new culture. I love to act, but it is such a big hassle. The pace is torture. You work six days a week, sometimes, 12 to 18 hours a day. Especially if you are the lead. You have to fight for this, fight for that, and I'm getting tired of fighting. And I've just started! That's why I like to take time off, and do only one movie a year. If I'm not ready to work, then I don't work."
As much as he enjoys acting, he refuses to be consumed by it. His agents would like him to take on a new image, by taking on less minimalist roles, one that would require him to don Armani suits, for instance. He says with a grin, "It doesn't matter. I'll know what's right when the time comes. I believe there are people out there who would like to work with me, and eventually, they'll come around. I'm not in a hurry."
Soldier (1998) .... Caine
Talos the Mummy (1998) .... Riley
The Green Hornet (1998)
The Secret of Shih-Tan: The Hunger Series (1997)
Murder in Mind (1997) .... Holloway
Mallrats (1995) ... Brodie
Jungle Book, The (1994) .... Mowgli
Rapa Nui (1994) .... Noro
Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993) .... Bruce Lee
Map of the Human Heart (1992) .... Avik
Ghoulies 3: Ghoulies Go to College (1991) .... Kyle
Vestige of Honor (1990) (TV) .... Ha-Kuhn
The Lookalike (1990)
Back to the Future Part II (1989) .... Whitey
Born in East L.A. (1987) .... What's Happening Boys
American Eyes (1989)
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