Why Did Bruce Lee’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Fight Scene Spark An Outrage? (Photo Credit – Prime Video)

Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood gave fans plenty to discuss, but one scene nearly derailed the conversation. The flashback fight between Brad Pitt’s stuntman Cliff Booth and Bruce Lee, played by Mike Moh, stirred major controversy. According to HuffPost, an early version of the scene would have humiliated Lee even further, showing him losing the fight outright.

The film became Tarantino’s biggest opening weekend hit and took liberties with Hollywood history. But while real-life figures like Sharon Tate and Steve McQueen got respectful portrayals, Lee – one of the most influential martial artists ever – was turned into a “bloviating a**,” as some critics put it. In the scene, Lee bragged that he could “cripple” Muhammad Ali, prompting Booth to mock him. The two squared off,...