Ang Lee Family Tree: The Story Behind Life of Pi

Ang Lee, born 23 October 1954 in Chaozhou, Pingtung, Taiwan, is the Taiwanese-American director of Pushing Hands (1991), The Wedding Banquet (1993), Eat Drink Man Woman (1994), Sense and Sensibility (1995), The Ice Storm (1997), Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000 — 4 Oscars), Hulk (2003), Brokeback Mountain (2005 — Academy Award Best Director), Lust, Caution (2007), Life of Pi (2012 — Academy Award Best Director — 2nd), Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk (2016), Gemini Man (2019). Only Asian-American director with 2 Best Director Oscars.

The Family's Roots: A Chinese Refugee Family in Taiwan

Parents fled Mainland China during the Chinese Civil War.

His Parents

Father: Lee Sheng — principal of Tainan First Senior High School; fled Jiangxi, Mainland China 1949.

Mother: Yang Sze-ying — Chinese refugee.

His Wife: Jane Lin

Jane Lin, born 1954 — Taiwanese-American molecular biologist. Married Ang in 1983.

Their Sons

Haan Lee, born 1984 — actor.

Mason Lee, born 1990 — actor.

The Lee Family Tree at a Glance

Father: Lee Sheng — high school principal.

Mother: Yang Sze-ying.

Wife: Jane Lin (m. 1983) — molecular biologist.

Sons: Haan Lee (b. 1984); Mason Lee (b. 1990).

Ang Lee:

  • Born 23 October 1954, Pingtung, Taiwan
  • National Taiwan University of Arts (Theatre) 1975
  • University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; NYU Tisch (Film MFA)
  • 6-year hiatus at home while wife supported family
  • Pushing Hands (1991) — debut
  • Academy Award Best Director: 2006 (Brokeback Mountain), 2013 (Life of Pi)

What the Lee Family Story Teaches Us

A high-school-principal father who fled the Chinese Civil War. A molecular-biologist wife who supported him during 6 years of no work. Two actor sons. A career that produced the first Asian-American director's Academy Award and 2 Best Director Oscars.

For every family — large or small, famous or otherwise — the Ang Lee story carries the same lesson. Some marriages carry a filmmaker through 6 years of no work.

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