#303 Flowing with Diana Lee Inosanto
Shannon’s guest this week on the Bruce Lee Podcast has known Shannon her whole life! Diana Lee Inosanto is a lifelong family friend and Bruce Lee’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 Shannon’s extended family, Diana Lee Inosanto!
Get to know Diana Lee Inosanto
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.
In 1974, one year after the death of her godfather (Bruce Lee), Diana’s father established a martial arts school, named the Filipino Kali Academy of Torrance, California with his partner, Richard Bustillo—a man that would become Diana’s second godfather. Growing up in the academy she was exposed to a mix of Asian & European weaponry and empty hand systems, and Filipino Martial Artsall grounded in the philosophy of Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do. Over the years Diana’s fierce commitment to the study of martial arts brought her to Western boxing, Thai Boxing (Muay Thai), Indonesian Silat, French Savate, Shoot Wrestling, European Swordplay and Wu Shu.
When it came to the Theater Arts, Diana began learning dance as a child under the encouragement of her mother, and Drama under the guidance of her aunt, Asian American actress, Lilia Inosanto (also known as Lona Nai). Upon graduation, her Aunt Lilia guided Diana to study with famed Broadway casting director and acting teacher, the late Michael Shurtleff. Years later, she would go on to study with Asian American character actor, Tzi Ma through East West Players’ workshops and joined the Lodestone Theater Ensemble, continuing to grow as an actress, participating in everything from Shakespeare to contemporary plays. Diana furthered her training in the Michael Chekhov method with Lisa Dalton and got the basics of Improv at Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) Training Center under Johnny Ray Meeks.
Diana was also a fight and stunt choreographer for several stage productions. This would pave a road for years to come with Diana becoming a “Sensei to the Stars,” preparing the who’s who in Hollywood for their action roles. Stars like Melissa McCarthy (Spy), Rosa Salazar (Alita:Battle Angel), Lesley-Ann Brandt (Lucifer), Katherine McNamara (Shadowhunters) and Aaron Eckhart & Socratis Otto (I, Frankenstein) were some of the performers under her tutelage.
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.
After being spotted demonstrating a fight scene with Ron Balicki, the producers of the movie ‘Barb Wire’ asked her to take on a role originally cast for a man. The scene, featuring New Zealand actor Temuera Morrison gave Diana her first break as a stuntwoman. Diana straight away became the martial arts double for actress Sarah Michelle Gellar for the presentation to pitch Buffy the Vampire Slayer as a TV Show, directed by Joss Whedon. This would be the beginning of Diana’s years as a stuntwoman in Hollywood where she found tremendous success working on popular films and TV shows.
Taking inspiration from notable indie filmmakers she got to know, Diana decided to seize control to create her own film project. Making the most of her stunt work, Inosanto learned about the filming process by watching and absorbing while on set the craft from such A-list directors, like Ang Lee, John Woo, Barry Sonnenfeld, and Chris Columbus. By 2010, Inosanto’s first Indie film, THE SENSEI, a film she wrote, directed, and starred, would be one of the earliest digitally released films distributed on Netflix and I-Tunes. Filmed on a tiny budget, The Sensei takes place in the 1980’s and tells the story of a gay teenager, bullied in a rural town during the height of the AIDS epidemic. The film would go on to win awards and accolades at film festivals like the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival where she had her world premiere at the DGA, New York's Newfest, San Francisco's Frameline, Hoboken International Film Festival, Philadelphia Asian American Film Fest, Germany's Verzaubert Film Festival and LA Femme International Film Fest to name a few. The film, supported by the Matthew Shepard Foundation, earned Diana the Asian American Justice Center, 2011 American Courage Award, presented at the time by Tom Perez in Washington, D.C., where several members of Congress and humanitarian activists were present. Shortly thereafter, Diana became the first woman to receive the Maverick Award at the AOF International Film Festival.
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:
Instagram: @TheRealDianaLeeInosanto
The Curious Mind of Sebastian: Buy on Amazon
Watch the episode with Diana Lee Inosanto:
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