These days I’m mostly familiar with two parts of L.A.: one is movie culture, and the other is Asian culture. The Westside is work, and the Eastside is Chinese – which means my friends. – Ang Lee
Meanwhile, the Ice Storm was still in development, And that was something I really wanted to do, and frankly I don’t think I was ready to do a big production like this. – Ang Lee
I don’t think the Hulk is a superhero. He’s the first Marvel character who is a tragic monster. Really an anti-hero. – Ang Lee
To me, Ennis stands for the conservative side of America. He’s the biggest homophobe in the whole movie – culturally and psychologically – but by the time he admits his feelings, it’s too late. – Ang Lee
I guess in Hollywood you chart your life by Oscars. You say to each other, ‘Remember when that movie won that year? It was 2006. Remember that?’ – Ang Lee
I hope people don’t compare 2D and 3D because 3D’s new, it’s unfair to compare to 2D which is really sophisticated, even when we’re jaded about it. 3D just began, give it a chance, let the equipment and projection system catch up and be better, let the price go down, let more filmmakers get a hold of it more easily. – Ang Lee
After making several tragic movies in a row, I was looking to do a comedy, and one without cynicism. – Ang Lee
I have two sons in America, and all they care about in Chinese culture is Jackie Chan and Jet Li. – Ang Lee
Sexuality is a big issue, but there are others – how much you commit to a relationship, to social obligation, to honesty and being honest with yourself. – Ang Lee
When I grew up, in Taiwan, the Korean War was seen as a good war, where America protected Asia. It was sort of an extension of World War II. And it was, of course, the peak of the Cold War. People in Taiwan were generally proAmerican. The Korean War made Japan. And then the Vietnam War made Taiwan. There is some truth to that. – Ang Lee
I think doing period piece is easier, because after a certain distance, everybody is equal, I think. The relative contemporary is harder. I think that’s the way it is. – Ang Lee
I grew up pretty much prevented from knowing anything from Communist China except that they were the bad guys that stole our country. – Ang Lee
I took the name Green Destiny from – well there is such a sword called Green Destiny. It is green because you keep twisting it, it’s an ancient skill, you keep twisting it and knocking it and twisting it until it is very elastic and light. – Ang Lee
Sometimes films ignore other points of view because it’s simpler to tell the story that way, but the more genuine and sympathetic you are to different points of view and situations, the more real the story is. – Ang Lee