Photo: Michael Caulfield © WireImage.com

Born in Pingtung, Taiwan; educated at the University of Illinois (theater) and NYU, Institute of Film and TV (film production). New York-based, Taiwan-born independent producer, director, and screenwriter who gained international attention with his second feature, HSI YEN / THE WEDDING BANQUET (1993). Described by one of its producers as "a cross-cultural, gay GREEN CARD, comedy of errors," this gentle, observant comedy strived to recreate the plot structure of an old Hollywood screwball comedy while confronting issues of Taiwanese identity. THE WEDDING BANQUET became a huge international success. Variety deemed it the most profitable film of 1993, as it yielded a 4,000% return on investment. Lee helped put Taiwanese cinema on the international map. Lee's paternal grandparents were executed for being landowners during the Communist revolution in mainland China, and his father fled to Taiwan. After coming to the US to study, Lee fell in love with Hollywood movies and eventually ended up at NYU's film school in the early 1980s where he worked with Spike Lee and Ernest Dickerson and amassed various awards for his own student films. He met his future wife, Jan Lin, while both were students at the University of Illinois in the late 70s. Lee studied theater while Lin was a microbiology student. The pair married and the microbiologist wife supported the aspiring filmmaker husband until his filmmaking career took off. Lee couldn't pay bills but he became an accomplished cook of rich Chinese cuisine while his mate researched how such foods contributed to atherosclerosis, hardening of the arteries. A major metaphor in THE WEDDING BANQUET, food was equally important in Lee's subsequent feature YIN SHI NAN NU / EAT DRINK MAN WOMAN (1994) which told the story of a father -- a renowned Taiwanese cook -- and his three daughters as they strive to concoct a recipe for harmonious living. Lee describes the film as the conclusion to his informal "Father Knows Best" trilogy that began with PUSHING HANDS (1991). All three films star Sihung Lung. Boasting a more complex screenplay and polished performances, EAT DRINK MAN WOMAN opened to laudatory reviews and robust box office. Once again Lee received an Oscar® nomination for Best Foreign Language film, but lost to Russian director Nikita Mikhalkov for BURNT BY THE SUN (1994). His next Hollywood directorial efforts were two films with Emma Thompson (SENSE AND SENSIBILITY,1995 and THE ICE STORM, 1997), and RIDE WITH THE DEVIL (1999). Lee was much more successful with his 2000 release WO HU CANG LONG / CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON. Its ten nominations included Best Picture; it won four Awards, including Best Foreign Language Film. Other notable credits include HIRE: THE CHOSEN (2001), HULK (2003), BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (2005), SE, JIE / LUST, CAUTION (2007), and A LITTLE GAME (scheduled for release in 2009).  Nominated for Foreign Language Film of the Year 1994: YIN SHI NAN NU (EAT DRINK MAN WOMAN) - Producer  Nominated for Best Film of the Year 2000: WO HU CANG LONG (CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON) - Producer (w. Bill Kong & Hsu Li- Kong)  Nominated for Achievement in Directing 2000: WO HU CANG LONG (CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON)  Best Foreign Language Film of the Year 2000: WO HU CANG LONG (CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON) - Producer (w. Bill Kong & Hsu Li- Kong)  Best Achievement in Directing 2005: BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN 5 nominations, 2 Awards