--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I started martial arts... Bruce Lee…" description: "\"When I started martial arts... Bruce Lee is obviously the top dog and Jackie Chan is a legend. But for a lot of westerners it was Van Damme. He was the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf5/joey-ansah-44650_art_when-i-started-martial-arts-bruce-lee-is_1454590.jpg" --- # When I started martial arts... Bruce Lee is obviously the… ![“When I started martial arts... Bruce Lee is obviously the top dog and Jackie Chan is a legend. But for a lot of westerners it was Van Damme. He was the first person you saw that made you realise you didn't need to be Asian or Oriental to do that stuff.” quote by Joey Ansah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf5/joey-ansah-44650_art_when-i-started-martial-arts-bruce-lee-is_1454590.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf5/joey-ansah-44650_art_when-i-started-martial-arts-bruce-lee-is_1454590.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf5/joey-ansah-44650_art_when-i-started-martial-arts-bruce-lee-is_1454590.jpg) > “When I started martial arts... Bruce Lee is obviously the top dog and Jackie Chan is a legend. But for a lot of westerners it was Van Damme. He was the first person you saw that made you realise you didn't need to be Asian or Oriental to do that stuff.” [Joey Ansah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-ansah/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seeing non‑Asian role models in martial arts shows skill isn’t limited by ethnicity. **In simple terms:** Anyone can excel in martial arts. Key Takeaway Embrace diverse role models. Themes representation inspiration culture media Mood motivational hopeful Type cultural inspirational When to use this quote - film casting - martial arts schools - media representation Key Concepts stereotypes role model effect globalization Questions to Reflect On - Who breaks stereotypes in your field? - What impact does representation have on participation? A Different Perspective Western audiences may still favor familiar stereotypes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Asian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asian/) [Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog/) [First person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-person/) [Martial Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/martial-art/) [Martial arts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/martial-arts/) [Van damme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/van-damme/) ## Related quotes > [In the film industry, we tend to pick up where others have left off, and I'd like to think the influences I picked up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adkins/in-the-film-industry-we-tend-to-pick-up-where-others-have-left-off/) [Scott Adkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adkins/) > [I can pretty much say that because of Bruce Lee and Jean-Claude Van Damme, that's why I do what I do today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adkins/i-can-pretty-much-say-that-because-of-bruce-lee-and-jean-claude-van/) [Scott Adkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adkins/) > [I used to love martial arts movies starring Bruce Lee and Jean Claude Van Damme. In one of Van Damme's movies, he would break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glover-teixeira/i-used-to-love-martial-arts-movies-starring-bruce-lee-and-jean-claude/) [Glover Teixeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glover-teixeira/) > [I way prefer Jackie Chan films to Bruce Lee films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-evans/i-way-prefer-jackie-chan-films-to-bruce-lee-films/) [Gareth Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gareth-evans/) > [I don't really want to be compared to Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan, but I really feel honored and really proud that people actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-jaa/i-don-t-really-want-to-be-compared-to-bruce-lee-or-jackie-chan-but-i/) [Tony Jaa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-jaa/) > [Growing up, my inspirations were Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, all these martial arts legends. I wanted to express my talent on screen in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiger-shroff/growing-up-my-inspirations-were-bruce-lee-jackie-chan-all-these/) [Tiger Shroff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiger-shroff/) > [I never wanted to be the next Bruce Lee. I just wanted to be the first Jackie Chan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/i-never-wanted-to-be-the-next-bruce-lee-i-just-wanted-to-be-the-first/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [When I was young, I saw a lot of martial arts films with Jet Li, Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee. I loved them. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rain/when-i-was-young-i-saw-a-lot-of-martial-arts-films-with-jet-li-jackie/) [Rain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rain/) > [Bruce Lee brought the martial arts movie to the attention of the world - and without him, I don't think that anyone would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/bruce-lee-brought-the-martial-arts-movie-to-the-attention-of-the/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [My father was, like, the token bad white guy in all the old Jackie Chan/Bruce Lee films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celina-jade/my-father-was-like-the-token-bad-white-guy-in-all-the-old-jackie-chan/) [Celina Jade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celina-jade/) > [Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Bruce Lee are my masters; they're the inspiration for my work. Bruce Lee was a heavy fighter who threw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/jackie-chan-jet-li-and-bruce-lee-are-my-masters-they-re-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The martial arts that I got into was because of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, because of all of the animal styles at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-park/the-martial-arts-that-i-got-into-was-because-of-bruce-lee-and-jackie/) [Ray Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-park/) > [I'm inspired by my master's movie 'Kerd ma lui,' Bruce Lee's 'Fists of Fury,' and Jackie Chan's 'Police Story.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-jaa/i-m-inspired-by-my-master-s-movie-kerd-ma-lui-bruce-lee-s-fists-of/) [Tony Jaa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-jaa/) > [My dad's weekend treat to me as a kid would be to get me the latest Jackie Chan or some old Bruce Lee classic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-evans/my-dad-s-weekend-treat-to-me-as-a-kid-would-be-to-get-me-the-latest/) [Gareth Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gareth-evans/) > [I grew up loving Jackie Chan and Jet Li and certainly Bruce Lee. But as I got older, I started to question: Is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simu-liu/i-grew-up-loving-jackie-chan-and-jet-li-and-certainly-bruce-lee-but/) [Simu Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simu-liu/) ## More by Joey Ansah > [I don't attract violence because of my stature and because of my lifestyle choices. I don't like to go out and be out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-ansah/i-don-t-attract-violence-because-of-my-stature-and-because-of-my/) [Joey Ansah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-ansah/) > [In films, people sometimes forget and concentrate on the fight itself, which is great, but the 15 minutes that come beforehand are equally as breathtaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-ansah/in-films-people-sometimes-forget-and-concentrate-on-the-fight-itself/) [Joey Ansah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-ansah/) > [Action is cool but it's all down to the director's interpretation at the end of the day, so you have to serve his visions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-ansah/action-is-cool-but-it-s-all-down-to-the-director-s-interpretation-at/) [Joey Ansah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-ansah/) > [As an actor, it's all about whether you can sell the emotion on your face... that desperation, the panic and rage that comes with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-ansah/as-an-actor-it-s-all-about-whether-you-can-sell-the-emotion-on-your/) [Joey Ansah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-ansah/) > [With action in Hollywood, a choreographer will be hired to design an amazing fight, with all these cool little narrative bits, such as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-ansah/with-action-in-hollywood-a-choreographer-will-be-hired-to-design-an/) [Joey Ansah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-ansah/) > [Whenever you get game adaptations, it strikes me that it's always the gamers who get mugged because they try and make it for everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-ansah/whenever-you-get-game-adaptations-it-strikes-me-that-it-s-always-the/) [Joey Ansah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-ansah/) > [Even when you spar for real and fight with full contact in training, you get hurt or you hurt someone and you see them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-ansah/even-when-you-spar-for-real-and-fight-with-full-contact-in-training/) [Joey Ansah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-ansah/) > [A lot of fans are complaining nowadays of too much shaky cam in action scenes and not being able to see what is going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-ansah/a-lot-of-fans-are-complaining-nowadays-of-too-much-shaky-cam-in/) [Joey Ansah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-ansah/) [Explore all 9 Joey Ansah quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-ansah/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. 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And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I started martial arts... 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