Billy Magnussen starrer 'Birth of the Dragon': Bruce Lee biopic comes under fire for whitewashing

The upcoming Bruce Lee biopic "Birth of a Dragon" portrays the martial arts legend as a sidekick to a white guy named Steve. Lee's fans and his daughter Shannon have taken to social media to accuse the film of whitewashing its cast and insulting Lee's legacy.

The story of "Birth of the Dragon," which recently premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, revolves around the kung fu icon's controversial fight against master Wong Jack Man in 1964. Even though the film is inspired by true events, it is a combination of fact and fiction, according to Quartz.

American actor Billy Magnussen plays the role of Lee's fictional friend in the film Steve McKee while Lee's character is portrayed by Hong-Kong born American actor Philip Ng while Xia Yu plays Man. However, Lee's fans took to social media to criticize the film for focusing on the white character instead of the martial arts legend.

Lee's daughter Shannon Lee also posted a lengthy message on Instagram. She is currently working on a another biopic about her father.

 A great number of you have written to me with your concerns about Birth of the Dragon. I share your concerns and want to make it clear that Birth of the Dragon was made without my family’s consent or involvement. I have seen the film (out of necessity alone) and, in my opinion and the opinions of many (search articles and reviews), this film is a travesty on many levels. I think this film is a step backward for Asians in film not to mention that the portrayal of Bruce Lee is inaccurate and insulting. I am disappointed that such a project would be funded and produced. Image contains highlights from an article published by ASAM News.

A photo posted by @brucelee on Oct 6, 2016 at 1:00pm PDT

"Birth of the Dragon" follows a long list of films that have been accused of whitewashing in recent times. The George Nolfi-directed Chinese-American production was financially backed by China's Kylin Pictures, according to China Film Insider. 

Meanwhile, the casting of Scarlett Johansson in the remake of the Japanese anime film "Ghost in the Shell" also sparked backlash from Japanese netizens. Tilda Swinton's role in Marvel's upcoming film "Doctor Strange" and Matt Damon's character in "The Great Wall" were also criticized.  

Watch the "Birth of the Dragon" trailer below: