Quotes from Ang Lee

Americans are hidden dragons to me.

The way I go about a lovemaking scene is that we will talk about it during the rehearsing time.

I like to go back to Chinese film-making from time to time. I don't think I can make Chinese films back to back; it's such a big effort. I'd have to take a very long break.

My culture doesn't regard acting highly.

There's only one movie in my career I've had regrets with cutting it shorter, and I think some scenes maybe I shouldn't have cut.

I'm just a pretty regular dad.

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.

My hometown was one of the major U.S. Air Force bases.

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.

I'm a drifter and an outsider. There's not one single environment I can totally belong to.

I have a lot of repression. So repression is what I make movies about.

When I'm not working, I get very down, but when I am working, I get very immersed in it.

When you talk about God, the first thing that comes along is not love, it's fear. You have to fear, and be in awe. You have to be scared. Any religion, it's like first thing.

I was very quiet, very shy and docile.

I'm a shy human being.

In my culture, there's a tradition that when you're in an overwhelming situation and you don't know what to do, you put yourself in a woman's shoes.

I don't think the Hulk is a superhero. He's the first Marvel character who is a tragic monster. Really an anti-hero.

After making several tragic movies in a row, I was looking to do a comedy, and one without cynicism.

When I have a full schedule like that, I don't see myself sitting there for a couple of months, doing the research, going through a painful process, it's just not my thing anymore.

My first instinct was to cast as close to the short story as possible, but then I realized that I needed actors who could go for it and that they had to function well as a couple in a love story.

I just did a dramatic love story. Whether it's a cultural phenomenon is not for me to say.

I have two sons in America, and all they care about in Chinese culture is Jackie Chan and Jet Li.

Directing, I get all kinds of inspiration. It's working with people. It's a lot more fun.

I don't have incredible knowledge about films or of filmmaking history; I'm not that kind of person.