Ang Lee has built a career on defying expectations, moving between intimate dramas and massive blockbusters. This quiz looks at the life and work of the director behind films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Brokeback Mountain.
You will see questions about his early life, the creative process for his action scenes, and the casting decisions that defined his most iconic films. Some questions are straightforward, while others ask you to recall small details.
Think you know his filmography well? When you finish, try spotlighting other auteurs, studying action choreography, or exploring East Asian cinema.
Which director is the common link between the 2000 martial arts epic ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ and the 2005 Western drama ‘Brokeback Mountain’?
John Woo
John Woo
Ang Lee
Ang Lee
Zhang Yimou
Zhang Yimou
Wong Kar-wai
Wong Kar-wai
What was the exact title of the 2003 superhero film directed by Ang Lee that was considered a critical and commercial disappointment?
Hulk
Hulk
Hulk: Origins
Hulk: Origins
The Incredible Hulk
The Incredible Hulk
The Mighty Hulk
The Mighty Hulk
Before finding success as a filmmaker, how long did Ang Lee spend as a stay-at-home father and aspiring screenwriter in New York, often referred to as his period of unemployment?
Six years
Six years
One year
One year
Ten years
Ten years
Three years
Three years
‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ popularized which specific style of choreographing gravity-defying martial arts action?
Gun-fu
Gun-fu
Wire-fu
Wire-fu
Capoeira movement
Capoeira movement
Stage combat
Stage combat
Why was ‘Brokeback Mountain’ considered a significant ‘gamble’ for producers before its release?
The budget was too high for a drama
The budget was too high for a drama
Studio heads feared the ‘taboo’ romantic subject matter
Studio heads feared the ‘taboo’ romantic subject matter
Actors refused to play the leads
Actors refused to play the leads
The screenplay was incomplete
The screenplay was incomplete
Which actor played the lead role of Bruce Banner in the 2003 film ‘Hulk’?
Edward Norton
Edward Norton
Lou Ferrigno
Lou Ferrigno
Eric Bana
Eric Bana
Mark Ruffalo
Mark Ruffalo
Who served as the legendary action choreographer for the wire-work sequences in ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’?
Sammo Hung
Sammo Hung
Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan
Jet Li
Jet Li
Yuen Woo-ping
Yuen Woo-ping
‘Brokeback Mountain’ was adapted from a short story written by which American author?
Annie Proulx
Annie Proulx
Alice Munro
Alice Munro
Cormac McCarthy
Cormac McCarthy
Larry McMurtry
Larry McMurtry
In what language was the film ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ primarily filmed?
Japanese
Japanese
English
English
Mandarin Chinese
Mandarin Chinese
Cantonese
Cantonese
Which actress starred alongside Eric Bana as Betty Ross in the 2003 film ‘Hulk’?
Jennifer Connelly
Jennifer Connelly
Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman
Liv Tyler
Liv Tyler
Rachel Weisz
Rachel Weisz
In which country was Ang Lee born, where he began his early interest in cinema?
Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Singapore
Singapore
China
China
Taiwan
Taiwan
Which actor received an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of Ennis Del Mar in ‘Brokeback Mountain’?
Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey
Jake Gyllenhaal
Jake Gyllenhaal
Heath Ledger
Heath Ledger
Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt
Which Academy Award did ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ win, following its achievement as the first non-English language film to gross over $100 million in the U.S. box office?
Best Director
Best Director
Best Foreign Language Film
Best Foreign Language Film
Best Picture
Best Picture
Best Cinematography
Best Cinematography
In the 2003 ‘Hulk’ film, which actor portrayed the antagonist David Banner?
Josh Lucas
Josh Lucas
Sam Elliott
Sam Elliott
Nick Nolte
Nick Nolte
Sam Rockwell
Sam Rockwell
Which film was Ang Lee’s directorial debut after his long period of unemployment?
Pushing Hands
Pushing Hands
Eat Drink Man Woman
Eat Drink Man Woman
The Wedding Banquet
The Wedding Banquet
Sense and Sensibility
Sense and Sensibility
In which U.S. state is the story of ‘Brokeback Mountain’ primarily set?
Texas
Texas
Colorado
Colorado
Wyoming
Wyoming
Montana
Montana
Who played the character Yu Shu Lien in ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’?
Gong Li
Gong Li
Zhang Ziyi
Zhang Ziyi
Maggie Cheung
Maggie Cheung
Michelle Yeoh
Michelle Yeoh
Who composed the Oscar-winning musical score for ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’?
Tan Dun
Tan Dun
Mychael Danna
Mychael Danna
Hans Zimmer
Hans Zimmer
Danny Elfman
Danny Elfman
The editing of the 2003 film ‘Hulk’ was notably recognized for which stylistic choice?
Found footage technique
Found footage technique
Split-screen edit style
Split-screen edit style
Black and white cinematography
Black and white cinematography
Stop-motion animation
Stop-motion animation
Ang Lee studied film production at which prestigious American institution?
American Film Institute
American Film Institute
Columbia University
Columbia University
University of Southern California
University of Southern California
New York University
New York University
Which actress played Alma Beers, the wife of Ennis Del Mar in ‘Brokeback Mountain’?
Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway
Glenn Close
Glenn Close
Kate Winslet
Kate Winslet
Michelle Williams
Michelle Williams
The central plot of ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ revolves around the theft of a legendary weapon used for which activity?
Kung Fu tea ceremony
Kung Fu tea ceremony
Sword fighting
Sword fighting
Chess match
Chess match
Calligraphy contest
Calligraphy contest
You can do better
Not bad
Great!
If you enjoyed this focus on a director’s path, you might like browsing our collections on Oscar history, literary adaptations, or superhero movies.
