Diana Lee Inosanto was born in Torrance, California, and raised in Carson. Her father is the Filipino-American martial arts expert Dan Inosanto, who was a close friend of Bruce Lee. The two were such close friends that Dan Inosanto named his daughter, Diana Lee, after him. Bruce Lee was also Diana’s first godfather. Dan Inosanto trained and studied martial arts with Bruce Lee and was one of only a few qualified Jeet Kune Do instructors.

Karate training:

When Bruce Lee died in 1973, the Inosanto family moved to Harbor City, California, where she attended Narbonne High School. Her father opened his first martial arts school, the Filipino Kali Academy, in Harbor City with Diana’s second godfather, Richard Bustillo. This is when Diana started to learn a number of different martial arts styles, including Jeet Kune Do, Kali, Eskrima, Silat, boxing, kickboxing and Wing Chun. In 2009, Diana was named Woman of the Year by Black Belt magazine.

Filmography:

Inspired by her aunt – the actress Lilia Inosanto – Diana started to study acting with the Broadway coach and author, Michael Shurtleff. Her first acting performance was in the TV series, Moonlighting, in 1987. In the 1990s, Diana moved into the film industry as an actor and stunt performer. Her film credits as a stunt performer include Barb Wire (1996), Face/Off (1997), Blade (1998), and Wild Wild West (1999).

Awards and honors:

In 2008, Diana Lee Inosanto made her directorial debut in the independent film, The Sensei. She also wrote, produced, and starred in the film, the first from her own production company, Zen Mountain LLC. The film won awards at international film festivals including LA Femme International Film Fest, Hoboken International Film Festival, Philadelphia Asian American Film Fest, San Francisco’s Frame line, Germany’s Verzaubert Film Festival, and New York’s New fest. Because of the film’s strong humanitarian message, Diana was awarded the 2011 American Courage Award in Washington, D.C. by the Asian American Justice Centre.

Diana continues to be active in the California theatre scene as a member of the Asian American theatre group, Lodestone Theater Ensemble. In 2008, she worked as a fight choreographer with East West Players on the world premiere of the Dan Kwong play, Be Like Water.

In 1995, Diana married the martial artist, producer, stunt performer, and former Deputy Sheriff, Ron Balicki, who had trained with her father. She has two children.

Speech:

On teaching the martial arts:

“The way my father will talk about it is it is important to evolve… and also try and understand what is best for you as an individual… It was about removing any restrictions and getting out of these hardline styles and forms.”

In conversation with Kung Fu Movie Guide, 2018.