Alec Baldwin shooting on Rust set resurfaces memories of Brandon Lee’s death
- Brandon Lee, then aged 28, died at the hands of a prop gun on the set of The Crow in 1993
- ‘No one should ever be killed by a gun on a film set,’ Lee’s sister Shannon tweeted
The official account of Brandon Lee – run by his sister, Shannon Lee – wrote: “Our hearts go out to the family of Halyna Hutchins and to Joel Souza and all involved in the incident on Rust. No one should ever be killed by a gun on a film set. Period.”
Who was Brandon Lee?
The actor, 28 years old at the time of his death, was best known as the son of kung fu star Bruce Lee. He had been in several low-budget films before landing his breakthrough role as the star of The Crow, which eventually came out in 1994.
Lee’s character in the gothic superhero movie, Eric Draven, was described as a murdered rock musician brought back from the grave who adopts the persona of a night bird to avenge his own and his girlfriend’s untimely deaths. The film went on to gross US$94 million.
Lee was following in his late father Bruce’s footsteps by training in martial arts and studying acting at Emerson College and the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute.
What happened in Lee’s tragic death?
Initial reports on Lee’s death on March 31, 1993, released little information. It was believed that a small explosive charge used to stimulate gunfire was the cause of death on the set of The Crow in Wilmington, North Carolina.