Diana Lee Inosanto

Diana Lee Inosanto is an American actress, director, stuntwoman, and martial artist.[1] She also wrote and directed the film The Sensei (2008),[2] and wrote the 2020 children's book The Curious Mind of Sebastian.[3]

Diana Lee Inosanto
Diana Lee Inosanto wearing a dark green top, standing in front of a Honda stage advertisement backdrop, grinning and looking left of camera
Inosanto in 2008
Other namesD. Lee Inosanto
Occupations
SpouseRon Balicki (m. 1995)
Children2
Parent
Websitedianaleeinosanto.com

Personal life

Inosanto is married to fellow martial artist Ron Balicki. They have two children.[4]

Career

Martial arts

Inosanto grew up surrounded by the martial arts world, studying many forms, including Jeet Kune Do and Eskrima, which she learned from her father, Dan Inosanto, a student of Jeet Kune Do founder Bruce Lee, who was also her godfather.[5] She has appeared on the cover of numerous martial arts magazines, including Black Belt Magazine, Martial Arts, Inside Karate, Self Defense, and Inside Kung Fu. She was named Woman of the Year by Black Belt Magazine in 2009.

Film and television

Apart from doing stunt work and choreography in numerous films and television productions, Inosanto has also acted in a number of movies and series. Her directorial debut, The Sensei, was released in 2008.[2]

In 2020, Inosanto appeared in one episode of the second season of Disney's The Mandalorian, playing the role of Magistrate Morgan Elsbeth[6] and later reprised the role in Ahsoka.[7]

Theatre

Inosanto is active in Southern California theatre as a member of the Asian American theatre group Lodestone Theatre Ensemble. In 2008 she worked with East West Players, serving as martial arts choreographer on the world premiere of Dan Kwong's play Be Like Water.

Writing

In 2020, Inosanto published her first book, the children's story The Curious Mind of Sebastian.[3] The same year, she also contributed a foreword to the Fiaz Rafiq book Bruce Lee: The Life of a Legend.[8]

Selected filmography
Beach photoshoot, 2004

References
  1. "The Sensei" profiled by Jane Mee Wong in Northwest Asian Weekly
  2. "A Different Kind of Martial Arts Film: D. Lee Inosanto's 'The Sensei' battles prejudice and homophobia in 1980s small town in Colorado". asianweek.com. May 2, 2008. Archived from the original on February 20, 2016. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  3. "Adventure Theatre honors API Heritage Month with streaming special events". dcmetrotheaterarts.com. May 13, 2020. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  4. "Director fights hatred with martial arts". nwasianweekly.com. October 25, 2008. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  5. Bruce Lee - Die Faust Hollywoods, documentary by Annette Baumeister in the series Too Young To Die, ZDF / Arte, Germany 2015
  6. "Who Plays the Magistrate in The Mandalorian? Bruce Lee Connection Explained". screenrant.com. November 28, 2020. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
  7. Bonomolo, Cameron (July 30, 2023). "Who's Who in Star Wars: Ahsoka". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on July 31, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  8. "Bruce Lee: The Life of a Legend". bookdepository.com. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  9. "THE SENSEI—The Evening Class Interview with Diana Lee Inosanto". theeveningclass.blogspot.com. May 24, 2008. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  10. "Diana Lee Inosanto Signs with Gersh (Exclusive)". Hollywood Reporter. April 19, 2023.
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