Michael Jai White makes history as first non-Asian to win coveted Bruce Lee Award

The 61-year-old actor has starred in over 70 films, including “Spawn,” “Black Dynamite” and more.

Before he was an actor, playing a multitude of roles from “Black Dynamite” to “Spawn” and even Mike Tyson for HBO, Michael Jai White trained and leaned heavily into mixed martial arts. Now, his latest honor might be his biggest one yet.

On Nov. 21, the actor and longtime action star was given the Bruce Lee Award at the Asian World Film Festival, becoming the first non-Asian invidiual to take home the prestigious trophy.

White shared his gratitude on Instagram.

“Last night I was honored to receive the prestigious Bruce Lee Award at the AWFF!” he exclaimed. “Shannon Lee, Bruce’s daughter who heads the Bruce Lee Foundation is also a longtime friend and Wushu classmate on mine who’s made me the first non Asian to receive the award. Her father was, and is the greatest and most inspirational martial artist to have walked the earth. This honor is the most heartfelt award I could ever receive! I don’t know who “Tony, Emmy or Oscar” were but I damn sure know Bruce Lee!”

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The festival has been handing out awards since 2015, with actors such as James Wong and George Takei being granted Lifetime Achivement Awards. In 2022, the Bruce Lee Award began being presented at the festival by the Bruce Lee Foundation, a non-profit organization started by Lee’s daughter, Shannon Lee and his widow, Linda Lee Caldwell, in 2002. Bruce Lee died of a cerebal edema in 1973 at the age of 32. Previous award winners include Daniel Wu, Tony Jaa and Mark Dacascos.

For White, an actor with over 75 films under his belt, the award is the ultimate achievement for a career and life dedicated to the practice of Mixed Martial Arts. White has black belts in Shotokan, Goju-ryu, Taekwondo, Wushu, and other disciplines. Those skills have been featured in several films from “Black Dynamite” to “Undisputed II.”

White has kept busy outside of martial arts films, starring in “Trouble Man” and the newest season of “The Family Business” on BET+.