Ang Lee Says ‘Brokeback Mountain’ Saved His Career—You Won’t Believe Why

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This year marks the 20th anniversary of “Brokeback Mountain“, a poignant romantic drama starring Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal as two cowboys in a romantic relationship. Despite the passage of two decades, this groundbreaking film remains just as impactful as it was when it first premiered – resonating not only with viewers but also with its director, Ang Lee, who credits “Brokeback Mountain” as the reason he continues to create movies today.

Brokeback Mountain, widely acclaimed as a groundbreaking LGBTQ+ drama, captivated audiences with an unconventional yet poignant love story between two strong masculine figures who were not typically expected to be in a romantic relationship. The film stirred some controversy due to its intimate scenes between the main characters, but it still managed to garner critical acclaim and awards recognition.

Lee, who is known for directing films like “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “The Ice Storm,” received the Academy Award for Best Director due to his work on a particular film. This win came in 2000 (he would earn another award in 2013 for directing “Life of Pi”). Today, this director acknowledges that it was the queer drama that inspired him to continue directing movies after the challenges he faced with “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “Hulk” left him feeling overwhelmed.

Initially, I considered retiring from filmmaking. However, the movie Brokeback Mountain seemed to rejuvenate me, filling me with a renewed passion for both life and my work in cinema. Remarkably, it’s thanks to this film that I’m still active today. Working on it felt like there was a divine force guiding me, encouraging me to continue creating. The movie itself was flawless, leaving me wondering what I could have possibly done to deserve such a masterpiece. Every aspect of it was excellent. In fact, after completing the film, I didn’t feel like returning to work at all. I was emotionally drained due to my father’s passing and the fatigue from working on the previous two movies. Physically, I suffered from Achilles tendonitis, which left me exhausted and unable to continue.

I can’t quite put my finger on why that movie touched me so deeply. It’s a sad film, but it’s all about love – it’s incredibly heartwarming. Every character in it is in love, and it was simply fantastic. Each actor delivered an outstanding performance. I didn’t have any grand plans for the project; I just focused on capturing the day and extracting genuine performances. To my surprise, when I saw the first cut, I realized I had created something special. People are deeply moved by it. You never know how people will respond to a movie – it rarely goes as expected. But this film has captured people’s hearts. I thought it would be a small art-house flick with no broad appeal. I didn’t expect an American company to want it, or that anyone would see it, so I had the freedom to experiment. And given its low budget, coming from Hulk, it was quite remarkable.

It turns out, the success of a movie isn’t something you can foresee, regardless of the effort invested. For instance, creating ‘Crouching Tiger’ required a thousand times more work than ‘Brokeback Mountain’, but it was ‘Brokeback Mountain’ that unexpectedly achieved great success.

The ‘Brokeback Mountain’ Oscar Controversy

20 years ago, Brokeback Mountain, which currently holds an 88% rating and a “Certified Fresh” label on Rotten Tomatoes, captivated both critics and audiences. Not only did it garner success commercially, earning over $178 million from a budget of just $14 million, but it was also poised to dominate the Academy Awards in 2006.

In a surprising turn of events, “Brokeback Mountain” earned eight nominations at the Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Heath Ledger), and Best Adapted Screenplay. The movie, adapted from Annie Proulx’s short story, eventually triumphed in three categories: Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Original Score. However, it was Paul Haggis’ “Crash” that took the title of Best Picture that year, a decision that sparked controversy due to “Crash” being considered the inferior film among the five nominees. This victory led to allegations against the Academy for potential bias and prejudice, as some believed they were reluctant to openly acknowledge the year’s best film.

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2025-05-18 17:34