Betty Ting Pei is a former Taiwanese actress who was mainly active in the 1970s. Although she acted in more than 30 films, she is best known for being the center of international speculation regarding the untimely death of Bruce Lee in her apartment.

On 20 July 1973, Ting received media attention when Bruce Lee died in her apartment at 67 Beacon Hill Road, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong. According to press reports, Lee was going over the script of Game of Death in Betty’s apartment, a Golden Harvest film in which she was reported to have a lead role, when he complained of a headache. She gave him a single tablet of Equagesic, a strong aspirin-based drug that she often used herself. He then went to sleep, but when she could not wake him up for a dinner appointment with Raymond Chow, the owner of Golden Harvest, Betty called an ambulance. Lee was rushed to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Death was allegedly caused by an allergic reaction that resulted in brain edema (swelling of the brain). The coroner described his passing as “death by misadventure.”

In 2013, Ting admitted that she had an intimate relationship with Lee, but said that she did not engage in any sexual activity with him on the day that he died.

The transcript below is from the video “Betty Ting Pei on the death of Bruce Lee (English subtitled)” by Sifu Subtitles.

Host 1:

Talking about fate, I think of martial arts mega star Bruce Lee. How did you two first meet?

Betty Ting Pei:

You have to ask these questions, don’t you?

Host 1:

They’re questions the audience want to know.

Betty Ting Pei:

We met, would’ve been almost 12 years ago. I had just come back from Europe and was in a hotel lobby. Bruce was with Raymond Chow, Mr. Chow introduced me to him.

Host 1:

This year is the 10th anniversary of Bruce’s passing. Please don’t mind, because speaking to you very naturally, the topic of Bruce comes up. Why? Because it’s like we put pressure on you. In fact, there has been pressure on you for 10 years. I personally admire you very much. 10 years is a long time and you have managed to live well. You have handled the pressure. But many people still want to know the truth. The truth only you know, so we must ask you. So after meeting and then I heard he contacted you a lot, became friends, and he ask you to be in movies?

Betty Ting Pei:

Yes, he asked me to be in his movies.

Host 1:

But to my knowledge, you weren’t in any of his movies.

Host 2:

I can answer this for her.

Host 3:

Protecting the lady.

Host 2:

I know! Don’t worry, I’ll help you. Bruce asked her to be in “A man called tiger”. But because Bruce no longer worked with Lo Wei, so it changed and Jimmy Wang Yu was the lead actor. After discussion, Bruce was to make “Enter the Dragon” with her. But Betty was ill in hospital, so they never made a film together.

Host 1:

We’re not interviewing you.

Betty Ting Pei:

It’s true.

Host 1:

I believe you, well done protecting but I’ll ask so you can’t help. I believe lots of people want to know. Dying isn’t something extraordinary and Bruce has been long dead. But lots of people still always say “Bruce died in Betty’s home!”

Host 3:

Let me ask, I’ve not asked yet and I always put my foot in it anyway. We can ask, it’s fine and you can answer as you can. Bruce is my idol. There’s a query in my mind. He died in your home. Would he? Like the media has written. Bruce died in bed of excessive male and female relations? Lots of people think this, but don’t dare ask. Please answer, I really have this query

Host 2:

I can’t answer for you.

Host 3:

Is this pressure?

Betty Ting Pei:

Not really, it has been 10 years of this already. I’ve not done anything evil, it’s fine. Also, I lost a good friend, I’m very sad. I can answer your question because, I, Betty Ting Pei will dare to admit my own actions. If I did it, I did. If I really did make love with Bruce and he died, I’d admit it. There would be no need to hide it. But if its not true, it’s not. Lots of people think like you do, I don’t know how you got the idea.