Hawaii Five-O star Sharon Farell who was once in a love triangle with iconic actors Bruce Lee and Steve McQueen dies ‘unexpectedly’ at age 82

Sharon Farrell, best known for her roles in Hawaii Five-O and The Young and The Restless, has died at the age of 82.

According to The Hollywood Reporter her son Chance Boyer confirmed that the actress had died unexpectedly of natural causes on May 15 at a hospital in Orange County, California.

Behind the camera, she was reportedly involved in a love triangle between Steve McQueen and Bruce Lee, the latter of which she described as the “love of her life.”

Sharon played Nina Webster on the soap opera The Young and The Restless between 1991 and 1997, as well as roles in The Man from UNCLE, The Six Million Dollar Man, and Gunsmoke.

On the big screen, she starred in The Stunt Man in 1980, Lone Wolf McQuade alongside Chuck Norris in 1983 and in 1987 in Can’t Buy Me Love.

Farewell: Her son Chance Boyer confirmed that the star had died unexpectedly of natural causes on May 15 at a hospital in Orange County, California (depicted in the 1970 TV movie Quarantined)

In addition to son Chance, who played a surfer on the 1990s TV series Harry and the Hendersons and the soap opera General Hospital, Sharon is also survived by grandson Wayde and daughter-in-law Mandi.

It comes after Sharon told Bruce Lee’s 2018 biographer Matthew Polly, “Bruce took me to the moon and back, he just turned me inside out.” But he was married and didn’t have a pot to pee in.’

Before adding, “Steve (McQueen) was so successful – he was my protector…I was in love with Steve, but Bruce was the love of my life.”

In Bruce Lee: A Life, the author recounts how Bruce came to see Farrell covertly in late 1968 after flying to rural Mississippi where Sharon and McQueen were filming together.

Several years before becoming a star himself, Bruce was there as Steve’s kung fu trainer, but he had his own “hidden reason” for wanting to visit the set – his secret love affair with Sharon.

When Bruce saw Sharon next to her trailer, he crept up behind her and put his hand over her mouth. “Why didn’t you call me back?” asked Bruce,” the biographer wrote.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t be able to find you?” Bruce dragged her into her dressing room and they made love as quietly as possible, hoping no one would hear them.’

Afterwards, Sharon confessed that she had already “hooked up” with her co-star, Steve McQueen. “I’m just using it to get over you,” she told Bruce. “But we can’t do this again, Bruce. I’m very sorry.’

Love life: Behind the camera, she was reportedly involved in a love triangle between Steve McQueen and Bruce Lee, the latter of which she described as the “love of her life.” (pictured in 1963)

Actor: Sharon played Nina Webster on the soap opera The Young and The Restless between 1991 and 1997, as well as roles in The Man from UCLE, The Six Million Dollar Man, and Gunsmoke (pictured in 1972’s The Eye’s of Charles Sand)

Goodbye: In addition to son Chance, who played a surfer on the 1990s TV series Harry and the Hendersons and the soap opera General Hospital, Sharon is also survived by grandson Wayde and daughter-in-law Mandi (pictured in 1965)

The critically acclaimed and thoroughly researched 2018 biography, Bruce Lee: A Life, revealed another side of the iconic actor, fighter, and philosopher dominated by his army of staring-eyed fans. A controlling and heartless womanizer, Bruce, according to the book, was arrogant, self-righteous and chauvinistic.

This isn’t exactly the image of Lee currently being put forth by his daughter, Shannon Lee, on the 50th anniversary of his death.

Shannon, who was only four when her father died in 1973, aged just 34, is a loyal and diligent keeper of the Bruce Lee flame.

She wants the world to know that the star of Enter The Dragon, the movie that made a name for itself but premiered a month after his death, wasn’t the combative macho man fans of his films might have expected, but a sensitive soul who poisoned, traditional ideas about masculinity.

“As masculine as he may have looked physically, due to the amount of power and action of martial arts, there’s actually an inherent kind of softening to his masculinity that I think is overlooked,” she told NBC last month.

Love: “Bruce took me to the moon and back,” Sharon told Lee’s 2018 biographer Matthew Polly. “He just turned me inside out. But he was married and didn’t have a pot to pee in’ (Bruce pictured in 1970)

Triangle: She said ‘Steve (McQueen) was so successful – he was my protector… I was in love with Steve, but Bruce was the love of my life’ (Sharon and Steve pictured in 1969)

The first Asian acting superstar, Lee was undoubtedly an inspirational figure who, as his daughter claims, did indeed do much to change the stereotype of Asian men in Hollywood movies as “weak, emasculated and reverent.”

It was reported that more than 12,000 “screaming fans” mobbed Lee’s memorial services in Hong Kong after his sudden and mysterious death from cerebral edema or brain swelling in 1973.

His enduring legacy and mystique are similarly proudly held by many Asian-Americans. Fans regularly make a pilgrimage to his grave in Seattle or quote his quasi-philosophical sayings like “Be formless, shapeless, like water.”

To such people, Lee is much more of a spiritual guru than a movie star or martial artist.