Lee was talking to reporters at the Cannes Film Festival in 2008, promoting his World War II drama "The Miracle at St. Anna," when the subject of Clint Eastwood's own World War II film titled "Flags of Our Fathers" and its lack of black soldiers came up. Lee stated, "If you reporters had any ... you'd ask him why. There's no way I know why he did that -- that was his vision, not mine. But I know it was pointed out to him and that he could have changed it. It's not like he didn't know."

Eastwood later rejected the criticisms about his film and responded to Lee, "A guy like him should shut his face."

Lee fired back, "First of all, the man is not my father and we're not on a plantation either."

The two finally made peace through mutual friend Steven Spielberg before any punches were thrown.