Donnie Yen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Donnie Yen
甄子丹
Donnie Yen in 2025
Member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
Incumbent
Assumed office March 2023
Personal details
Born	Donnie Yen Chi-tan (1963-07-27) 27 July 1963 (age 62) Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Citizenship	Hong Kong (1963–1974, 2009–present) United States (1974–2010)
Spouses	Leung Zing-ci ​ ​ (m. 1993; div. 1994)​ Cissy Wang ​ (m. 2003)​
Children	3
Parents	Klyster Yen (father) Bow-sim Mark (mother)
Occupation	Actor martial artist action director and choreographer film director producer
Awards	Full list
Chinese name
Chinese	甄子丹
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Zhēn Zǐdān Wade–Giles Chen1 Tzŭ3-tan1 Tongyong Pinyin Jhen Zǐh-tan IPA [ʈʂə́n tsɨ̀.tán] Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Yān Jí-daan IPA [jɐ́n tsǐː.táːn] Jyutping Lua error in Module:Unihan_pronunciation at line 35: attempt to call field 'lookup_kCantonese' (a nil value). Canton Romanization Yen1 Ji2-dan1

Donnie Yen Chi-tan (born 27 July 1963) is a famous Hong Kong actor, filmmaker, and martial artist. He is also a talented action director. Donnie Yen has won many awards for his work. These include three Golden Horse Awards and five Hong Kong Film Awards.

He is best known for playing Wing Chun grandmaster Ip Man in the Ip Man movie series. This series includes Ip Man (2008), Ip Man 2 (2010), Ip Man 3 (2015), and Ip Man 4: The Finale (2019). He also helped produce a spin-off movie called Master Z: Ip Man Legacy (2018).

Donnie Yen was born in Guangdong, China. He became interested in martial arts when he was very young. He tried out many different styles, like tai chi and other traditional Chinese martial arts. When he was 18, he met action choreographer Yuen Woo-ping in Hong Kong. His first main role was in the 1984 film Drunken Tai Chi. He became very well-known for his role as General Nap-lan in Once Upon a Time in China II (1992). In this film, he acted opposite Jet Li.

He has appeared in many other Hong Kong kung fu films. These include Iron Monkey (1993) and Wing Chun (1994). In 1997, he directed his first movie, Legend of the Wolf.

Donnie Yen also started acting in American films. His first American movie was Highlander: Endgame (2000). He also had a small role in Blade II (2002). Later, he appeared in Shanghai Knights (2003), Rogue One (2016), XXX: Return of Xander Cage (2017), Mulan (2020), and John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023).

He has continued to make movies in Hong Kong. Some of his popular films include Hero (2002), SPL: Sha Po Lang (2005), 14 Blades (2010), Wu Xia (2011), Kung Fu Jungle (2014), Chasing the Dragon (2017), Enter the Fat Dragon (2020), and Raging Fire (2021).

On television, Donnie Yen played Chen Zhen in the series Fist of Fury (1995). He played this character again in the 2010 movie Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen. Many people say that Donnie Yen helped make Wing Chun popular in China because of his Ip Man movies. He is also known for adding mixed martial arts (MMA) moves to his fight scenes. In 1997, he started his own company, Bullet Films. This company choreographed action for Hollywood movies like Blade II (2002) and Stormbreaker (2006).

Early Life and Martial Arts Journey

Donnie Yen was born on 27 July 1963 in Guangzhou, China. His mother, Bow-sim Mark, is a grandmaster of Fu-style wudangquan and tai chi. His father, Klyster Yen, was a newspaper editor. When Donnie was two years old, his family moved to Hong Kong. Then, when he was 11, they moved to Boston, United States. He went to Newton North High School there.

His younger sister, Chris Yen, is also a martial artist and actress. She appeared in the 2007 film Adventures of Johnny Tao: Rock Around the Dragon.

From a young age, Donnie was influenced by his mother. He became very interested in martial arts. He tried many different styles, including tai chi and other traditional Chinese martial arts. When he was 16, his parents sent him to Beijing to train with the Beijing Wushu Team. This is where he started practicing Wushu.

When he was 18, Donnie Yen stopped in Hong Kong on his way back to the United States. There, he met and auditioned for action choreographer Yuen Woo-ping. Donnie Yen's family also loves music. His mother is a singer and a martial arts teacher. His father is a violinist. Donnie learned to play musical instruments, like the piano, from his parents.

Donnie Yen's Film Career

Early Roles and Breakthrough

Donnie Yen's first movie role was in the 1984 film Drunken Tai Chi. After this, he made Tiger Cage (1988). His big breakthrough came with his role as General Nap-lan in Once Upon a Time in China II (1992). This movie featured an exciting fight scene between his character and Wong Fei-hung, played by Jet Li.

In 1993, Donnie Yen had a main role in Iron Monkey. He and Jet Li acted together again in the 2002 film Hero. In Hero, Donnie Yen played a spear fighter who fought against Jet Li's character. This film was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2003 Academy Awards.

In 1995, Donnie Yen played Chen Zhen in the TV series Fist of Fury. This show was based on the 1972 film starring Bruce Lee. Donnie Yen played Chen Zhen again in the 2010 movie Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen.

In 1997, Donnie Yen started his own company, Bullet Films. He directed his first films, Legend of the Wolf (1997) and Ballistic Kiss (1998). He also played the main character in these movies. At one point, Donnie Yen faced financial difficulties because his films, though praised by critics, did not earn much money.

Hollywood and Hong Kong Success

Yen in Seoul in 2005

Donnie Yen went to the United States. There, he was asked to choreograph fight scenes for Hollywood movies. These included Highlander: Endgame (2000) and Blade II (2002). His fight choreography was so impressive that he was given small roles in both films.

In 2002, Jet Li was filming Hero. He asked the director, Zhang Yimou, to cast Donnie Yen as Sky, his opponent. Jet Li personally invited Donnie Yen back from Hollywood for the film. This was their second movie together since Once Upon a Time in China II ten years earlier. In 2003, Donnie Yen played the villain Wu Chow in Shanghai Knights, starring Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson.

Donnie Yen also choreographed most of the fight moves for the 2004 video game Onimusha 3. He continued to be active in Hong Kong movies in the 2000s. He starred in Tsui Hark's wuxia film Seven Swords and Wilson Yip's crime drama SPL: Sha Po Lang in 2005. Both films were shown at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival.

Later that year, Donnie Yen co-starred with Nicholas Tse and Shawn Yue in Dragon Tiger Gate. This movie was based on a comic book series. Donnie Yen also worked as an action choreographer for Stormbreaker. He continued to work with director Wilson Yip in Flash Point (2007). In this film, he was the main actor, producer, and action choreographer. He won awards for Best Action Choreography for his work in Flash Point.

In 2008, Donnie Yen starred in Ip Man. This movie was about the real-life Wing Chun master, Ip Man, who taught Bruce Lee. Ip Man was Donnie Yen's fourth movie with director Wilson Yip. It also reunited him with his co-stars from SPL: Sha Po Lang, Sammo Hung and Simon Yam. Ip Man became a huge success, earning a lot of money at the box office.

2010s: Global Recognition

Yen at the New York Film Festival in 2012

In 2010, Ip Man 2 was released, also directed by Wilson Yip. In 2011, Donnie Yen decided to try different types of movies. He took on two comedy roles in All's Well, Ends Well 2011 and All's Well, Ends Well 2012. Both films were successful.

Donnie Yen took a six-month break in 2011 after filming The Monkey King. In this movie, he played the main character, Sun Wukong. He wanted to spend more time with his family. In 2012, he returned to movies with Special ID. He played an undercover police officer and was also the action choreographer. In 2013, he played the lead role in Iceman, a sci-fi action film about time travel. Donnie Yen confirmed that MMA moves would be used in both these films.

In 2013, the Weinstein Company bought the rights to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny. They asked Donnie Yen to play the male lead. He was unsure at first because his schedule was busy and the first movie was a classic. However, he accepted the role of Silent Wolf. He starred alongside Michelle Yeoh, who returned as Yu Shu Lien. The movie was directed by Yuen Woo-ping, Donnie Yen's mentor. The film was made in both English and Mandarin.

In late March 2015, Ip Man 3 was announced. Donnie Yen played Ip Man again. Retired boxer and former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson joined the cast. Donnie Yen was a big fan of Tyson and was excited to work with him. Tyson also said he was a huge fan of Donnie Yen. Ip Man 3 was released in December 2015 and received good reviews.

Yen in February 2018

In 2016, Donnie Yen co-starred in the Star Wars movie Rogue One. He played Chirrut Îmwe, a blind warrior. In February 2016, it was confirmed that Donnie Yen would play Xiang in XXX: Return of Xander Cage. For this movie, Paramount Pictures focused on promoting Donnie Yen in China and Asia. They put him at the front of movie posters and shared clips of his performance on Chinese social media. This helped the film become very successful in China. Donnie Yen's performances in both Rogue One and XXX: Return of Xander Cage were highly praised by critics and audiences worldwide. In a Star Wars poll, Donnie Yen's character Chirrut Îmwe was voted as the favorite Rogue One character.

While filming XXX: Return of Xander Cage, Donnie Yen received offers from Hollywood. At the same time, Hong Kong director Wong Jing asked him to star in Chasing the Dragon. Donnie Yen accepted and played a different kind of role: a villain with fewer fight scenes. He also worked with Andy Lau. Chasing the Dragon was released in September 2017 and received positive reviews. It was one of the top Hong Kong films of 2017.

In 2017, Donnie Yen was contacted by Jet Li and Alibaba CEO Jack Ma. They wanted him to be in a short martial arts film called Gong Shou Dao. This film aimed to promote a new form of tai chi as a future Olympic sport. Donnie Yen canceled his vacation to take part in the film. He did not ask for a salary, saying that "friendship is not measured by money." He hoped his participation would help promote Chinese martial arts globally. The film was released on 11 November and received over 100 million views worldwide.

In late 2017, Donnie Yen began filming Big Brother. In this mixed martial arts film, he plays a high school teacher with unusual teaching methods. In 2019, Donnie Yen played Ip Man again in Ip Man 4: The Finale. The film was a big success at the box office.

2020s and Beyond

In March 2020, during the press tour for Disney's live-action Mulan, Donnie Yen was asked about superhero films. He said he had been offered roles in Warner Brothers' Justice League and Aquaman by Zack Snyder. However, he had to turn them down due to scheduling conflicts. The role he was offered was Nuidis Vulko, which later went to Willem Dafoe.

Donnie Yen joined the cast of John Wick: Chapter 4, which was released in March 2023. Both Donnie Yen and the film received positive reviews. In May 2024, it was reported that Donnie Yen would star in a John Wick spin-off movie about his assassin character, Caine. In April 2025, the Caine spin-off was confirmed. Donnie Yen will also direct the film, with Mattson Tomlin writing the script.

Martial Arts Skills and Philosophy

Donnie Yen is highly skilled in many different martial arts. He knows Tai Chi, Boxing, Kickboxing, Jeet Kune Do, Hapkido, Mixed Martial Arts, Taekwondo, Karate, Muay Thai, Amateur Wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Hung Ga, Sanda, Judo, Shaolin Kung Fu, Wudangquan, Wing Chun, and Wushu.

He sees himself as a mixed martial artist. He learned Shaolin kung fu and wudangquan from his mother when he was young. Later, he learned Taekwondo and earned a 6th-degree black belt. He trained at the Beijing Sports Institute, where Jet Li also trained. Donnie Yen won gold medals in various wushu competitions.

Donnie Yen has always wanted to learn different martial arts. He earned black and purple belts in Judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He also studied Parkour, Wrestling, Muay Thai, Kickboxing, and Boxing. His experience with mixed martial arts (MMA) grew when he was in the United States from 2000 to 2003. He used this new knowledge in films like SPL: Sha Po Lang (2005), Flash Point (2007), and Special ID (2013).

In 2007, Donnie Yen learned a new martial art for his role as Ip Man. He studied Wing Chun under Ip Man's eldest son, Ip Chun, for nine months. Ip Chun praised Donnie Yen for his effort and his ability to learn Wing Chun quickly. The Ip Man films were very successful. Many people believe Donnie Yen helped make Wing Chun popular in China.

Donnie Yen believes that combining many martial arts creates the most effective style. He says, "When you watch my films, you're feeling my heart." He believes in practical fighting, and he thinks MMA is the most real type of combat.

Other martial arts film stars like Jackie Chan and Jet Li have said that Donnie Yen might be the best fighter in East Asian cinema when it comes to practical combat. World-class fighters like Cung Le and Mike Tyson have worked with Donnie Yen. They both said he is an amazing martial artist. While filming Ip Man 3, Donnie Yen accidentally fractured Mike Tyson's finger during a fight scene. Tyson insisted on finishing the scene before getting treatment.

In 2019, Donnie Yen was added to the Martial Arts History Museum Hall of Fame.

Action Choreography Skills

Donnie Yen is considered one of the best action choreographers in the world. Hollywood has asked him to choreograph big movies like Blade II, Highlander: Endgame, and Shanghai Knights. In East Asian cinema, he has been the main action choreographer for most of his movies. He has won many awards for his action choreography.

Some of his most famous works as a choreographer include Flash Point and SPL: Sha Po Lang. He has explained that in East Asian filmmaking, the action choreographer takes charge during fight scenes. This means they control camera placements, angles, and how the drama and action work together. In Hollywood, the action choreographer works with the director, but the director still has full control.

Donnie Yen has won the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Action Choreography four times. He is one of the most frequent winners of this award. He has won for his choreography in films like The Twins Effect, SPL: Sha Po Lang, Flash Point, and Kung Fu Jungle.

For the 2010 film Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen, Donnie Yen included Jeet Kune Do moves. This was a tribute to Bruce Lee, who played Chen Zhen in the 1972 film Fist of Fury. He also added many MMA elements to the film.

Physical Fitness and Role Transformations

Donnie Yen training in 2016 for XXX: Return of Xander Cage.

Donnie Yen is known for being very fit, strong, and fast. He achieves this through a strict fitness routine. He is also known for changing his body to fit his roles.

In 2007, Donnie Yen lost over 14 kg (30 pounds) to weigh 54 kg (120 pounds). He did this to better play the slender Ip Man and show the techniques of Wing Chun, which focuses on skill, not strength. He ate a very strict diet of mostly vegetables.

In 2010, after Ip Man 2, Donnie Yen played Chen Zhen in Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen. He needed to regain his muscular body for this role. He took six months to do this with a precise diet. He kept this muscular build for The Lost Bladesman, where he played Guan Yu, a Chinese general known for his size.

In 2015, Donnie Yen became less muscular again to play Ip Man in Ip Man 3. He also did this for his role as the blind warrior Chirrut Îmwe in Rogue One. For his role as Xiang in XXX: Return of Xander Cage, he rebuilt his muscular physique again.

Personal Life and Philanthropy

Donnie Yen married Leung Zing-ci in 1993, but they divorced less than a year later. They had a son named Jeff, born in 1995.

In 2003, Donnie Yen married former beauty queen Cissy Wang after three months of dating. They have two children, Jasmine and James.

Donnie Yen became a US citizen in 1974. However, in 2010, he gave up his US citizenship to become a Hong Kong citizen again.

Charity Work

In 2012, Donnie Yen and his wife Cissy started Go.Asia. This is an online charity platform that encourages people to help their local communities.

In October 2014, Donnie Yen was a guest speaker at We Day Vancouver. He spoke to 20,000 young people about the challenges he faced growing up and how he overcame them.

In 2015, Donnie Yen visited refugee camps in Thailand. He brought donations and gifts for the refugees. Donnie Yen is an ambassador for the international charity Save the Children.

In December 2015, Donnie Yen created the Yen's Honour Protection Fund. This fund helps celebrities use the law to protect their good name. Donnie Yen said the fund aims to "assist and render help to everyone who needs it." He started this fund after winning a lawsuit against someone who spread false information about him and threatened his family.

In February 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic, Donnie Yen donated HK$1 million to medical workers in Wuhan, China. He also made a short video to thank all medical workers in China. He uploaded the video on Weibo, where he has over 11 million followers. He also donated a painting he made with his two children to the medical workers.

Public Service

In 2023, Donnie Yen was appointed to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. This is a group that advises the Chinese government. He represents the "Literature and Arts" sector. He has stated that he is a Chinese patriot. He also asks that his roles in Hollywood movies show Chinese people in a positive way.

Donnie Yen has commented on the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests. He described them as a "riot."

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Donnie Yen para niños