Donnie Yen
Acting
Biography
Donnie Yen Chi-tan is a Hong Kong actor, filmmaker, martial artist, and action director. He is the recipient of various accolades, including three Golden Horse Awards and five Hong Kong Film Awards. He is best known for portraying Wing Chun grandmaster Ip Man in the Ip Man film series, namely Ip Man (2008), Ip Man 2 (2010), Ip Man 3 (2015), and Ip Man 4: The Finale (2019). He also served as co-producer for the spin-off Master Z: Ip Man Legacy (2018). Born in Guangdong, Yen developed an interest in martial arts at a young age, and began experimenting with various styles, including tai chi and other traditional Chinese martial arts. At age 18, he auditioned for action choreographer Yuen Woo-ping in Hong Kong. He landed his first starring role in the 1984 Hong Kong martial arts action film Drunken Tai Chi. He made his breakthrough role as the antagonist General Nap-lan in Once Upon a Time in China II (1992), opposite Jet Li's character. He appeared in several other Hong Kong kung fu films, including Iron Monkey (1993) and Wing Chun (1994). In 1997, he starred in his directorial debut film Legend of the Wolf. Yen made his American debut in Highlander: Endgame (2000), followed by a cameo in Blade II (2002). He went on to appear in the American films Shanghai Knights (2003), Rogue One (2016), XXX: Return of Xander Cage (2017), Mulan (2020), and John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023). He has continued to be active in Hong Kong cinema, appearing in the well-received films 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), Raging Fire (2021), and The Prosecutor (2024), among others. In television, Yen portrayed fictional character Chen Zhen in the television series Fist of Fury (1995); he reprised the role in the 2010 film Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen. For portraying Ip Man in the Ip Man film series (2008-2019), Yen is credited by many for contributing to the popularisation of Wing Chun in China. Alongside Kung fu, particularly Wing Chun, Yen is also known for incorporating mixed martial arts (MMA) elements into his action choreography. Aside from his acting, in 1997, he established his own production company, Bullet Films, which choreographed the action for Western blockbusters like Blade II (2002) and Stormbreaker (2006).
Born: July 27, 1963
Place of Birth: Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Known For
Filmography
as Alex Yang
as General Qiu Bai
as Fok Chi-ho
as Caine
as Qiao Feng / Xiao Feng
as A De
as Zhang Sanfeng
as Zhang Sanfeng
as Bong
as Commander Tung
as Fallon Zhu
as Ip Man
as Ying
as Henry Chen Xia / Chan Hak
as Master Yen
as Crippled Ho
as Xiang
as Chirrut Imwe
as Silent Wolf
as Ip Man
as Band Members
as Hahou Mo
as Ying
as Yip Man
as Sun Wukong / Monkey King
as Dragon Chan
as Chan Kwok-Wah
as Carl Tam
as Liu Jinxi / Tang Long
as General Guan Yunchang
as Cheng Yu-keung / Arnold Cheng
as Chen Zhen
as Ip Man
as Qinglong
as Sum Chung-Yang
as Tian Han
as Wedding Guest
as Yip Man
as Pang Yong
as General Muyong Xuehu
as Ma
as Tiger Wong
as Inspector Ma Kwun
as Chu Zhaonan
as General Lone
as Victor Tsui
as Wu Chow
as Self
as Hung Hei-Kwun
as Sky
as Chen-Jun
as Snowman
as Chen Zhen
as Self
as Jin Ke
as Ozone
as Tong Shan
as Cat Lee
as Fung Man-hin
as Boxing School Owner
as 唐山
as Nam
as Iron Monkey
as 陈真
as Lung Chat
as Chiang Ho-Wa
as Danton Lee
as Hung-Hei Kwun
as Hung Hei-gun
as Leung Pok To
as Self (uncredited)
as So Chan
as Wong Kei-ying
as Yip Cheung
as Eunuch Tso Siu Yan
as Commander Lan
as Leung / Brett Chan
as Ronnie
as Shiang Chin-Fei
as Dragon Yau
as Cheung Ho-nam
as Captain Donnie Yan
as Terry
as Dickson Kwan
as Eddie
as Chan Chuen Chung
as Self
as Ip Man
as Det. Sgt. Ma Jun