Donnie Yen
- Acting
- July 27, 1963 · Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Biography
Donnie Yen Chi-tan (Chinese: 甄子丹; Jyutping: jan1 zi2 daan1; pinyin: Zhēn Zǐdān; born 27 July 1963) is a Hong Kong actor, filmmaker, martial artist, and action director. His accolades include 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 a co-producer of 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), Flash Point (2007), 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 elements of mixed martial arts (MMA) 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). Description above from the Wikipedia article Donnie Yen, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known for
Filmography
- You are the Best · Alex Yang
- The Prosecutor · Fok Chi Ho, Director
- Crush Over
- John Wick: Chapter 4 · Caine
- Sakra · Qiao Feng / Xiao Feng, Director
- The Monkey King: The Legend Begins · Sun Wukong / Monkey King
- Polar Rescue · A De, Producer
- New Kung Fu Cult Master 2 · Zhang Sanfeng
- New Kung Fu Cult Master · Zhang Sanfeng
- Kung Fu Stuntmen
- Raging Fire · Bong, Action Director
- Wuhan Wuhan · Executive producer
- Bravo Youngsters!
- Mulan · Commander Tung
- 2次重塑
- Enter the Fat Dragon · Fallon Zhu, Producer
- Ip Man 4: The Finale · Ip Man
- Master Z: Ip Man Legacy · Producer
- The 40th Anniversary of Chinese Film Since China's Reform and Opening-Up
- Iceman: The Time Traveler · Ying
- Big Brother · Henry Chen Xia, Producer
- Guardians of Martial Arts · Master Yen
- Chasing the Dragon · Crippled Ho, Producer
- The Stories: The Making of 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' · Self
- xXx: Return of Xander Cage · Xiang, Fight Choreographer
- Roast
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story · Chirrut Imwe
- 鲁豫有约一日行
- Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny · Silent Wolf
- Ip Man 3 · Ip Man
- An Inspector Calls · Band Members
- Kung Fu Jungle · Hahou Mo, Action Director
- Chef Nic
- Iceman · Ying, Producer
- Golden Chickensss · Yip Man
- The Monkey King · Sun Wukong / Monkey King
- Wu Xia Pian - Le Festin du Tigre Chinois · Self
- Special ID · Dragon Chan
- Together · Chan Kwok-Wah
- All's Well, Ends Well · Carl Tam
- Dragon · Liu Jinxi / Tang Long, Action Director
- The Lost Bladesman · Guan Yunchang, Choreographer
- All's Well, End's Well 2011 · Cheng Yu-keung / Arnold Cheng
- Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen · Chen Zhen, Martial Arts Choreographer
- Running Man
- Ip Man 2 · Ip Man
- 14 Blades · Qinglong
- Bodyguards and Assassins · Shum Chung Yang
- The Founding of a Republic · Tian Han
- How Bruce Lee Changed the World · Self
- All's Well, End's Well 2009 · Wedding Guest (cameo)
- Club Sparkle
- Ip Man · Yip Man
- Painted Skin · Pang Yong
- An Empress and the Warriors · General Muyong Xuehu
- Flash Point · Ma, Producer
- Dragon Tiger Gate · Dragon Wong, Action Director
- Stormbreaker · Action Director, Stunts
- Be My Guest
- SPL: Kill Zone · Inspector Ma Kwun, Martial Arts Choreographer
- Seven Swords · Chu Zhaonan
- 'Hero' Defined: A Look at the Epic Masterpiece · Self
- The Twins Effect II · General Lone, Stunt Coordinator
- Love on the Rocks · Victor Tsui
- Protégé de la Rose Noire · Director
- The Twins Effect · Co-Director, Action Director
- Shanghai Knights · Wu Chow
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! · Self
- Hero · Sky
- The Blood Pact: The Making of 'Blade II' · Self
- The Kung Fu Master · Hung Hei-Kwun
- Fist of Fury · Chen-Jun
- Blade II · Snowman, Martial Arts Choreographer
- The Princess Blade · Action Director, Stunts
- Fist of Fury - Sworn Revenge · Chen Zhen, Martial Arts Choreographer
- Reflections on 'the Little Dragon'
- Hong Kong Superstars · Self
- Highlander: Endgame · Jin Ke, Martial Arts Choreographer
- Der Puma - Kämpfer mit Herz · Stunts
- Moonlight Express · Action Director, Choreographer