Donnie Yen
98 movies · 7 TV shows
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- Jul 27, 1963 (age 63)
- Place of birth
- Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Also known as
- Donnie Yen Ji-Dan · Yen Ji-Dan · Yen Chi-Tan · Yan Chi-Tan
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.
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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
Donnie Yen: movies and TV shows
Acting (94)
- Upcoming Ip Man 5
as Ip Man
- Upcoming Flash Point: Resurgence
as Det. Sgt. Ma Jun
- Upcoming
- Upcoming Caine
as Caine
- 2025 You are the Best
as Alex Yang
- 2024 The Prosecutor
as Fok Chi Ho
- 2023 John Wick: Chapter 4
as Caine
- 2023 Sakra
as Qiao Feng / Xiao Feng
- 2022 The Monkey King: The Legend Begins
as Sun Wukong / Monkey King
- 2022 Polar Rescue
as A De
- 2022 New Kung Fu Cult Master 2
as Zhang Sanfeng
- 2022 New Kung Fu Cult Master
as Zhang Sanfeng
- 2021
- 2021 Raging Fire
as Bong
- 2020 Mulan
as Commander Tung
- 2020 Enter the Fat Dragon
as Fallon Zhu
- 2019 Ip Man 4: The Finale
as Ip Man
- 2018
- 2018 Iceman: The Time Traveler
as Ying
- 2018 Big Brother
as Henry Chen Xia
- 2017 Guardians of Martial Arts
as Master Yen
- 2017 Chasing the Dragon
as Crippled Ho
- 2017 xXx: Return of Xander Cage
as Xiang
- 2016 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
as Chirrut Imwe
- 2016 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny
as Silent Wolf
- 2015 Ip Man 3
as Ip Man
- 2015 An Inspector Calls
as Band Members
- 2014 Kung Fu Jungle
as Hahou Mo
- 2014 Iceman
as Ying
- 2014 Golden Chickensss
as Yip Man
- 2014 The Monkey King
as Sun Wukong / Monkey King
- 2013 Special ID
as Dragon Chan
- 2013 Together
as Chan Kwok-Wah
- 2012 All's Well, Ends Well
as Carl Tam
- 2011 Dragon
as Liu Jinxi / Tang Long
- 2011 The Lost Bladesman
as Guan Yunchang
- 2011 All's Well, End's Well 2011
as Cheng Yu-keung / Arnold Cheng
- 2010 Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen
as Chen Zhen
- 2010 Ip Man 2
as Ip Man
- 2010 14 Blades
as Qinglong
- 2009 Bodyguards and Assassins
as Shum Chung Yang
- 2009 The Founding of a Republic
as Tian Han
- 2009 All's Well, End's Well 2009
as Wedding Guest (cameo)
- 2008 Ip Man
as Yip Man
- 2008 Painted Skin
as Pang Yong
- 2008 An Empress and the Warriors
as General Muyong Xuehu
- 2007 Flash Point
as Ma
- 2006 Dragon Tiger Gate
as Dragon Wong
- 2005 SPL: Kill Zone
as Inspector Ma Kwun
- 2005 Seven Swords
as Chu Zhaonan
- 2004 The Twins Effect II
as General Lone
- 2004 Love on the Rocks
as Victor Tsui
- 2003 Shanghai Knights
as Wu Chow
- 2002 Hero
as Sky
- 2002 The Kung Fu Master
as Hung Hei-Kwun
- 2002 Fist of Fury
as Chen-Jun
- 2002 Blade II
as Snowman
- 2001 Fist of Fury - Sworn Revenge
as Chen Zhen
- 2001
- 2000 Highlander: Endgame
as Jin Ke
- 1999 City of Darkness
as Ozone
- 1998 Shanghai Affairs
as Tong Shan
- 1998 Ballistic Kiss
as Cat Lee
- 1997 Legend of the Wolf
as Fung Man-hin
- 1997 Black Rose II
as Boxing School Owner
- 1997 义侠勇闯上海滩
as 唐山
- 1996 Satan Returns
as Nam
- 1996 Iron Monkey 2
as Iron Monkey
- 1995
- 1995 The Saint of Gamblers
as Lung Chat
- 1995 High Voltage
as Chiang Ho-Wa
- 1994 Circus Kids
as Danton Lee
- 1994 Revenge of the Kung Fu Master
as Hung-Hei Kwun
- 1994
- 1994 Wing Chun
as Leung Pok To
- 1993 Heroes Among Heroes
as So Chan
- 1993 Iron Monkey
as Wong Kei-ying
- 1993 Butterfly and Sword
as Yip Cheung
- 1992 New Dragon Gate Inn
as Eunuch Tso Siu Yan
- 1992 Once Upon a Time in China II
as Commander Lan
- 1992 Crystal Hunt
as Leung / Brett Chan
- 1992 Cheetah on Fire
as Ronnie
- 1991
- 1991 The Holy Virgin Versus the Evil Dead
as Shiang Chin-Fei
- 1991
- 1991
- 1990 Tiger Cage II
as Dragon Yau
- 1989
- 1989 In the Line of Duty 4
as Captain Donnie Yan
- 1989
- 1988 Tiger Cage
as Terry
- 1988 The Last Conflict
as Dickson Kwan
- 1985 Mismatched Couples
as Eddie
- 1984 Drunken Tai Chi
as Chan Chuen Chung
Behind the camera (39)
- Upcoming Caine
Director, Executive Producer
- Upcoming 狠家伙
Executive Producer
- 2024 The Prosecutor
Director, Producer
- 2023 Sakra
Director, Producer
- 2022 Polar Rescue
Producer
- 2021 Raging Fire
Action Director, Producer
- 2021 Wuhan Wuhan
Executive Producer
- 2020 Enter the Fat Dragon
Producer
- 2018 Master Z: Ip Man Legacy
Producer
- 2018 Big Brother
Producer, Action Director
- 2017 Chasing the Dragon
Producer
- 2017 xXx: Return of Xander Cage
Fight Choreographer
- 2014 Kung Fu Jungle
Action Director
- 2014 Iceman
Producer
- 2011 Dragon
Action Director
- 2011 The Lost Bladesman
Choreographer
- 2010 Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen
Martial Arts Choreographer
- 2007 Flash Point
Producer, Action Director
- 2006 Dragon Tiger Gate
Action Director, Co-Producer
- 2006 Stormbreaker
Action Director, Stunts
- 2005 SPL: Kill Zone
Martial Arts Choreographer
- 2004 The Twins Effect II
Stunt Coordinator
- 2004 Protégé de la Rose Noire
Director
- 2003 The Twins Effect
Co-Director, Action Director
- 2002 Blade II
Martial Arts Choreographer
- 2001 The Princess Blade
Action Director, Stunts
- 2001 Fist of Fury - Sworn Revenge
Martial Arts Choreographer
- 2000 Highlander: Endgame
Martial Arts Choreographer
- 1999 Der Puma - Kämpfer mit Herz
Stunts
- 1999 Moonlight Express
Action Director, Choreographer
- 1998 Shanghai Affairs
Director
- 1998 Ballistic Kiss
Martial Arts Choreographer, Director, Producer, Writer
- 1997 Legend of the Wolf
Director, Producer, Screenplay, Martial Arts Choreographer
- 1994 Wing Chun
Martial Arts Choreographer, Action Director
- 1992 New Dragon Gate Inn
Stunt Double
- 1990 Tiger Cage II
Martial Arts Choreographer
- 1988 Tiger Cage
Martial Arts Choreographer
- 1986 The Close Encounters of Vampire
Choreographer
- 1982 The Miracle Fighters
Stunt Double
Talk shows and appearances (18)
- 2023 Crush Over
13 episodes
- 2020 Bravo Youngsters!
10 episodes
- 2020 2次重塑
1 episode
- 2017
- 2017 Roast
1 episode
- 2016 鲁豫有约一日行
1 episode
- 2014 Chef Nic
1 episode
- 2013
- 2010 Running Man
1 episode
- 2009
- 2009 Club Sparkle
1 episode
- 2006 Be My Guest
1 episode
- 2004
- 2003 Jimmy Kimmel Live!
1 episode
- 2002
- 2001
- 1994
- 1953 The Oscars
1 episode