Donnie Yen

Donnie Yen (born July 27, 1963) was born into a martial-arts family in Guangdong Province, China. His mother, Mài Bǎochán (麦宝婵), is an international martial artist and Tai Chi master and was a founder of the Chinese Martial Arts Research Institute. His father, Yen Yun-long (甄云龙), worked as an editor for the international Chinese newspaper Sing Tao Daily in Boston. His family background had an important influence on Donnie Yen’s martial-arts training.

Early life: Donnie moved to Hong Kong with his parents and began learning martial arts at age two. In 1974, at age eleven, he and his family emigrated to Boston, Massachusetts, where he studied a variety of martial-arts styles. In 1978, influenced by Bruce Lee, he developed an interest in free fighting and then went to train with the Beijing Wushu Team for two years. On his way back to the United States he stopped in Hong Kong and met director Yuen Woo-ping, beginning a long-term collaborative relationship.

Acting career: Donnie first collaborated with Yuen Woo-ping on May 31, 1984, appearing in the film Xiao Taiji (笑太极; literally “Laughing Tai Chi”). The following year he played the young Eddie in Yuen’s film Qing Feng Di Shou (情逢敌手; literal translation: “When Love Meets an Opponent”). In 1988 he appeared in the police-and-gangster film Special Police: Dragon Killer (特警屠龙), playing A-Dan, who is harmed by information from a traitor. In 1989 he made his first television appearance in the series Wu Mian Ji Xian Feng (无冕急先锋), portraying police officer Xie Guodong, and that same year he played Tony, leader of a narcotics squad, in Royal Tramp Sister 4: Direct Hit on the Witness (皇家师姐4：直击证人). During the 1990s he took major roles in films and TV series including Money Laundering (洗黑钱), Maze of Destiny (命运迷宫), New Dragon Gate Inn (新龙门客栈), and Once Upon a Time in China II (黄飞鸿之二男儿当自强). His martial-arts action film Young Wong Fei-hung: Iron Monkey (少年黄飞鸿之铁马骝) was nominated for the world stunt award “Best Fight,” gaining wide attention.

In 1994 he starred in Wing Chun (咏春) and appeared in the TV series Hong Xiguan (洪熙官), the latter earning him a Best Actor nomination for the Golden Dragon Award for Chinese-language television. In 1997 Donnie began directing; his first self-directed and starring film was Legend of the Battle Wolves (战狼传说). In 1998 he directed the urban gun-action film Kill Kill People, Dance Dance (杀杀人，跳跳舞), winning the Best Young Director award at Japan’s Yubari Film Festival.

In 2000 he signed on to work internationally and appeared in the film Hero (2002), which helped cement his standing in Chinese-language cinema and became a global box-office success with multiple international award nominations. In 2008 he portrayed Ip Man in Ip Man, launching his signature martial-arts iconography. Since then he has frequently starred in and served as action choreographer for films including Ip Man 2, Ip Man 3, Flash Point (导火线), Chasing the Dragon (追龙), Big Brother (大师兄), and Paradox (误判). His 2014 film Journey to the West: Havoc in Heaven (西游记之大闹天宫) and the 2020 live-action Mulan also received positive responses.

Public life and personal life: Donnie Yen is active in charity, brand endorsements, and public duties. In 2023 he was elected a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). In his personal life, he married model Cissy Wang (汪诗诗) in 2003; they have a son and a daughter. He was previously married to Liang Jingci (梁静慈). Throughout his career Donnie Yen has remained focused on film, martial arts, and related public activities, earning multiple film awards and demonstrating his professional level on the international stage.