Known For
Acting
Known Credits
111
Gender
Male
Birthday
July 27, 1963 (62 years old)
Place of Birth
Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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.
| 2024 | The Prosecutor...Director | |
| 2024 | The Prosecutor...Producer | |
| 2023 | Sakra...Director | |
| 2023 | Sakra...Producer | |
| 2022 | Polar Rescue...Producer | |
| 2021 | Raging Fire...Producer | |
| 2021 | Raging Fire...Action Director | |
| 2021 | Wuhan Wuhan...Executive Producer | |
| 2020 | Enter the Fat Dragon...Producer | |
| 2018 | Master Z: Ip Man Legacy...Producer | |
| 2018 | Big Brother...Producer | |
| 2018 | Big Brother...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 | |
| 2007 | Flash Point...Action Director | |
| 2006 | Dragon Tiger Gate...Action Director | |
| 2006 | Dragon Tiger Gate...Co-Producer | |
| 2006 | Stormbreaker...Action Director | |
| 2006 | Stormbreaker...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...Action Director | |
| 2003 | The Twins Effect...Co-Director | |
| 2002 | Blade II...Martial Arts Choreographer | |
| 2001 | The Princess Blade...Action Director | |
| 2001 | The Princess Blade...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 | |
| 1999 | Moonlight Express...Choreographer | |
| 1998 | Shanghai Affairs...Director | |
| 1998 | Ballistic Kiss...Director | |
| 1998 | Ballistic Kiss...Producer | |
| 1998 | Ballistic Kiss...Martial Arts Choreographer | |
| 1998 | Ballistic Kiss...Writer | |
| 1997 | Legend of the Wolf...Director | |
| 1997 | Legend of the Wolf...Screenplay | |
| 1997 | Legend of the Wolf...Producer | |
| 1997 | Legend of the Wolf...Martial Arts Choreographer | |
| 1994 | Wing Chun...Action Director | |
| 1994 | Wing Chun...Martial Arts Choreographer | |
| 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 | |
| 狠家伙...Executive Producer | ||
| Caine...Director | ||
| Caine...Executive Producer |