Donnie Yen 1963 62
Donnie Yen 1963 62
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).
4.37
Popularity102
Credits6.6
Rating70.9M
Budget241M
RevenueActing
Primarily102 Credits
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Credit 102
2025 Let the Music Fly
2025 Kung Fu
2025 From the World of John Wick: Caine as Caine Director, Executive Producer
2025 Flash Point: Resurgence as Det. Sgt. Ma Jun
2025 Ip Man 5 as Ip Man
2025 Wick Is Pain as (archive footage)
2024 The Prosecutor as Fok Chi-ho Producer, Director
2023 John Wick: Chapter 4 as Caine
2023 Sakra as Qiao Feng / Xiao Feng Director, Producer
2022 Come Back Home as A De Producer
2022 New Kung Fu Cult Master 2 as Zhang Sanfeng
2022 New Kung Fu Cult Master as Zhang Sanfeng
2021 Kung Fu Stuntmen
2021 Raging Fire as Cheung Sung-bong Producer, Action Director
2021 Wuhan Wuhan Executive Producer
2021 2021 China Central Radio and TV Station Spring Festival Gala
2020 Mulan as Commander Tung
2020 Enter the Fat Dragon as Fallon Zhu Producer
2019 Ip Man 4: The Finale as Ip Man
2018 Master Z: Ip Man Legacy Producer
2018 Iceman: The Time Traveler as Ying
2018 Big Brother as Henry Chen Xia / Chan Hak Producer, Action Director
2017 Guardians of Martial Arts as Master Yen
2017 Chasing the Dragon as Crippled Ho Producer
2017 The Stories: The Making of 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' as Self
2017 xXx: Return of Xander Cage as Xiang Fight Choreographer
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 Action Director
2014 Iceman as Ying Producer
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 Action Director
2011 The Lost Bladesman as General Guan Yunchang Choreographer
2011 All's Well, Ends Well 2011 as Cheng Yu-keung / Arnold Cheng
2010 Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen as Chen Zhen Martial Arts Choreographer
2010 Ip Man 2 as Ip Man
2010 14 Blades as Qinglong
2009 Bodyguards and Assassins as Sum Chung-Yang
2009 The Founding of a Republic as Tian Han
2009 How Bruce Lee Changed the World as Self
2009 All's Well, Ends Well 2009 as Wedding Guest
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 Det. Sgt. Ma Jun Producer, Fight Choreographer
2006 Dragon Tiger Gate as Tiger Wong Action Director
2006 Stormbreaker Action Director, Stunts
2005 SPL: Kill Zone as Inspector Ma Kwun Martial Arts Choreographer
2005 Seven Swords as Chu Zhaonan
2004 'Hero' Defined: A Look at the Epic Masterpiece as Self
2004 The Twins Effect II as General Lone Stunt Coordinator
2004 Love on the Rocks as Victor Tsui
2004 Protégé de la Rose Noire Director
2003 The Twins Effect Action Director, Co-Director
2003 Shanghai Knights as Wu Chow
2002 The Blood Pact: The Making of 'Blade II' as Self
2002 The Kung Fu Master as Hung Hei-Kwun
2002 Hero as Sky
2002 Fist of Fury as Chen-Jun
2002 Blade II as Snowman Martial Arts Choreographer
2001 The Princess Blade Action Director, Stunts
2001 Fist of Fury - Sworn Revenge as Chen Zhen Martial Arts Choreographer
2001 Hong Kong Superstars as Self
2000 Highlander: Endgame as Jin Ke
1999 Der Puma - Kämpfer mit Herz Stunts
1999 Moonlight Express Action Director, Choreographer
1999 City of Darkness as Ozone
1998 Shanghai Affairs as Tong Shan Director
1998 Ballistic Kiss as Cat Lee Director, Producer, Martial Arts Choreographer, Writer
1997 Legend of the Wolf as Fung Man-hin Director, Screenplay, Producer, Martial Arts Choreographer
1997 Black Rose II as Boxing School Owner
1996 Satan Returns as Nam
1996 Iron Monkey 2 as Iron Monkey
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 Wing Chun as Leung Pok To Action Director, Martial Arts Choreographer
1994 Cinema of Vengeance as Self (uncredited)
1993 Heroes Among Heroes as So Chan
1993 Iron Monkey as Wong Kei-ying
1993 Butterfly and Sword as Yip Cheung
1992 Dragon Inn as Eunuch Tso Siu Yan Stunt Double
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 The Holy Virgin Versus the Evil Dead as Shiang Chin-Fei
1990 Tiger Cage II as Dragon Yau Martial Arts Choreographer
1989 In the Line of Duty 4 as Captain Donnie Yan
1988 Tiger Cage as Terry Martial Arts Choreographer
1988 The Last Conflict as Dickson Kwan
1986 The Close Encounters of Vampire Choreographer
1985 Mismatched Couples as Eddie
1984 Drunken Tai Chi as Chan Chuen Chung
1982 The Miracle Fighters Stunt Double