DY
Donnie Yen
Actor, Producer, Director, Writer, Editor, Additional CreditsBorn July 27, 1963 (62 years)
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).
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).
Movies & Shows on Plex
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Filmography
| 2025 | You Are the Best · as Alex Yang |
| 2024 | The Prosecutor · as Fok Chi-Ho |
| 2024 | Armor Hero Star Ray (TV Series) · as General Qiu Bai |
| 2023 | John Wick: Chapter 4 · as Caine |
| 2023 | Sakra · as Qiao Feng / Xiao Feng |
| 2022 | The Monkey King: The Legend Begins · as Sun Wukong |
| 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 | Raging Fire · as Cheung Sung-Bong |
| 2020 | |
| 2020 | Mulan · as Commander Tung |
| 2020 | Enter the Fat Dragon · as Fallon Zhu |
| 2019 | Ip Man 4: The Finale · as Ip Man |
| 2018 | Iceman: The Time Traveller · as Ying |
| 2018 | Big Brother · as Henry Chen Xia / Chan Hak |
| 2017 | On That Night... While We Dream · 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 | Roast! (TV Series) |
| 2016 | Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny · as Silent Wolf |
| 2015 | |
| 2015 | An Inspector Calls · as Band Members |
| 2014 | Kung Fu Killer · as Hahou Mo |
| 2014 | Nature Is Speaking (TV Series) · as Saan-Wu Ziu (coral Reef) |
| 2014 | |
| 2014 | The Monkey King: Havoc in Heaven's Palace · as Sun Wukong / Monkey King |
| 2014 | Golden Chickensss · as Yip Man |
| 2013 | Special ID · as Dragon Chan |
| 2013 | Together · as Chan Kwok-Wah |
| 2012 | All's Well, Ends Well 2012 · as Carl Tam |
| 2011 | |
| 2011 | The Lost Bladesman · as General Guan Yunchang |
| 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 |
| 2010 | Running Man (TV Series) |
| 2010 | |
| 2010 | |
| 2009 | Bodyguards and Assassins · as Sum Chung-Yang |
| 2009 | The Founding of a Republic · as Tian Han |
| 2009 | All's Well, Ends Well 2009 · as Wedding Guest |
| 2008 | |
| 2008 | Painted Skin · as Pang Yong |
| 2008 | An Empress and the Warriors · as General Muyong Xuehu |
| 2007 | Flash Point · as Det. Sgt. Ma Jun |
| 2006 | Dragon Tiger Gate · as Tiger Wong |
| 2005 | |
| 2005 | Seven Swords · as Chu Zhaonan |
| 2005 | Kung Fu Master · as Hung Hei-Kwun |
| 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 | Fist of Fury · as Chen-Jun |
| 2002 | Blade II · as Snowman |
| 2001 | Fist of Fury - Sworn Revenge · as Chen Zhen |
| 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 |
| 1996 | Satan Returns · as Nam |
| 1996 | Iron Monkey 2 · as Iron Monkey |
| 1995 | Fist of Fury (1995) (TV Series) · as 陈真 |
| 1995 | The Saint of Gamblers · as Lung Chat |
| 1994 | Asian Cop: High Voltage · as Chiang Ho-Wa |
| 1994 | Circus Kids · as Danton Lee |
| 1994 | The Kung Fu Master (TV Series) · as Hung Hei-Gun |
| 1994 | |
| 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 |
| 1992 | Once Upon a Time in China II · as Commander Lan |
| 1992 | Cheetah on Fire · as Ronnie |
| 1991 | Holy Virgin vs. The Evil Dead · as Shiang Chin-Fei |
| 1991 | Crystal Hunt · as Leung / Brett Chan |
| 1990 | Tiger Cage II · as Dragon Yau |
| 1989 | In the Line of Duty IV · as Captain Donnie Yan |
| 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 |