Birth Day: 1963-07-27
Place of birth: Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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).
Credits
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As Alex Yang -
As Fok Chi Ho -
As Qiao Feng / Xiao Feng -
As Caine -
As Zhang Sanfeng -
As A De -
As Zhang Sanfeng -
As Sun Wukong / Monkey King -
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As Bong -
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As Fallon Zhu -
As Commander Tung -
As Ip Man -
As Henry Chen Xia / Chan Hak -
As Ying -
As Self -
As Master Yen -
As Crippled Ho -
As Xiang -
As Chirrut Imwe -
As Silent Wolf -
As Band Members -
As Ip Man -
As Ying -
As Yip Man -
As Sun Wukong / Monkey King -
As Hahou Mo -
As Chan Kwok-Wah -
As Dragon Chan -
As Carl Tam -
As Cheng Yu-keung / Arnold Cheng -
As Liu Jinxi / Tang Long -
As Guan Yunchang -
As Chen Zhen -
As Ip Man -
As Qinglong -
As Wedding Guest -
As Self -
As Sum Chung-Yang -
As Tian Han -
As Pang Yong -
As Yip Man -
As General Muyong Xuehu -
As Ma -
As Tiger Wong -
As Inspector Ma Kwun -
As Chu Zhaonan -
As Self -
As General Lone -
As Victor Tsui -
As Wu Chow -
As Self -
As Chen-Jun -
As Hung Hei-Kwun -
As Sky -
As Snowman -
As Self -
As Chen Zhen -
As Jin Ke -
As Ozone -
As Cat Lee -
As Tong Shan -
As Boxing School Owner -
As 唐山 -
As Fung Man-hin -
As Iron Monkey -
As Nam -
As Chiang Ho-Wa -
As Lung Chat -
As Danton Lee -
As Self (uncredited) -
As Hung-Hei Kwun -
As Leung Pok To -
As So Chan -
As Yip Cheung -
As Wong Kei-ying -
As Ronnie -
As Eunuch Tso Siu Yan -
As Commander Lan -
As Leung / Brett Chan -
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As Shiang Chin-Fei -
As Dragon Yau -
As Captain Donnie Yan -
As Dickson Kwan -
As Terry -
As Eddie -
As Chan Chuen Chung -
As Ip Man -
As Det. Sgt. Ma Jun -
As Caine
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