Last updated on: February 4, 2024
Donnie Yen Ji-dan was born in Guangzhou, China, on July 27, 1963. He is a martial artist, actor, and action director from Hong Kong. Yen is regarded as one of Hong Kong’s top action stars. He has choreographed MMA fights in many of his films since the early 2000s, which is how MMA became popular in mainstream Asian cinema.
Bow-sim Mark, Yen’s mother, was a kung fu master, and Kylster Yen, his father, was a newspaper editor and amateur musician. Yen’s family relocated to Hong Kong when he was two years old. When he was 11, his family relocated to Boston, Massachusetts.
Yen has appeared in numerous films and television shows, but his roles in “Ip Man” and “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” are his most well-known. In addition, he presented awards at the 95th Academy Awards.
Yen is a martial arts expert as well as an actor. He has studied Wushu, Taekwondo, Muay Thai, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, among other martial arts. He also works as a choreographer and director. In several films in which he has acted, he has directed and choreographed action scenes.
As of October 2024, Donnie Yen is 61 years and 3 months old, his estimated net worth is $45 million, and he stands at a height of 5 feet 8 inches (173 cm or 1.33 m) tall.
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Bio/Wiki
Full Name
Donnie Yen Ji-dan
Nickname
Donnie
Profession
Actor, Film Director, Producer, Martial Artist
Career
Debut
Film – Drunken Tai Chi (1984)
TV Show – File Nair (1989)
Best Known for
Ip Man movie series.
Awards
Hong Kong Film Award for Best Action Choreography
Personal Profile and Background Details
Date of Birth
July 27, 1963
Donnie Yen Age
As of today, he is 61 years, 3 months, and 3 days old.
Also Check⇒ Jet Li Age, Jackie Chan Age, Sammo Hung Age, Keanu Reeves Age
Zodiac sign
Leo
Signature
Nationality
Hong Kong
Birth Place
Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Residence
Boston
School / College / University
Wu Shu Academy
Religion
Christianity
Race / Ethnicity
Asian (Chinese).
Food Habits
Non-vegan.
Hobbies
Listening to music.
Physical Attributes and Measurements
Height
- In feet – 5′ 8″
- In Centimeters – 173 cm
- In meters – 1.73 m
Also Check⇒ Jet Li Height, Jackie Chan Height, Sammo Hung Height, Keanu Reeves Height
Weight
- In kilograms – 75 kg
- In Pounds – 165.5 lbs
Body Measurements
- Chest Size: 43 inches
- Biceps Size: 16 inches
- Waist Size: 33 inches
Shoe size
11 (US)
Eye color
Dark Brown
Hair Color
Black
Family
Donnie Yen was born in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China on July 27, 1963, to Bow-sim Mark, a Fu Style Wudangquan (internal martial arts) and Tai Chi grandmaster, and Klyster Yen, a newspaper editor. When he was two years old, his family moved to Hong Kong, and then to the United States, settling in Boston when he was 11 years old.
Donnie Yen is married to Cissy Wang, a famous Hong Kong model. The couple tied the knot in 2003 and have two children together named Jasmine and James. Donnie Yen also has an older son named Jeff, from a previous relationship with a woman who is not in the entertainment industry. Yen is famously private about his family life and rarely shares information or photos of his children.
Wife
Cissy Wang (2003–Present)
Leung Zing-Ci (1994–1995)
Father
Klyster Yen (Newspaper Editor)
Mother
Bow-Sim Mark (Martial Arts, Tai Chi Grand Master)
Siblings
Chris Yen (Sister) (Martial Artist, Actress)
Children
Jeff Yen (Son) (Born in 1995)
Jasmine Yen (Daughter)
James Yen (Son)
Relationship & More
Marital Status
Married to Cissy Wang
Marriage Date
Leung ZingCi – In 1994
Cissy Wang – In 2003
Girlfriend and Dating History
Joey Meng (1990)
Leung Zing Ci (1993–1994)
Donnie Yen was in a relationship with advertising executive Leung Zing Ci. The exact timeline of their relationship is unknown, but according to some reports, they met in 1990 and began dating in 1993. They married in front of their relatives, friends, and family members in November 1993. Their marriage, however, lasted less than a year, and they divorced in 1995.
Zing Ci discovered she was pregnant with their son, Jeff, after their divorce. She was granted custody of Jeff, and according to reports, co-parenting was difficult because she allegedly prevented Donnie from seeing Jeff despite a prior visitation agreement. After the divorce, Donnie allegedly purchased a luxury home for Zing Ci and Jeff and gave her a monthly living allowance of HKD 50,000.
Cissy Wang (2003–Present)
Donnie Yen and Cissy Wang have been married for nearly two decades and have two children. Cissy Wang, a former beauty pageant winner, and current model and entrepreneur met Donnie Yen in 2003 after she was crowned Miss Chinese Toronto Pageant winner in the year 2000.
They only dated for three weeks before marrying in August 2003. Donnie Yen flew to Toronto after only two weeks of dating to meet Cissy’s parents and ask for her hand in marriage.
The couple is known for their loving relationship, and during photo shoots and interviews, they appear to be very close and intuitive together. Despite their 18-year age difference, the couple is stronger than ever and still deeply in love.
Favorite Things
Favorite Actor – Bruce Lee
Martial Arts Actor – Jet Li
Net worth 2024
$45 million.
As of October 2024, Donnie Yen’s estimated net worth is $45 million. Most of Yen’s money comes from his successful career as an actor. In 2013, he made HK$220 million (US$28.4 million) from just four movies and six ads. He is well known for helping to make Wing Chun more popular in China.
Donnie Yen has been in the news lately because he will play an assassin named Caine in the upcoming movie John Wick: Chapter 4. Strangely, Yen fought for changes to the script, which had Asian stereotypes in it at first.
Net worth in 2023 | $40 million |
Net worth in 2022 | $38 million |
Net worth in 2021 | $35 million |
Net worth in 2020 | $32 million |
Net worth in 2019 | $30 million |
Net worth in 2018 | $28 million |
Also Read |
Jet Li Net Worth |
Donnie Yen Facts
- He was born in Guangzhou, China, on July 27, 1963.
- He is a Chinese actor, wushu champion, martial artist, film director, producer, action choreographer, and more.
- When Yen was two years old, his family moved to Hong Kong.
- His mother, Bow-sim Mark, is a martial artist, and his father, Klyster Yen, is an editor at a newspaper.
- Yen’s mother taught him martial arts when he was four years old.
- He has a black belt in both taekwondo and judo.
- Yen also learned Chinese martial art of wushu, which has both old and new ways of doing it.
- “Drunken Tai Chi,” which came out in 1983, was his first movie.
- Yen is known for his parts in “Ip Man,” “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2.”
- He has also directed a number of movies, including “Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen” and “Dragon Tiger Gate.”
- Yen has won several awards for his acting and martial arts skills, such as Best Action Choreography at the Hong Kong Film Awards and Best Actor at the Golden Horse Awards.
- He is also a good pianist who has been playing since he was a child.
- Cissy Wang, who used to be Miss Chinese Toronto, is now married to Yen.
- Together, they have two children.
- Yen has a net worth of $40 million and is one of the best-paid actors in Asia.
- He is thought to have helped make Wing Chun, a style of kung fu, well-known in China.
- In the upcoming movie “John Wick: Chapter 4,” Yen will play a killer named Caine.
- He will also be in the martial arts movie “Sakra,” which he directed and produced.
- Yen speaks English, Cantonese, and Mandarin very well.
- He uses social media often and has more than 2 million Instagram followers.
Donnie Yen Movies and TV Shows
All Movies List
Year | Movie Name | Role |
1983 |
Shaolin Drunkard
|
|
1984 | Drunken Tai Chi | Ching Do |
1985 | Mismatched Couples | Eddie |
1988 | Tiger Cage | Terry |
1989 | In the Line of Duty 4: Witness | Captain Donnie Yan |
1990 | Tiger Cage 2 | Dragon Yau |
1991
|
Holy Virgin vs. the Evil Dead |
Shiang Chin-fei
|
Crystal Hunt |
Leung / Brett Chan
|
|
1992
|
Cheetah on Fire | Ronald / Ronnie / Roano |
Once Upon a Time in China II |
Commander Lan
|
|
New Dragon Gate Inn | Eunuch Tsao | |
1993
|
Iron Monkey | Wong Kei-ying |
Butterfly and Sword | Yip Cheung | |
Hero Among Heroes | Beggar So Chan | |
1994
|
Wing Chun | Leung Pok-to |
Circus Kid | Danton Lee | |
1995
|
Iron Monkey 2 |
The Iron Monkey
|
The Saint of Gamblers | Lone Seven | |
1996 | Satan Returns | Nam |
1997
|
Legend of the Wolf | Fung Man-hin |
High Voltage | Chiang Ho-wa | |
Black Rose II | Boxing School Owner | |
1998
|
Ballistic Kiss | Cat |
Shanghai Affairs | Tong Shan | |
1999
|
City of Darkness | Ozone |
Moonlight Express
|
||
2000 | Highlander: Endgame | Jin Ke |
2001 |
The Princess Blade
|
|
2002
|
Blade II | Snowman |
Hero | Long Sky | |
2003
|
Shanghai Knights | Wu Chow |
The Twins Effect
|
||
2004
|
The Twins Effect II | General Lone |
Protégé de la Rose Noire
|
||
Love on the Rocks | Victor Tsui | |
2005
|
SPL: Sha Po Lang | Inspector Ma Kwan |
Seven Swords | Chu Zhaonan | |
2006
|
Stormbreaker | |
Dragon Tiger Gate | Wong Siu-lung, a.k.a. “Dragon Wong” | |
2007 | Flash Point | Inspector Ma Jun |
2008
|
An Empress and the Warriors | Murong Xuehu |
Painted Skin | Pang Yong | |
Ip Man | Ip Man | |
2009
|
All’s Well, Ends Well 2009 |
Wedding Guest
|
The Founding of a Republic | Tian Han | |
Bodyguards and Assassins | Shen Chongyang | |
2010
|
14 Blades | Qinglong |
Ip Man 2 | Ip Man | |
Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen | Chen Zhen | |
2011
|
All’s Well, Ends Well 2011 | Arnold Cheng |
The Lost Bladesman | Guan Yu | |
Dragon | Liu Jinxi / Tang Long | |
2012 | All’s Well, Ends Well 2012 | Carl Tam |
2013
|
Together | Mr. Cool |
Special ID | Dragon Chan | |
2014
|
Golden Chicken 3 | Master Yip |
The Monkey King | Sun Wukong | |
Iceman | Ho Ying | |
Kung Fu Jungle | Ha Hou-mou | |
2015
|
An Inspector Calls | Pop Quadruplet |
Ip Man 3 | Ip Man | |
2016
|
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny | Silent Wolf |
Rogue One | Chirrut Îmwe | |
2017
|
XXX: Return of Xander Cage | Xiang |
Chasing the Dragon | ||
Gong Shou Dao | Master Yen | |
2018
|
Big Brother |
Henry Chen Xia / Chan Hak
|
Iceman: The Time Traveller | Ho Ying | |
Master Z: Ip Man Legacy
|
||
2019 | Ip Man 4: The Finale | Ip Man |
2020
|
Enter the Fat Dragon | Fallon Zhu |
Mulan |
Commander Tung
|
|
2021 | Raging Fire | Cheung Sung-bong |
2022
|
New Kung Fu Cult Master 1 |
Cheung Sam-fung
|
Come Back Home | De | |
2023
|
Sakra | Qiao Feng |
John Wick: Chapter 4 | Caine | |
The release date has not been announced yet. | Sleeping Dogs | Wei Shen |
All TV shows list
Year | TV Show name | Role |
1988 | The Last Conflict | Dickson Kwan |
1989
|
Fei Fu Kwan Ying | Cheung Ho-nam |
Mo Min Kap Sin Fung | Tse Kwok-tung | |
1991
|
A New Life | Chong Ka-chun |
Crime File | Dan, a.k.a. “Bomb” | |
1994 | The Kung Fu Master | Hung Hei-gun |
1995 | Fist of Fury | Chen Zhen |
1999 |
Codename: The Puma
|
Action Director |