Photo: Will629 / CC0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Donnie Yen sits near the very top of my list of action performers. Born in Guangzhou, he can shift from the still, composed gravity of Ip Man to the brutal, realistic combat of SPL and Flash Point, and the precision of his timing is a thing of beauty. What sets him apart is that he is not just a fighter on camera; as a choreographer and director he designs whole films, so the emotion of a story actually lives inside the fight scenes. His Golden Horse and Hong Kong Film Awards are well earned. Even as he ages, he remains the real deal to me.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Donnie Yen
- Name (Japanese)
- ドニー・イェン
- Reading
- どにー・いぇん
- Born
- July 27, 1963 (age 62)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Leo / Rabbit
- Origin
- Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- 2 cm
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- actor / film producer / film director / choreographer / martial artist
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Newton North High School
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 2003 Golden Horse Award for Best Action Choreography
- 2004 Hong Kong Film Awards
- 2006 Hong Kong Film Awards
- 2007 Golden Bauhinia Awards
- 2021 Tatler Most Influential Hong Kong
- 2022 Tatler Most Influential Hong Kong
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Iron Monkey | — | |
| Notable work | Hero | — | |
| Notable work | SPL: Sha Po Lang | — | |
| Notable work | Flash Point | — | |
| Notable work | Ip Man | — | |
| Notable work | Mulan | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Donnie Yen born?
Born July 27, 1963 (age 62).
Where is Donnie Yen from?
Donnie Yen is from Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
What does Donnie Yen do?
Donnie Yen works as actor, film producer, film director, choreographer, martial artist.
How tall is Donnie Yen?
Donnie Yen is 2 cm.
What is Donnie Yen known for?
Notable works include Iron Monkey, Hero, SPL: Sha Po Lang.
Actor — see all → · Film producer — see all → · More people from People's Republic of China →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-11
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.