Here is the biography of Donnie Yen:
Donnie Yen was born in Guangzhou, China, to a kung fu master mother, Bow-sim Mark, and a newspaper editor and amateur musician father, Kylster Yen. At the age of two, the family moved to Hong Kong, and later to Boston, Massachusetts, when Donnie was 11. His mother became a pioneer for Chinese martial arts in America, and Donnie was trained in martial arts from an early age.
As a teenager, Donnie rebelled against his parents' edicts and began training in various fighting arts, including Japanese karate, Korean taekwondo, and western boxing. He also took up hip-hop and breakdancing. After spending nights in Boston's Combat Zone, his parents sent him to Beijing to train at the Wu Shu academy.
Donnie's big break came when he was cast in the lead role of director Yuen Woo-ping's "Drunken Tai Chi", which established him as a leading man in Chinese action cinema. He went on to star in several films, including "Mismatched Couples", "Tiger Cage", and "In the Line of Duty 4", showcasing his unique form of contemporary screen combat.
Donnie's international breakthrough came with "Once Upon A Time In China 2", which earned him a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the Hong Kong Film Awards. He went on to star in several successful films, including "Iron Monkey", "Hero", and "Ip Man", which cemented his position as China's greatest action hero.
Donnie has also explored his skills as a director, making his debut with "Legend of the Wolf" and following it up with "Ballistic Kiss". He has worked with renowned directors such as Yuen Woo-ping, Tsui Hark, and Peter Chan, and has choreographed action scenes for several films, including "Highlander: Endgame", "Blade 2", and "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story".
In addition to his on-screen work, Donnie has been involved in various martial arts and action directing projects, including "Wing Chun", "Kung Fu Master", and "Fist of Fury". He has won numerous awards for his work, including Best Action Choreography and Best Action Director at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
In his personal life, Donnie is married to former beauty queen Cissy Wang and has two children, Jasmine and James.
