Donnie Yen. Date unknown.
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Donnie Yen
Forecourt Ceremony held on Wednesday, November 30, 2016
 
Born: Yen Tze-dan, July 27, 1963, in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Age at the time of the ceremony: 53
 
Donnie Yen is a Hong Kong martial artist film star of the highest degree. Starring in films since he was 21, Yen has made several huge hits in Hong Kong and China, becoming one of the best-paid actors in Asia. He even has made some films in America!

Born in the megalopolis of Guangzhou, Donnie Yen's father was a newspaper editor, but his mother is Bow-sim Mark, a martial arts and Tai Chi grandmaster. The family moved to nearby Hong Kong when Donnie was two. Under his mother's tutelage, Donnie discovered many styles of the martial arts, taking up kung fu at the age of nine.

The Yen family relocated to Boston Massachusetts when Donnie was 11, with Donnie taking up wushu and dropping out of high school (!) at 14. His parents sent him to Beijing for a two-year training program in wushu. Taking side trips to Hong Kong, Yen met fight choreographer Yuen Woo-ping, who would direct several of Yen's films.

Yen developed skills in many different styles of martial arts in addition to becoming a very fit and fast fighter. It wasn't long before Hong Kong film producers, always looking for the next Bruce Lee, put Donnie in their films. Yen got his first starring role in the action comedy Siu Tai Gik - Drunken Tai Chi (released in May 1984) with Yuen Cheung-yan.

After playing a supporting role in Dak ging to lung - Tiger Cage (released in July 1988) with Jacky Cheung, Yen became a star with his fighting in Wong Fei Hung II: Nam yee tung chi keung - Once Upon a Time in China II (released in April 1992) with Jet Li.

Yen starred in the historical action movie Siu nin Wong Fei Hung chi: Tit ma lau - Iron Monkey (released in September 1993) with Yu Rongguang. Capitalizing on his youth and skills, Yen played Chen Zhen, a character originally created by Bruce Lee, for six episodes of Jing wu men - Fist of Fury, with Kwan Yung, aired over ATV in 1995.

Feeling his creative oats, Yen co-wrote, produced, directed and starred in Chin long chuen suet - Legend of the Wolf (released in June 1997) with Carman Lee, and he produced, directed and starred in Sat sat yan, tiu tiu mo - Balistic Kiss (released in March 1998) with Annie Wu. Neither film did particularly well by Hong Kong standards, resulting in Yen seeking work in the U.S.

For director Guillermo del Toro, Yen did fight choreography (and took a small role) for Blade II (which played the Chinese in March 2002) with Wesley Snipes. Heading back to China, he starred opposite Jet Li in Ying xiong - Hero (released in October 2002) which was nominated for the foreign language film Oscar.

Back in the States, Yen played the bad guy Wu Chow in Shanghai Knights (released in February 2003) with Jackie Chan. He returned to China to make the period actioner Qi Jian - Seven Swords (released in July 2005) with Leon Lai, and took the lead in the crime flick Saat po long - SPL: Kill Zone (released in November 2005) with Simon Yam.

As producer, Yen played a supporting role in Lung foo moon - Dragon Tiger Gate (released in July 2006) with Wong Yuk long; he also was producer on Dou foh sin - Flash Point (released in July 2007) with Louis Koo.

A major hit for Yen came with his playing Yip Man, who would eventually become Bruce Lee's Wing Chun master, in Yip Man - Ip Man (released in December 2009) with Simon Yam. The film has sprouted several sequels.

Yen took a decidedly supporting role in the rom-com Ji keung hei si - All's Well That Ends Well 2011 (released in February 2011) with Louis Koo, then took some time off to be with his young family, but returned to the screen in Te shu shen fen - Special ID (released in October 2013) with Jing Tian.

Yen was a co-producer, action director and star of the 3D IMAX®  film, Gap tung kei hap - Iceman (released in April 2014) with Wang Baoqiang. Then, with some humility, he starred in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny (streaming on Netflix in February 2016) with Michelle Yeoh.

Yen was given the part of the blind warrior Chirrut Îmwe in Rogue One, A Star Wars Story (which played the Chinese in December 2016) with Felicity Jones. Just slightly before the film opened in the U.S., Yen was asked to comne to the Chinese Theatre to make his imprints.

Yen got second billing in xXx: The Return of Xander Cage (which played the Chinese in January 2017) with Vin Diesel (in China, he got top billing); Yen was co-producer on Chui lung - Chasing the Dragon (released in September 2017) with Andy Lau, he was executive producer on Dai si hing - Big Brother (released in August 2018) with Joe Chen.
 
 
Caption TK
TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX®, Hollywood, California. Donnie Yen Forecourt ceremony, Wednesday, November 30, 2016. A dapper Donnie Yen holds up his dirty hands for inspection.
 
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