Yen, Donnie 1963–

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Yen, Donnie 1963–

(Michael Ryan, Yen Chi Tan)

PERSONAL

Original name, Donnie Yen Ji-Dan (some sources say Chi-Tan Yen and JI-Dan Yen); born July 27, 1963, in Canton, China; immigrated to the United States, c. 1974; son of Klysler Yen (a newspaper editor) and Bow Sim-Mark (a martial arts master and operator of the Chinese Wushu Research Institute); married (marriage ended); married Cissy Wang Ci Ci, 2003; children: (first marriage) one son; (second marriage) Jasmine. Education: Trained with the Beijing Wushu Team, Beijing, China and studied various martial arts disciplines. Avocational Interests: Martial arts, playing classical piano.

Addresses: Contact—1158 26th St., Suite 546, Santa Monica, CA 90403 (fan mail address). [email protected] (email address). Agent—Paradigm, 360 North Crescent Dr., North Building, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. Publicist—PMK/HBH Public Relations, 700 San Vicente Blvd., Suite G910, West Hollywood, CA 90069 (some sources cite 8500 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 700, Beverly Hills, CA 90211).

Career: Actor, action choreographer, director, and producer. Bullet Films, founder. Participated in awards ceremonies. Also known as Michael Ryan.

Awards, Honors: Hong Kong Film Award nomination, best supporting actor, 1992, for Wong Fei Hung JI yi: Naam yi dong JI keung; Yubari Film Festival Award, best young director, 1998, for Sha sha ren, tiao tiao miu; Sha sha ren, tiao tiao miu named one of the best films of 1998, Hong Kong Film Critics Society, 1998; Taurus Award nomination, best fight, World Stunt awards, 2002, for Siu nin Wong Fei Hung JI Tit Ma Lau; named Inside Kung Fu magazine man of the year, 2002; Golden Horse Award, Golden Horse Film Festival, 2003, and Hong Kong Film Award, 2004, both best action choreography, for Chin gei bin; MTV Channel (Shanghai), coolest action actor of 2004; Remy X.O Excellence Award, Remy Martin X.O and Second Generation, 2004, for his artistic achievements and career excellence; Hong Kong Film Award, best action choreography, 2006, for Saat po long; won martial arts tournaments.

CREDITS

Film Appearances:

Cheng Do, Xiao tai JI (also known as Drunken Tai-Chi, Laughing Tai Chi, Tai-Chi Master, and Siu taai gik), 1984.

Eddie, Qing feng di shou (also known as Love Meets the Match and Mismatched Couples), 1985.

Terry, Te jing tu long (also known as Sure Fire and Tiger Cage), [Hong Kong], 1988.

Ying ging boon sik, [Hong Kong], 1988.

Donny, Huang jia shi jie zhi IV: Zhi JI zheng ren (also known as In the Line of Duty, In the Line of Duty IV, In the Line of Duty 4: Witness, Key Witness, Survival, Witness, and Yes, Madam 4), 1989.

Alan Yau, Xi hei qian (also known as Tiger Cage, Tiger Cage 2, and Washing Dirty Money), 1990, also released by Headliner Entertainment Group.

Shiang Chin-Fei, Mo chun jie (also known as Holy Virgin vs. the Evil Dead), 1990.

Chi Liang and Bret, Nu huo wei long (also known as China Heat and Crystal Hunt), Tai Seng Video, 1991.

Leng mian ju JI shou (also known as Tiger Cage 3), 1991.

Lan, Wong Fei Hung JI yi: Naam yi dong JI keung (also known as Once upon a Time in China II, Huang Fei-hong zhi er nan er dang zi qiang, and Wong Fei-hung JI yi: Naam yi dong JI Keung), Paragon Films, 1992.

Tsao Siu Yan, Xin long men ke zhan (also known as Dragon Inn, New Dragon Gate Inn, and New Dragon Inn), 1992.

Ronnie, Lie bao xing dong (also known as Cheetah on Fire), 1993.

So Chan, Su qi er (also known as Fist of the Red Dragon and Heroes among Heroes), 1993.

Wong Kei-Ying, Siu nin Wong Fei Hung JI Tit Ma Lau (also known as Iron Monkey, Iron Monkey: The Young Wong Fei Hong, Wong Fai Hong: The Informative Years, and Shao nian Huang Fei-Hong zhi tie ma liu), 1993, also released by Miramax.

Yip Cheung, Xin liu xing hu die jian (also known as Butterfly and Sword, Butterfly Sword, and Comet, Butterfly and Sword), 1993.

Danton Lee, Ma xi xiao zi (also known as Circus Kid and Circus Kids), 1994.

Himself, Cinema of Vengeance (documentary), [Great Britain and Hong Kong], 1994.

(As Yen Chi Tan) Leung Pok To, Yong Chun (also known as Wing Chun), Tai Seng Video, 1994.

Lone Seven, Du sheng 2 jie tou du sheng (also known as The Saint of Gamblers), 1995.

Iron Monkey, Jie tou sha shou (also known as Iron Monkey 2), 1996.

Mo Ti Nam, 666 mo gui fu huo (also known as Satan Returns and 666 Devil Reincarnates), 1996.

Boxing school owner, Hei mei gui yi jie jin lan (also known as Black Rose II), 1997.

Fung Man-hin, Zhan lang chuan shuo (also known as Legend of the Wolf and New Big Boss), 1997.

Man-hin, Chin Long Chunsut, 1997.

Xin tang shan da xiong (also known as Shanghai Affairs), 1998.

Cat Lee, Sha sha ren, tiao tiao miu (also known as Ballistic Kiss), 1998, Crash Media, 1999.

Hei se cheng shi (also known as City of Darkness), 1999.

Jin Ke, Highlander: Endgame (also known as Highlander IV, Highlander 4: The Search for Connor, Highlander IV: World without End, and Highlander: A New Order), Dimension Films/Miramax, 2000.

Chen Jen, Fist of Fury: The Sequel, [Hong Kong], 2001.

Sky, Ying xiong (also kwon as Hero, Jet Li's "Hero," and Quentin Tarantino Presents "Hero"), Beijing New Picture Film/Miramax, 2002.

Snowman, Blade II (also known as Blade 2: Bloodhunt and Blade 2: Bloodlust), New Line Cinema, 2002.

Wu Chow, Shanghai Knights (also known as Shanghai Noon 2), Buena Vista, 2003.

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Fa dou daai jin (also known as The Huadu Chronicles: Blade of the Rose and Chin gei bin 2: Fa dou daai jin), Emperor Motion Pictures, 2004.

Victor, Luen ching go gup (also known as Love on the Rocks), 2004.

Ma Kwan, Saat po long (also known as Kill Zone and SPL: Sha po lang), Shaw Organisation, 2005, also released by The Weinstein Company.

Chu Zhao Nan, Chat gim (also known as Seven Swords, The Seven Swords, and Qi jian), Mandarin Films, 2005, The Weinstein Company, 2006.

Dragon Wang, Lung fu moon (also known as Dragon Tiger Gate and Long hu men), Mandarin Films/The Weinstein Company, 2006.

Police officer, Po jun (also known as City with No Mercy and City without Mercy), 2007.

Film Work:

Stunt double, Qi men dun jia (also known as Miracle Fighters), Golden Harvest Company, 1982.

Action director, Te jing tu long (also known as Sure Fire and Tiger Cage), [Hong Kong], 1988.

Fight choreographer, Xi hei qian (also known as Tiger Cage, Tiger Cage 2, and Washing Dirty Money), 1990, also released by Headliner Entertainment Group.

Martial arts choreographer, Siu nin Wong Fei Hung JI Tit Ma Lau (also known as Iron Monkey, Iron Monkey: The Young Wong Fei Hong, Wong Fai Hong: The Informative Years, and Shao nian Huang Fei-Hong zhi tie ma liu), 1993, also released by Miramax.

Marital arts choreographer and (uncredited) assistant director, Yong Chun (also known as Wing Chun), Tai Seng Video, 1994.

Director, action director, and producer, Zhan lang chuan shuo (also known as Legend of the Wolf and New Big Boss), 1997.

Director, executive producer, and action director, Chin Long Chunsut, 1997.

Director, action director, and producer, Xin tang shan da xiong (also known as Shanghai Affairs), 1998.

Fight director, Gao ya xian (also known as Asian Cops—High Voltage, High Tension, and Kapwa ku-makasa), 1998.

Director, producer, and action director, Sha sha ren, tiao tiao miu (also known as Ballistic Kiss), 1998, Crash Media, 1999.

Action director, Sing yuet tung wa (also known as Moonlight Express and Xing yue tong hua), 1999.

Director and producer, City of Darkness, 1999.

Fight choreographer, Highlander: Endgame (also known as Highlander IV, Highlander 4: The Search for Connor, Highlander IV: World without End, and Highlander: A New Order), Dimension Films/Miramax, 2000.

Director and editor, Fist of Fury: The Sequel, [Hong Kong], 2001.

Action choreographer, Shura Yukihime (also known as The Princess Blade), 2001, ADV Films, 2003.

Fight choreographer, Blade II (also known as Blade 2: Bloodhunt and Blade 2: Bloodlust), New Line Cinema, 2002.

Codirector, action director, and action choreographer, Chin gei bin (also known as The Twins Effect and Vampire Effect), Arclight Films, 2003.

Director, Gin chap hak mooi gwai (also known as Black Rose Academy, Jian xi hei mei gui, and Protege de la rose noire), Universe Films Distribution Company, 2004.

Action choreographer, Saat po long (also known as Kill Zone and SPL: Sha po lang), Shaw Organisation, 2005, also released by The Weinstein Company.

Producer and action director, Kung Fu Master, 2005.

Action director and additional martial arts sequences, Stormbreaker, The Weinstein Company/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 2006.

Coproducer and fight choreographer, Lung fu moon (also known as Dragon Tiger Gate and Long hu men), Mandarin Films/The Weinstein Company, 2006.

Television Appearances; Series:

Mo min kap sin fung, [Hong Kong], beginning c. 1988.

Kung Fu Master, ATV (Hong Kong), beginning c. 1994.

Chen Zhen, Jing wu men (also known as Fist of Fury), ATV, beginning 1995.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Himself, Hong Kong Superstars, [Great Britain], 2001.

Himself, Martial Arts: Kung Fu Fighter, 2001.

Himself, Masters of Action: Quentin Tarantino & Jet Li Explore the Greatest Martial Arts Fights Scenes in Film, FX Channel, 2004.

Television Work; Series:

Action choreographer, Jing wu men (also known as Fist of Fury), ATV (Hong Kong), beginning 1995.

Director, director of action sequences, and fight choreographer, Der Puma—Kaempfer mit Herz (also known as Codename: Puma), [Germany], beginning 1999.