Donnie Yen's Net Worth as of 2024
$40 Million
Donnie Yen, born on the 27th of July, 1963, is a Chinese actor, martial artist, director, producer and choreographer, probably best known for his series of films “Ip Man”.
So how much is Yen’s net worth? As of early 2016, it is reported to be over $40 million, gained mostly from his long career both in front of and behind the camera, from acting to choreographing fight scenes.
Donnie Yen Net Worth $40 Million Dollars
Born in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, Yen is the son of Bow-Sim Mark and Kluster Yen. At the age of two, his family moved to Hong Kong, until finally when he was twelve, they settled in Boston, Massachusetts in the United States. Due to his mother’s influence – she is a Tai Chi grandmaster – Yen took an interest in learning the art and other forms and styles as well. Yen took a special interest in Wushu, and would spent most of his time in the Boston Combat Zone. His parents then sent him to Beijing, China for a two-year training program in the Beijing Wushu Team, for him to avoid being included in gang violence and so that he could focus on his art.
After his training in China, en route to the United States, Yen made a stopover in Hong Kong where he met Yuen Woo-ping who would introduce him to the world of movies. Yuen is an action choreographer and director who helped Yen to do some screen tests, and he ended up being cast to some films.
In 1984, Yen debuted in the movie “Drunken Tai Chi”, but his breakthrough movie was in the film “Once Upon a Time in China II” in which he starred opposite another martial artist Jet Li. Their well choreographed fight scenes became a huge hit among fans, and gained a cult following. Yen later made a series of successful films including “Iron Monkey”, “Legend of the Wolf” and “Ballistic Kiss”, the last two under his own production company, Bullet Films. His early years of independent film-making certainly helped in his net worth.
Because of his natural talent in martial arts, Yen was invited to choreograph fight scenes in Hollywood films, including in “Highlander: Endgame” and “Blade II”, in which he also made guest appearances. He returned to Hong Kong and starred in films like ‘Seven Swords”, “SPL: Shao Po Lang” and “Dragon Tiger Gate” to name a few, but in 2008, his film “Ip Man”, became a huge hit not only in Hong Kong and China but around the world. The success of the film spawned two sequels and helped tremendously in growing Yen’s wealth.
Today, Yen has made over 60 films and is reported to soon star in much anticipated films like “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny” and “XXX: The Return of Xander Cage”.
In terms of his personal life, Yen was married before to Jowan Leung Sing-Si in 1994, but the marriage only lasted a year; together they have one son. In 2003, he married Cecilia Wang and they have two children, Jasmine and James.
