Rogue One: A Star Wars Story features Donnie Yen in the role of Chirrut Imwe, a high-flying martial arts monk, who quickly became the fan favourite in the film. It’s hard to believe Yen, who is a successful martial artist and dynamic actor, almost turned down the role because it didn’t align with what he was looking for at the time.
Zatoichi in Space: Donnie Yen specially created a New Martial Arts Style for Rogue One
True tales, that have been confirmed, suggest Yen’s real life stories often reflected onto the big screen which is what gives his performance its edge. One such story, is about a night Yen was standing outside of a nightclub with his girlfriend at the time when a group of guys began hassling her.
May the Force be with Yen
As Yen defended her, he found himself cornered by the group, and outnumbered eight to one. If you can recall that Rogue One Storm Trooper scene, as the story goes, Yen beat the odds, literally, sending all eight men to the hospital.
Vin Diesel vs Donnie Yen in xXx: Return of Xander
Donnie Yen has a large group of fans eager to see his next moves, his incredible dedication to martial arts, and his passion for film which make him a person of interest for action and intrigue.
Martial art is a form of expression, an expression from your inner self to your hands and legs
Although the film, Ip Man, didn’t earn the highest ratings, it still made an impact on the incredible real life story of Yip Man, played by Yen. For the millions of Bruce Lee fans, this film gave the background of the martial artist grandmaster, who taught Bruce Lee the foundations of everything he brought to the world of Martial arts. Yen was the perfect fit for such a bold, sentimental role.
Did you Know?
A very special connection linked Yen’s success with Ip Man and other roles he has mastered, Yen was trained for a year by legendary martial artist, Yip Chun, the son of Ip Man. Those flashes of powerful moves you see Yen produce are more than just physical mimicry. They are homages to the ancient practise of martial arts.
If I’m playing a cop, then I give him a particular style – I may not know that style, but as an actor I have to be responsible; to do your homework and do your research and training and stuff like that
2013 raised the bar for martial art film making when Yen filled the role of Dragon, an undercover police officer deep within the treacherous world of Hong Kong’s most dangerous gang leaders. The entire film is an incredible balance of constant action and thrilling storytelling, making it a must-see for fans of martial arts.
Did you Know?
Donnie Yen turned down a role in The Expendables 2 because he didn't find the role intriguing.
