Donnie Yen quotes

Donnie Yen is a Chinese actor, martial artist, and film director renowned for his roles in action and martial arts films. His dynamic fight choreography and performances in movies such as "Ip Man" have won him international acclaim. He continues to be a leading figure in both Asian and global cinema. Here are 53 of his quotes:

As an action director I always try to bring something fresh and new.

Donnie Yen

For me, I like to have explosive moments, whether it is a particular movement itself in the whole sequence. I like to have shocking moments; for audiences to feel, like, 'Whoa!' It's always been my forte.

Donnie Yen

I think a lot of people don't realize that martial arts are just an expression like anything else. It's just that most people are not trained to punch or kick, but you can walk or run or dance, which is also part of expression.

Donnie Yen

Martial art is a form of expression, an expression from your inner self to your hands and legs.

Donnie Yen

I always tell younger filmmakers, it's not just about the acting or the art itself. It's about how big of an audience watches your film.

Donnie Yen

Bruce is the man. He was definitely ahead of his time.

Donnie Yen

I'm a very emotional guy.

Donnie Yen

My mum lives in Boston; she's famous for teaching wushu and t'ai chi. So from when I was young, my mum and aunt were like: 'You're training; you're not playing baseball or football.' Training every day was normal. Later, when I was almost a teenager, Bruce Lee became my idol.

Donnie Yen

There are two types of Chinese growing up in America. One is the kind that does really well in school, with thick, thick glasses. And the other is involved with the gangs.

Donnie Yen

I think every actor wants to try out different things.

Donnie Yen

Look at every action movie in Hollywood. Every leading man from Spider-Man to Batman to James Bond, 'Bourne Identity', every one of them possesses martial arts skills.

Donnie Yen

My action follows my characters. If a character is a cop, you cannot be posing all the time, you cannot fly off the roof because it doesn't make any sense - it's not practical.

Donnie Yen

If you're playing a cop in a modern film, you don't have to walk with your spine straight up and bow before a fight. There's a lot of free form of expressing yourself as an actor.

Donnie Yen

From my experience as an actor, choreographer, action director, and producer, I understand the elements and the dynamics of being a film maker.

Donnie Yen

When audiences look at an action actor like myself, sometimes we are very easily stereotyped or characterized as one type. They forget that we are actors, too.

Donnie Yen

I spent a couple of years doing American films. I did a few.

Donnie Yen

Action choreographer is like talking. When you talk, you have a rhythm. When you act, you have a rhythm. When you're moving your body, you have a rhythm. So as an actor, as a choreographer, the objective is trying to blend everything in - into - ultimately back into that character.

Donnie Yen

Whether I'm acting or making it, at the end of the day it's telling the story; action, drama. You want the audience to feel it - the story, the action, the scene, or a particular shot. I just keep working on crafting my art, on how to make action movies.

Donnie Yen

Doing a movie is a stressful thing. You spend months of you life focusing into that one project, and I want to make sure I do something I really like or I'm really passionate about.

Donnie Yen

Like any other actor, I draw on life experience.

Donnie Yen

An action choreographer is kind of like a dance choreographer. You choreograph the moves and you let the director, cinematographer take into positioning their cameras.

Donnie Yen

For me, shooting, editing, and scoring rely on rhythm.

Donnie Yen