The crazy rich lifestyle of Keanu Reaves’ arch nemesis in John Wick 4 – Donnie Yen, a martial arts icon and one of the highest paid actors in Asia lives in a $17 million mansion, drives limited edition Lamborghini’s, and swears by his Rolexes.

Donnie Yen is a Hong Kong actor best known for his roles in the Ip Man film series. Photo: @donnieyenofficial/Instagram


The highly anticipated John Wick 4 just dropped its first trailer, giving fans a sneak peek into the franchise’s next action-packed bonanza. While mainstay Keanu Reeves will make his return as the undefeatable hitman, another beloved actor graced the screen with his powerful fighting skills – Hong Kong’s Donnie Yen.

The martial arts superstar is already famous for introducing wing chun to the world through his successful film series, Ip Man.

Donnie Yen is one of Hong Kong’s greatest actors of all time. Photo: @donnieyenofficial/Instagram

Today he is considered one of Asia’s highest-paid actors, standing strong alongside fellow action stars Michelle Yeoh, Jet Li and Jackie Chan.

Here’s a look into his staggering net worth, how he makes his money and the many luxuries he splurges his cash on.

Donnie Yen is the brains behind martial arts film phenomenon Ip Man. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Net worth
Yen’s net worth is estimated to be around US$40 million, with the bulk of it coming from his films, per Celebrity Net Worth. Although his fortune is a far cry from Jackie Chan’s US$400 million and Jet Li’s US$250 million, Yen’s career is predominantly focused on film rather than outside ventures.

Donnie Yen has a net worth of US$40 million. Photo: @donnieyenofficial/Instagram

That being said, he does have one or two other side hustles that help him rake in the dough. Here are some of the most lucrative revenue streams.

Chinese actor Donnie Yen holds up his cement-covered hands during a ceremony honouring him at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California, USA, in November 2016. Photo: EPA

His moneymaking streams:
Films
Yen is currently one of the most popular and successful actors in Asia, according to The Richest. It’s not surprising, considering he has almost four decades of acting experience in both Hong Kong and Hollywood.

Donnie Yen and Jackie Chan both transitioned successfully into Hollywood stardom. Photo: IMDB

Some of his most notable films include the Ip Man franchise, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Shanghai Knights, Once Upon a Time in China II, Raging Fire, Xxx: Return of Xander Cage, Star Wars’ Rogue One and the newly hyped John Wick 4.

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Donnie Yen in a still from Ip Man 4: The Finale. Photo: Mandarin Motion Pictures

Needless to say, Yen has made millions from his big-name gigs and it was reported by The Epoch Times that the star was offered a hefty US$12.8 million for just Ip Man 4 alone.

Donnie Yen launched his first-ever fashion label, DY Edition, in 2020. Photo: @dy_edition/Instagram

Brands
Yen doesn’t delve into many business ventures, but his love for fashion saw him releasing his own unique clothing brand called DY Edition. The brand’s visuals is said to be a reflection of his passion for films and martial arts with the brand’s logo being inspired by one of his movie scenes, as per an article on Edison Chen’s Juice Store.

Donnie Yen started eyeglasses brand DonniEye in 2018. Photo: @donnieyenofficial/Instagram

Yen is also a collector of sunglasses and has worn them on and off-screen. He launched his own stylish high-end sunglasses brand called DonniEye in 2018. Prices start from US$180 and go up to US$1,525, according to its website.

Hong Kong martial arts actor Donnie Yen at the Shanghai International Film Festival, on June 14. Photo: SIFF

Production houses
A producer and director, Yen is the owner of two production houses. His first production house called Bullet Films was established in 1997 and has been the force behind several successful Hong Kong action films, like 2021’s hit film Raging Fire.

Donnie Yen in a still from Raging Fire. Photo: Quistography Limited

His second production house Super Hero Films was unveiled at Hong Kong Filmart in 2013, stated Jayne Stars. The production house was founded by Yen to make international-level action films.

Donnie Yen married his second wife Cissy Wang in 2003. Photo: @donnieyenofficial/Instagram

His luxury lifestyle:
Properties
Yen remains low-key despite his superstar status, but that doesn’t mean the kung fu action star doesn’t own an impressive property portfolio. According to INF News, Yen owns at least six properties in Hong Kong, each bought for about US$1.5 million each. His most jaw-dropping purchase though was perhaps the US$17 million mansion that he bought for his wife Cissy Wang on Mountain Davis Road, per Yahoo!

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Donnie Yen is a property tycoon in his own right. Photo: @donnieyenofficial/Instagram

The mansion was reportedly dubbed “the strongest fortress” by the media and he handed 80 per cent of the property ownership to his wife. The resort-like home’s facilities include a gym, swimming pool, jacuzzi, children’s playground, barbecue area, and grand piano (which Yen plays) next to the living room, per 8 Days.

With his hefty net worth, it’s no surprise that Donnie Yen owns a luxurious car collection. Photo: @donnieyenofficial/Instagram

Cars
According to the YouTube channel Celebrity Rewind, Yen owns a couple of luxurious wheels that glamorise his garage.

Lamborghini Veneno Roadster. Photo: Lamborghini

His car collection consists of a BMW 18, a Lamborghini Veneno Roadster, which has a price tag of US$4 million and another Lamborghini Sesto Elemento. We can only imagine that he uses his stylish rides to drop in on movie premieres and press conferences.

Donnie Yen and Cissy Wang at the Piaget store opening in October 2012, at the Mandarin Oriental. Photo: Handout

Watches
Yen loves a bit of elegant bling on his wrist. He spends his cash on expensive watches like the Rolex Sea-Dweller (around US$14,000), which he wore to the Shanghai International Film Festival, and an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore watch (around US$70,000), which he wore to the premiere of the movie Mulan, as per INF News. The same article also stated that he owns a Girard-Perregaux Golden Bridge Series.

Horse owner Donnie Yen Chi-tan took photos at Sha Tin trackwork. Photo: Kenneth Chan

Horses
Yen has a love for horses and several of his films, from 14 Blades in 2014 to Disney’s Mulan in 2020, see him riding a horse. He eventually ended up buying a horse called Bad Boy in 2016 with Karson Choi Ka-tsan, per Line Today.

Actor Donnie Yen Ji-dan (right), ambassador of BMW Hong Kong Derby, celebrates with the jockey. Photo: Kenneth Chan

Bad Boy won three races for trainer John Moore in 2018. Yen is also known to attend horse racing events and was appointed as the ambassador for the BMW Hong Kong Derby several times.

Note: This story was originally published on SCMP and has been republished on this website.

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