Donnie Yen

Under his flying fists, the 52-year-old Hong Kong martial art artiste, director and choreographer, is the perfect husband with a heart of gold in real life.

Portrait of Tammy Strobel

Under his flying fists, the 52-year-old Hong Kong martial art artiste, director and choreographer, is the perfect husband with a heart of gold in real life

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He saved a damsel in distress…

Back in the 1990s, Donnie rescued his then-girlfriend, Joey Meng, when she was harassed by gangsters in a nightclub. When the hooligans paid no heed to Donnie’s warning to leave her alone, he fought them off and landed eight of them in hospital!

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He’s a bad boy…

Born to a martial arts grandmaster mother and a musician father, Donnie had a reputation of a street brawler and joined the Chinatown gang in Boston. He’d exchanged martial arts knowledge with people from various backgrounds, and eventually went on to become a premiere action star in Hollywood.

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He feels for the less fortunate…

The father of three is famous for his generous donations to charity. Last year, he personally visited refugee camps in Thailand. He’s also an ambassador of Free The Children, and shared with 20,000 people at We Day Vancouver his hardships.

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He’s the perfect husband…

The martial arts star gives all his earnings to his wife, 34-year-old former model and Miss Chinese Toronto, Cecilia Wang. They raise two children together, and Donnie receives a monthly allowance.

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He’s the “It Man” even at 52…

Voted the best Ip Man by The Straits Times readers in 2013, Donnie will appear in Star Wars: The Force Awakens as a Chinese Jedi, and is slated to appear in two more blockbuster franchises: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon II and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Donnie Yen stars in Ip Man 3, opening in cinemas on December 24.

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