Despite his tough on-screen persona, Hong Kong action star Donnie Yen endured a difficult life before finding fame and success.
Before his breakthrough in the film industry, Donnie ran a business that didn’t last long and cost him a significant amount of money. In a recent interview, he revealed that he once had only HKD100 (~RM53.10) in his bank account.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, Donnie also admitted that he had to borrow from loan sharks to make ends meet
He explained that at the time, film production transactions in Hong Kong were time-consuming, and he needed a large sum of money to pay the salaries of various staff members. At the same time, one Hong Kong director offered him a HKD3 million salary to star in a film.
However, Donnie turned down the offer, a decision he now admits was a mistake.
“Three million! That was a lot of money back then! I was so stupid; I should have accepted the offer.”
Fortunately, Donnie said the loan shark issue was resolved within a few weeks.
He also shared his passion for acting, saying:
“You have to be passionate about it. If you’re not passionate, no amount of money will get you to the top.”
Donnie eventually found major success after starring in the martial arts film Ip Man, released in 2008, which spawned three sequels over the following decade. He also appeared in numerous Hollywood films, most recently in John Wick: Chapter 4, where he played Caine, a blind assassin who ultimately helps John Wick.
