For years, I looked to Bruce Lee as a mentor as being a Chinese and Asian man living in this country.

In 2003 Yen played the antagonist against Jackie Chan in Shanghai Knights. Apart from being a well-known film and television actor in Hong Kong Yen has also gained international recognition for appearing in many films together with other prominent and internationally-known actors such as Jackie Chan Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh. Yen and Li appeared together again in the 2002 film Hero where Yen played a spear (or qiang) fighter who fought with Li's character an unnamed swordsman.

Apart from being a well-known film and television actor in Hong Kong Yen has also gained international recognition for appearing in many films together with other prominent and internationally-known actors such as Jackie Chan Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh. He played the role of Wing Chun grandmaster Ip Man in the 2008 film Ip Man which was a box office success.