Hong Kong action star Donnie Yen may have a net worth of around US$50mil (RM206mil) today, according to Celebrity Net Worth, but that wasn't always the case.
In the final episode of the variety show, The Spirit Of The Lion Rock Fred Ma, which aired on Nov 15, Yen shared that he once hit a financial slump during the early years of his career.
“During my lowest point, I had only HK$100 (RM53) in my bank account,” the 62-year-old said.
As the story goes, Yen insisted on shooting a movie using his own money and even turned down a role a director had offered him for HK$3mil (RM1.6mil).
Unfortunately, the film failed to perform well at the box office, causing him to fall into debt.
“HK$3mil! That’s a lot of money. I was so foolish back then. I should’ve accepted the role,” the actor lamented, adding that he still feels some regret over his past choices.
Yen recalled that Hong Kong productions in those days were very time-consuming, and he needed a substantial amount of cash to cover the salaries for the many staff involved.
Desperate to make ends meet, the Ip Man star borrowed money from loan sharks and his production crew to cover basic necessities such as food.
Fortunately, the debt with the loan sharks was resolved within a few weeks, Yen said.
He then spoke about his passion for acting, emphasising that true success comes from loving what you do.
“No amount of money will get you to the top if you don’t love what you do,” he said.
Yen added that with enough passion, even surviving on takeaway meals wouldn’t stop one from moving forward.
He concluded with an inspiring message for the audience, encouraging them to work hard, stay resilient and never give up.
