Action film star Donnie Yen's wife calls the shots at home

He may have a commanding presence as a gongfu master on screen, but it is his wife who calls the shots at home, Hong Kong action film star Donnie Yen revealed on Friday (Jan 15).

While the 52-year-old is busy with filming projects, his wife Cecilia Wang takes care of the family as well as manages a film production business.

The couple were in town on the invitation of Resorts World Sentosa as their new brand ambassadors.

Speaking in a mix of English, Mandarin and Cantonese, Yen told the roomful of journalists that listening to Wang's thoughtful advice has also helped him grow as a person over the years.

The couple is noted for their loving relationship throughout their 13-year marriage, and Wang describes her husband as a romantic man who has surprised her on many occasions.

Even though arguments may sometimes arise, the former beauty queen emphasised that it is more important that they work together to resolve these disagreements.

Meanwhile, Yen cheekily responded with "happy wife, happy life," when asked whether he is a henpecked spouse and earned a chuckle from his 34-year-old wife.

They have two children, Jasmine, 12, and James, 8.

Although the action film star may look rather stern sometimes, their children are not afraid of him, Yen revealed.

He said that he tends to dote on them more as his work often takes him away from home. They listen more to his wife, he added.

And after decades of practising martial arts and filming gongfu movies, does Yen wish for their son to follow in his footsteps?

He jovially said that his young son has "a lot of homework to do," but he has been attending classes such as Taekwondo and Muay Thai to "build a foundation in martial arts."

However, the couple stressed that they do not force their children to do what they dislike, and said that just like other parents, they wish for their children to become well-educated individuals.

minlee@sph.com.sg