Donnie Yen’s family faced discrimination at a charity event
Asia One reports that Donnie Yen and his family experienced discrimination at a charity gala hosted by amfAR.
Yen attended the gala on Monday 25 March in Hong Kong with his wife Cissy Wang and daughter Jasmine Yen.
Wang told Hong Kong media that staff had questioned the family and the organiser’s attitude was insulting. The family left before the gala dinner started because she did not want to set a bad example for her children.
In a post on Instagram, Wang wrote “Tonight we experienced discrimination by an organisation from overseas. Prioritized and supported a charity but in return, we were shocked by how we were treated.” She also hashtagged ‘中國人不是東亞病夫’, which means “Chinese are not the sick men of Asia”.
“When my family was about to enter the venue, we were stopped by the staff who questioned us, ‘the gala dinner has not yet started, why are you already inside?'” Wang said to Hong Kong media.
“The situation was a mess and there weren’t ushers around. When we were finally introduced to the event organiser, his attitude upset me — I felt insulted and disrespected.”
She believes that she was treated differently to Hollywood and Korean stars. “I think they simply look down on us Chinese,” she said.
Chinese actor Ray Lui also left the gala in support Yen and his family.
“We went to support this event, and whilst I was making my way through the hordes of photographers at the red carpet into the premises, I saw Donnie and his wife storming out of there, and Donnie said ‘bro, I’m leaving’,” he said.
“He (Donnie) told me that he was mad that he was despised by foreigners, and asked if I was leaving. Of course, I said yes — as brothers, we have to stick together.”
Yen had told Ray about how “these foreigners are coming to our countries, asking us Chinese to support their event, but still despise us”.
Crazy Rich Asians stars Michelle Yeoh and Henry Golding also attended the event.
