The petition to prohibit Donnie Yen from Academy Awards 2023 has surpassed 100,000 signatures. The petition was started by dissatisfied Hong Kong residents and pro-democracy activists who wanted the actor to be removed. Read More…
The petition to prohibit Donnie Yen from the Oscar 2023
Many people recognize Donnie Yen as a prominent action icon, but his ties to China’s political scene have sparked controversy. With the actor scheduled to give an award at the Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, in 2023, a petition has been established to get him removed from the event.
The petition to prohibit Donnie Yen from the Oscarwas started by disgruntled Hong Kong residents and pro-democracy activists to remove actor Donnie Yen from the list of presenters for this year’s Academy Awards event, and it just reached a crucial milestone.
We, a group of people from Hong Kong, are writing to express our concern about your decision to invite an actor who supports the Chinese Communist Party’s violation of human rights, Donnie Yen, as a presenter for the Oscars. As a globally recognized film award, the Oscars should represent respect for human rights and moral values, rather than support for actions that violate them. Donnie Yen is a supporter of the Chinese Communist regime and has made several remarks in support of the Chinese government’s policies, including supporting the implementation of the National Security Law in Hong Kong and accusing Hong Kong protesters of being rioters. These remarks not only violate the spirit of freedom of speech but also deny the rights of the people of Hong Kong to fight for their freedom and democracy.
Separating an actor’s art from their political beliefs can be a challenging situation. Despite efforts to limit his fame, Yen’s continued success in winning roles suggests that these measures have been ineffective. This is noteworthy as he has remained committed to his convictions since the release of Mulan in 2020, which sparked the #BoycottMulan and now there is this petition to prohibit Donnie Yen from the Oscar.
RELATED – Banned From Oscar (2023): Richard Gere And All The Others
Yen, a culture and arts envoy from Hong Kong, attended China’s “Two Session,” which included sessions of both the CPPCC and the National People’s Congress. The National People’s Congress is dubbed China’s “rubber stamp parliament.” But, other petition supporters are concerned that asking Yen to present at the Oscars will offer China’s autocratic leadership a platform, thereby welcoming it to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences stage.
During a recent interview with a GQ reporter, Yen, who acted alongside Keanu Reeves in the latest John Wick movie, stated that the 2019 anti-extradition bill unrest in Hong Kong was not a protest but rather a riot. Yen stated that he did not want to engage in politics, but acknowledged that his stance might upset some individuals, as he was speaking based on his personal experiences.
RELATED – Marvel’s Return To China After A Hiatus Since 2019
He was astounded by China’s modernizing development but believed that Western media outlets such as the BBC and CNN did not depict China fairly. He claimed that they never mentioned the positive parts of China, but he had direct knowledge of the situation.
His Early Life & Career:
Yen, who was born in Guangzhou, China, and spent some of his childhood in Hong Kong, went on to become one of the city’s most popular action stars. He abandoned his American citizenship in 2017 and allegedly claimed to be “100% Chinese.” Nevertheless, some Hong Kong people boycotted Yen’s 2019 film, Ip Man 4, since its producer, Raymond Wong, and performers Yen and Danny Chan are pro-Beijing.
Yen also appeared in Disney’s live-action Mulan remake, which was released in 2020 and triggered another boycott after lead actress Liu Yi-fei showed sympathy for Hong Kong police during the 2019 demonstrations and disturbances.
