Yuan was born in Carbondale, Illinois to Theresa and Roger Yuan and older brother to Ron Yuan. Yuan is a U.S.A black belt in Chun Kuk Do. He is also a member of The United Fighting Arts Federation (UFAF). His first stunt double stint came in the 1986 film House.

Yuan’s first role as a professional actor is in The Perfect Weapon (1991), Yuan’s first credited acting debut is in Red Corner (1997), alongside Richard Gere. He also appeared in Lethal Weapon 4, which is Jet Li’s American film debut, as the role of Chu, a Chinese Triad gangster. In 2000, he plays the main antagonist in the action-comedy Shanghai Noon alongside Jackie Chan, as the corrupt Imperial Guard Lo Fong, the role helps him becomes popular with the audiences. In 2003, he appears in the beginning of Bulletproof Monk, playing Chow Yun-fat’s master. In Batman Begins, he appeared as the Hazmat Technician alongside Gary Oldman and as the Chinese Engineer in Syriana. In Skyfall, he also trained Daniel Craig and has a role as the Severine’s bodyguard, Yuan also appeared in many TV Shows, he appeared in Walker Texas Ranger, playing different characters, and his most famous role is that of Lazarus in the episodes ‘The Winds of Change’ and ‘Lazarus’.

For 15 years Yuan was based in Ireland. In 2016, he starred in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny, the sequel of the successful 2000 film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Besides working in film industry, he also be invited by Country singer Tim McGraw to get him in shape for his 2012 Brothers of the Sun Tour.

As of 2017, Yuan has performed stunts in over 30 films, such as: Rapid Fire, Escape from L.A., Beverly Hills Ninja, Spawn, Blade and also Warcraft and Jason Bourne. In 2011, he trained Jennifer Lawrence and Jason Flemyng in X-Men: First Class as well as Henry Cavill in Immortals. He also trained Keanu Reeves in 47 Ronin.