The 95th Academy Awards were held on Sunday night, and Michelle Yeoh became the first woman of Asian heritage to win the Oscar Award for Best Actress.
Yeoh, who won the award for her well-received work in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” also made history by being the first performer of Malaysian descent to win an Oscar for best actress.
Yeoh is the first lead acting winner and the fifth person of Asian heritage to get an Oscar in the acting category.
“For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight, this is a beacon of hope and possibilities. This is proof to dream big, and dreams do come true,” Yeoh said excitedly while accepting her Oscar.
She said: “Ladies, don’t let anybody tell you you’re ever past your prime.”
She dedicated the Oscar to her mother and “all the moms in the world because they really are the superheroes, and without them, none of us would be here tonight.”
Yeoh played Evelyn Wang in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” a struggling Asian American immigrant who owns a laundry and is faced with the mind-boggling idea that there are an endless number of different lives as a part of the multiverse. She must come to terms with familial rifts that ultimately represent a serious existential threat as she navigates this strange new terrain and acquires remarkable new powers, all while also dealing with a tax audit.
Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis, who both won awards on Sunday night for supporting performances, are also featured in “Everything Everywhere All at Once”.
Out of 11 nominations, the movie received seven Academy Award nominations in total, including best picture. Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s “Everything Everywhere” also took home awards for best original script and best director.
About Michelle Yeoh
Michelle Yeoh is a Malaysian actress and producer best known for her work in action films and martial arts movies. She was born on August 6, 1962, in Ipoh, Malaysia.
Yeoh began her career as a beauty queen in Malaysia before transitioning into acting. She made her film debut in 1984’s “The Owl vs Bombo” and quickly gained fame in Asia for her roles in action movies such as “Yes, Madam!” (1985), “Royal Warriors” (1986), and “Magnificent Warriors” (1987).
In 1992, Yeoh starred in the James Bond film “Tomorrow Never Dies” as Chinese secret agent Wai Lin, which helped her gain international recognition. She went on to appear in other Hollywood films such as “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (2000), “Memoirs of a Geisha” (2005), and “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” (2017).
In addition to her acting career, Yeoh is also a skilled martial artist and has performed many of her own stunts in her movies. She was awarded the title of “Datuk” by the Malaysian government in 2002 in recognition of her contributions to the arts.
In 2018, Yeoh made history by becoming the first Asian woman to win the Best Actress Award at the Oscars for her role in the film “Crazy Rich Asians.” She has also been recognised with numerous other awards throughout her career, including the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress and the French Legion of Honour.
In recent years, Yeoh has continued to work in film and television, appearing in projects such as “Star Trek: Discovery” and “Last Christmas.” She is known for her dedication to philanthropic causes, including the fight against AIDS and the promotion of environmental conservation.