Remember when Crouching Tiger, The Hidden Dragon came out in the silver screen in 2000, and everyone’s eyes popped out of their heads? The film ushered in a new era of fight sequences, and the world instantly fell for Michelle Yeoh. And it happened all over again with Everything Everywhere All At Once in 2022—she’s added another feather to her illustrious cap by winning the Academy Award for Best Actress for the much talked about film, which has incidentally, also made history at the Oscars this year.
Now, let’s put the facts straight: Michelle Yeoh is an icon. A luminary. For four decades, she’s had quite an impressive career. From the Bond girl to the poised geisha, we’ve seen her do everything. She is the Michelle Yeoh! Here are some facts you may not know about the legendary star.
Ballet is Michelle Yeoh’s first love
While Michelle Yeoh was an all-rounder in school and excelled in swimming and rugby, she wanted to become a ballet dancer. She began her ballet lessons when she was four and continued pursuing her dream after moving to London. She eventually enrolled herself in the prestigious Royal Academy of Dance.
Michelle won several beauty pageants
Did you know Michelle was crowned Miss Malaysia in 1983? But that was not the only title she bagged. She also travelled to Australia in 1983 and won several pageants, including Miss Moomba and Queen of the Pacific.
Her film career started by chance
Businessman Dickson Poon, the co-founder of D&B Films, was looking for an actress to appear with Jackie Chan in a commercial. When Poon happened to dine with a friend, he suggested Yeoh, who had won the Miss Malaysia beauty contest. She flew down to Hong Kong, cracked the job bagged a contract with D&B Films. The rest is history.
Michelle Yeoh had no formal martial arts training
Michelle Yeoh has no formal training in martial arts. And it is fair to question how someone can be so amazing at kung fu without proper training. But the dancer’s flexibility allowed her to play martial arts roles. She learned the moves in the set and trained herself in a gym alongside veteran action stars like Dick Wei.
Yeoh starred in a Marvel movie
While there is no debating that Yeoh has given some of her most impressive performances in the local 1980 movies, her roles in Hollywood gave her much-deserved fame. She made headlines with her role in the Marvel superhero blockbuster Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. The movie introduces the first Asian hero to the MCU’s roster.
Michelle Yeoh is trilingual
Michelle Yeoh speaks English, Malay, and Cantonese. She learned English and Malay before learning Cantonese. Now a Hollywood star, and a very respected one, it is easy to forget that English is not her mother tongue.
The actress practices Buddhism
It’s important to centre yourself for martial art roles, any actor whose sport requires patience and aim can benefit from meditation and discipline. Born into a Buddhist family, Michelle practices Buddhism to this day. Spirituality and faith are at the centre point of her life.
She is an adventure enthusiast
The legendary Michelle Yeoh tries to fit in as much travel as she can while he works. So, as you can imagine, she’s a traveller who seeks the adventure of being on the road and the genuine connections she makes.
Michelle is the first Asian to win Best Actress at the Academy Awards
The actress also created history at the 2023 Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards by becoming the first Asian woman to win the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role. The win came for her stellar Performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once. After becoming the highest-grossing A24 project, the science-fiction adventure also led the 2023 Oscars nomination list. Michelle Yeoh has become the first Asian to win Best Actress at the 95th Academy Awards. Yeoh’s Oscar nomination was her first ever and the first for a Malaysian in any Oscar category.
‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ was the biggest winner at the 95th Academy Awards. The film won seven Oscars, including Best Film and Best Director for Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, out of 11 nominations.
Yeoh rose to prominence in Hong Kong before her arrival in Hollywood with Tomorrow Never Dies. Widely considered a masterpiece, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon remains Yeoh’s highest-rated film. In addition, she is the proud achiever of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the ASEAN International Film Festival in 2013.
Michelle was ranked the greatest heroine of all time
In 2008, review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes ranked Michelle Yeoh as the best action heroine. Michelle’s career is full of blockbusters, and her iconic resume is proof enough. From critically acclaimed classics like Memories of a Geisha and Crazy Rich Asians to roles with Jet Li and Jackie Chan, Yeoh is a star in every sense of the word.
By Tania Tarafdar, Lifestyle Asia
