Michelle Yeoh makes history, becomes the first Asian actress to win the Oscar

The 95th Academy Awards was all about scripting history on the global stage, with the momentous night marking the firsts for many. Among the selective nominees who broke records in the 95-year history of the awards show, industry veteran Michelle Yeoh became the first Asian actress to win the Oscar for her performance in ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once‘. Yeoh who bagged the much-deserved prize was nominated in the Best Actress category competing with fellow nominees Andrea Riseborough (To Leslie), Cate Blanchett (Tár), Michelle Williams (The Fabelmans), and Ana de Armas (Blonde).

Notably, the honour which celebrates her career in the film industry came after a long year in action films like ‘Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon‘ and ‘Yes, Madam.’

Let’s take a look at her incredible film career:

Michelle Yeoh’s journey to the Oscars

Born on 6 August 1962 in Ipoh, Malaysia, Yeoh Choo Kheng or Michelle Yeoh grew up watching movies from all over the world including foreign films from Hollywood. Little did her family know that Yeoh who dreamt of becoming a ballerina would end up shooting for an action film in Hong Kong.

After winning several beauty pageants in Malaysia and Australia in the early 80s, Yeoh started her career with a TV commercial with the legendary Jackie Chan in 1984. Despite having no formal Kung Fu training, her movie career was precisely defined by the numerous martial arts-based action movies including her first starring role in Yes Madam (1985).

However, it was finally with the 1992 film Police Story 3: SuperCops that she got a leading role following which she got her big Hollywood break as a Bond girl in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997).

Later in 2016, Yeoh worked in her first Mandarin-language film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon which went on to win the Oscar and got her the much-needed International frame. She also won a BAFTA nomination for Best Actress in a leading role.

In 2011, the actress played the role of a politician and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in The Lady.

Next in 2018, she played a major part in Crazy Rich Asians which went on to become the highest-grossing romantic comedy of the decade and the first major Hollywood film to feature a majority Asian cast in 25 years.

Michelle Yeoh is the first Asian woman to win the Oscar for Best Actress — and her role in ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ is the culmination of her incredible international film career #Oscars pic.twitter.com/Jcprq6musu

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) March 13, 2023

After working in a slew of successful films, the actress’ career took touched new heights with ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ for which she not only earned a Golden Globe and 2 SAG awards but now also this year’s Academy Award.

Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, the film shows Yeoh in the role of Evelyn Wang who discovers her different versions from parallel universes.