Oscars 2023: Michelle Yeoh Makes History As First Asian Lead Actress Winner For Her Role In ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’
Oscars 2023: Michelle Yeoh won best actress in a leading role for her performance in ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’.
Michelle Yeoh scripted history as she became the first Asian star to win an Oscar in the lead actress category. Another feat she achieved with her win – Yeoh became the second woman of colour to win in the lead actress category. Michelle Yeoh took home the first Academy Award of her career, for her powerful performance in ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’. The win came after a long career in martial arts and action movies like ‘Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon’ and ‘Yes, Madam’.
An ecstatic Michelle Yeoh took the stage and said, “For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight, this is a beacon of hope and possibilities. This is proof that dreams do come true. And ladies, don’t let anybody tell you that you are ever past your prime. Never give up.”
Michelle Yeoh dedicated the award to her mother and all the mothers in the world. “They are real the superheroes, and without them, none of us will be here tonight,” she said.
As she left the stage, she shouted, “Thank you to the Academy — this is history in the making!”
Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, the sci-fi adventure revolved around Michelle Yeoh’s Evelyn Wang, a middle-aged laundromat owner who, while being audited by the IRS, discovers she has to connect with versions of herself from parallel universes to prevent cataclysmic destruction.
At the Oscars, Yeoh is only the third Asian woman — following Yuh-Jung Youn for ‘Minari’ and Miyoshi Umeki for ‘Sayonara’ — and the first in the lead category to win an acting award. Halle Berry broke the colour barrier with her win for ‘Monster’s Ball’ in 2002.
For the winner’s trophy, Michelle Yeoh was competing with Cate Blanchett (‘Tar’), Michelle Williams (‘The Fabelmans’), Andrea Riseborough (‘To Leslie’) and Ana de Armas (‘Blonde’).
Prior to her Oscar win, Michelle Yeoh was honoured at nearly every awards ceremony, including SAG Awards, Independent Spirit Awards and the Golden Globes.
‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ dominated the Oscars 2023, winning seven awards, including best picture, best actress, best director, best editing, best supporting actor, best supporting actress and best original screenplay.
‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ had 11 nominations, heading into the night as a big favourite.
The 95th Academy Awards were held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Jimmy Kimmel hosted the awards ceremony and this was his third time hosting the event, after the 89th and 90th editions of the ceremony which were held in 2017 and 2018, respectively.
The nominations for Oscars 2023 were announced on January 24 by Riz Amed and Allison Williams.
