Michelle Yeoh cemented Oscar history on Sunday night as she became the first Asian person to win for lead actress.
Yeoh won the first Academy Award of her prestigious career for Best Actress in “Everything Everywhere All at Once”. The honor came after a long career in martial arts and action films such as “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “Yes, Madam.”
Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Yeo’s zany sci-fi adventure centers on Evelyn Wang, a middle-aged laundromat owner who, while being audited by the IRS, discovers she must engage with versions of herself from parallel universes. So that the holocaust can be stopped. Destruction.
Yeoh said from the stage, “To all those little boys and girls who look up to me tonight, this is a beacon of hope and possibility.” “This is proof that dreams do come true. And ladies, don’t let anyone tell you’re ever past your prime. Never give up.”
Yoh dedicated the award to his mother and all the mothers in the world. “They are the real superheroes, and without them, none of us would be here tonight,” she said.
At the Oscars, Yeoh is only the third Asian woman — after Yuh-Jung Yoon for “Minari” and Miyoshi Umeki for “Sayonara” — and the first in a major category to win an acting award. In winning the trophy, Yeoh beat out Cate Blanchett for “Tar”, Michelle Williams for “The Fablemans”, Andrea Riseborough for “To Leslie”, and Ana de Armas for “Blonde”.
As she exited the stage, she shouted, “Thank you Academy – it’s making history!”
Despite a lot of competition, Yeoh was the odds-on favorite to win because she had been honored at nearly every preceding ceremony, including the SAG Awards, the Independent Spirit Awards, and the Golden Globes.
She added, “I wouldn’t be standing here tonight with Daniels, without the amazing cast and crew [and] everyone involved” everything is everywhere at once. “Also, my extended family in Hong Kong, where I started my career. Thank you for carrying me on your shoulders.”
The award adds to a record awards season for “Everything Everywhere All at Once”, which became only the fifth film in history to sweep all four major Guild Awards (DGA, PGA, SAG, and WGA). At the Oscars, it garnered a leading 11 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director for Daniels, Best Supporting Actress for Stephanie Hsu and Jamie Lee Curtis (who won the award), and Best Supporting Actor for Hui Quan (who also won the award). Are included. its category). It won Best Picture and six other trophies.
“Everything Everywhere at Once” premiered nearly a year earlier at SXSW, where it became a critical and commercial hit. The film eventually grossed over $100 million globally and became A24’s highest-grossing film to date.