Michelle Yeoh wins Best Actress at Oscars 2023: ‘Beacon of hope’
Michelle Yeoh is taking home the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in “Everything Everywhere All At Once.”
Yeoh, 60, is the first Asian woman to win in the “lead actress” category, making history.
She is the second woman of color to win in the category, following Halle Berry for “Monster’s Ball” (2001).
In her speech on stage at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, she tearfully thanked her cast and crew in “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and her family.
“For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight, this is a beacon of hope and possibilities,” Yeoh said. “This is proof that dreams, dream big, and dreams do come true. And ladies, don’t let anybody tell you you’re ever past your prime.”
She continued, “I wouldn’t be standing here tonight without the Daniels, without A24, without my amazing cast and crew, without everyone who was involved in ‘Everything, Everywhere, All At Once.’ ”
She also honored her mom during her speech.
“I have to dedicate this to my mom, all the moms in the world, because they are really the superheroes and without them, none of us will be here tonight. She’s 84 and I’m taking this home to her. She’s watching right ow in Malaysia, [Kuala Lumpur] with my family and friends. I love you guys, I’m bringing this home to you,” she said.
She added: “Also to my extended family in Hong Kong, where I started my career, thank you for letting me stand on your shoulders, giving me a leg up so that I can be here today. And to my god children to my sisters, all of them to my brothers, to my family, thank you, thank you.”
“Thank you to the Academy, this is history in the making, thank you!” she said as she exited the stage.
Halle Berry and Jessica Chastain presented the award, breaking from the Oscar tradition of the previous year’s Best Actor winner coming back to present the award for Best Actress. Will Smith has been banned from appearing at the ceremony for 10 years following last year’s slap.
Yeoh beat out fellow nominees Cate Blanchett (“Tár“), Andrea Riseborough (“To Leslie“), Michelle Williams (“The Fabelmans“) and Ana de Armas (“Blonde“).
In “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Yeoh stars as laundromat owner Evelyn Wang, a Chinese immigrant who is swept into parallel universes in order to save all of existence.
She also made history as the first Asian woman to take home the Best Actress award at both the Golden Globes and SAG Awards.
Yeoh was in hot water earlier this month for possibly violating the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ “References to Other Nominees” rule after reportedly posting a photo of a Vogue article, which suggested fellow frontrunner Blanchett didn’t need a third Oscar.
The actress posted the photo on her Instagram account mere hours before official Oscar voting ended and then promptly deleted it, according to the Daily Beast.
Riseborough also sparked controversy and was subjected to a full investigation by the academy over the campaign to nominate the “To Leslie” actress. She was cleared by the investigation and allowed to remain on the ballot.
