Michelle Yeohmade Academy Award history this morning, becoming the first Asian Best Actress Nominee. The nomination comes as no surprise as Yeoh’s performance inEverything Everywhere All At Onceearned her the Golden Globe Award and nominations from the BAFTAs, the Independent Spirit Awards and the SAG Awards. Historically, diversity has lacked in the Oscar’s Best Actress category. PerThe Hollywood Reporter, just a dozen black women (Halle Berry earned the coveted award for her role inMonster’s Ball), four Latinas, and two Native American women have earned nominations in the category.
The other nominees for this year’s Best Actress award include Cate Blanchett (Tár), Ana de Armas (Blonde), Andrea Riseborough (To Leslie), and Michelle Williams (The Fabelmans). Yeoh and Blanchett are largelyconsidered the front-runners, with Blanchett’sTárperformance receiving the Golden Globe (in the Drama category) and Critics Choice Awards.
Following her Golden Globe Award win, Yeoh delivered an emotional speech where she called the film the “best gift”:
“I’m just gonna stand here and take this all in. Forty years, not letting go of this. So just quickly, thank you Hollywood Foreign Press for giving me this honor. It’s been an amazing journey and incredible fight to be here today, but I think it’s worth it,” she said. “As time went by — I turned 60 last year — and I think all of you women understand this as the days, years, numbers get bigger, the opportunities get smaller, as well. Then along came the best gift: ‘Everything, Everywhere All at Once.'”
Born in Malaysia, Yeoh pursued ballet and later competed in beauty contests before being discovered by a film producer. She began her film career in Hong Kong, appearing in action movies. She later gained international recognition by appearing in films includingCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, its sequelCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny,Tomorrow Never Dies, Memories of a GeishaandCrazy Rich Asians,among others. For her portrayal of Yu Shu Lien inCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Yeoh received a BAFTA Best Actress nomination in 2001.
Related:Ke Huy Quan Receives First Oscar Nomination for Everything Everywhere All at Once
Everything Everywhere All At Once Sweeps Oscar Nominations
Everything Everywhere All At Onceis co-directed and co-written by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert. The comedy-drama film tells the story of Yeoh’s character, Evelyn Quan, a Chinese-American immigrant laundromat owner who is being audited by the IRS. During that process, she discovers that she must work alongside multiple versions of herself in a parallel universe to battle a powerful being trying to destroy the multiverse.
Everything Everywhere All At Onceearned an impressive 11 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director (for Kwan and Scheinert), and additional acting nominations for Stephanie Hsu, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Ke Huy Quan. The film is also nominated for costume, original score, original screenplay, the best original song, and film editing.
The 95th Academy Awards will take place in Los Angeles' Dolby Theater on March 12. The ceremony will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and will air on ABC.
