Michelle Yeoh has become the first woman who identifies as Asian to be nominated for Best Actress at the Oscars.
It took 95 years for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to finally do so. The nomination is, of course, for Yeoh’s incredible portrayal of Evelyn in A24’s Everything Everywhere All At Once.
Yeoh has already completed much of the 2023 award circuit, having been nominated for over 80 awards for her performance. Only a few weeks ago, she won the Golden Globe and gave an incredible speech.
The beloved icon, 60, reacted to her Oscar nomination by posting on Instagram. She wrote: “I am overwhelmed and overjoyed with happiness! Playing Evelyn Wang has been one of the great privileges of my 40-year career.”
This is the first-ever Academy Award nomination for Yeoh, who has starred in blockbuster movies such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Tomorrow Never Dies, and Crazy Rich Asians.
Also Read: Oscars 2023 Nominations: 10 Biggest Snubs And Surprises
The Best Actress category has often been criticized for being too white and not recognizing the work of female minorities within the film industry. The only non-caucasian winner in the past two decades was Halle Berry, who won for Monster’s Ball in 2001.
There’s, of course, more good news for Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s EEAAO. Fellow actor Ke Huy Quan was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, and Jamie Lee Curtin and Stephanie Hsu received a nod in the Best Supporting Actress category.
Jamie Lee Curtis shared on Instagram: “ WHAT A MOMENT FOR YEOH!” while Quan said: “Congratulations to our matriarch Michelle Yeoh for her historic nomination.”
Everything Everywhere All At Once received 11 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director.
You can watch the Oscars on March 13, 2023.
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