Berlin Film Festival To Fete Michelle Yeoh With Honorary Golden Bear

The Berlin Film Festival is set to fete Michelle Yeoh with an Honorary Golden Bear for her career achievement. The award will be presented at the Opening Ceremony at the Berlinale Palast on February 12, 2026.

“Michelle Yeoh is a visionary artist and performer whose work defies boundaries ‒ whether geographic, linguistic, or cinematic,” Berlinale Festival Director Tricia Tuttle said in a statement. “Her commanding presence, fearless artistic choices, and unmistakable style have left a lasting impression on generations of filmmakers and fans at the Berlinale and across the globe.”

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Yeoh added: “Berlin has always held a special place in my heart. It was one of the first festivals to embrace my work with such warmth and generosity. Returning after all these years, in recognition of my journey in cinema, feels truly meaningful.”

Previous Honorary Golden Bear recipients include Helen Mirren, Martin Scorsese, Meryl Streep, Steven Spielberg, and Tilda Swinton.

Yeoh’s career began in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Some of her early credits include Yes, Madam, Royal Warriors, Police Story III, and Wing Chun. Her international breakthrough came in 1997 with her role as Chinese secret agent Wai Lin in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies. She is perhaps best known for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Yeoh served as a member of the Berlin Jury in 1999. She is currently on the press run for Wicked: For Good. Earlier this year, she starred in Ms. Rubik’s Cube, directed by Bai Xue. In 2026, Yeoh will lead a new chapter in the television series Blade Runner 2099, executive-produced by Ridley Scott for Amazon Prime Video.

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