\t\t\t\tTable of Contents<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\tTable of Contents<\/p>\n
Quick Summary<\/p>\n
Ask Anything<\/p>\n
\n Top Questions\n <\/p>\n
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Where is Michelle Yeoh from?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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\nWhat types of movies is Michelle Yeoh known for?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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\nWhich famous films has Michelle Yeoh starred in?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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\nHow has Michelle Yeoh contributed to promoting Asian talent in Hollywood?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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\nWhat major awards or honors has Michelle Yeoh received during her career?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Michelle Yeoh<\/strong> (born August 6, 1962, Ipoh, Malaysia) is a Malaysian<\/a> actress considered to be one of the greatest female action movie<\/a> stars, especially known for performing her own frequently dangerous stunts. She also earned accolades for her acting, and in 2023 she became the first Asian performer to win the Academy Award for best actress<\/a>, for Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022).<\/p>\n
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Early life<\/h2>\n
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Yeoh was born into a wealthy Malaysian family. From an early age, she was involved in various physical activities, including basketball and swimming, though she was particularly interested in ballet<\/a>. As a teenager, she attended the Royal Academy of Dance in London, but a back injury ended her dreams of becoming a professional ballet dancer. She subsequently planned on opening a ballet school, but in 1983 her mother entered her in the Miss Malaysia pageant. Yeoh won, and she later appeared in a commercial with Jackie Chan<\/a>. The ad led to an acting contract with a Hong Kong<\/a> production company, which suggested her early stage name, Michelle Khan.<\/p>\n
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Star of Hong Kong films<\/h2>\n
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In 1984 Yeoh made her big-screen debut, appearing in the action-drama Mao tou ying yu xiao fei xiang (The Owl vs. Bumbo). Although cast as the love interest, she was drawn to the fight sequences, noting that their choreography<\/a> and rhythm were reminiscent of dancing. Hoping to again express herself physically, Yeoh began intense training, and her dance background proved invaluable. She was flexible, fast, and highly tolerant of pain. In 1985 she starred in the martial arts<\/a> movie Huang jia shi jie (Yes, Madam!), about two female police officers. It was an early entrant in the so-called \u201cgirls with guns\u201d genre. A series of other action films followed for Yeoh, but in 1988 she married film producer Dickson Poon and retired. Although Yeoh hoped to start a family, she was unable to have children. After the couple divorced in 1992, she resumed her acting career.<\/p>\n
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In 1992 Yeoh starred with Chan in Ging chaat goo si III: chiu kup ging chaat (Police Story 3: Supercop; also called Supercop). The action-comedy film featured a number of incredible stunts. In one memorable sequence, Yeoh hung from one side of a speeding van, swung onto the roof to avoid a bus, rolled toward the back, tumbled off, and landed on the hood of a pursuing car. That and subsequent films, including Chiu kup gai wak (1993; Supercop 2), established her as a leading star in Hong Kong. Her stunts typically highlighted her grace, precision, and fearlessness. However, Yeoh suffered a number of serious injuries during her career. For instance, during the filming of A Jin de gu shi (1996; The Stunt Woman) in 1995, she almost broke her back. While recuperating, she considered retiring again, but a conversation she had with American director Quentin Tarantino<\/a>, who was a fan, encouraged her to continue acting.<\/p>\n
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Global fame and later movies<\/h2>\n
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In 1997 Yeoh became known to a wider audience with Tomorrow Never Dies, a James Bond<\/a> film in which she played a Chinese agent. A departure from the typical \u201cBond girl,\u201d her character is as intelligent and capable as the British spy. The film was also notable because Yeoh was hired for her acting, not her stunt work. She attained global stardom with Ang Lee<\/a>\u2019s Wo hu cang long (2000; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). The critically acclaimed film combined spectacular action scenes with a heartfelt love story between warrior Yu Shu Lien (Yeoh) and martial arts master Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat<\/a>). It was a box office sensation and won several Academy Awards<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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\n\nMichelle Yeoh<\/a>Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny (2016), directed by Woo-Ping Yuen.<\/span>(more)<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nA series of English-language films followed. In 2005 Yeoh appeared in the drama Memoirs of a Geisha, and three years later she played an ancient sorceress in the action-adventure film The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. Continuing to show her range as an actress, she starred in The Lady (2011), a biopic about Aung San Suu Kyi<\/a>, an embattled activist whose efforts to bring democracy to Burma (now Myanmar) earned her the 1991 Nobel Prize for Peace<\/a>. In 2016 Yeoh reprised the role of Yu Shu Lien in Wo hu cang long: qing ming bao jian (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny<\/a>). The following year she appeared in the second installment of Marvel<\/a>\u2019s Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. Her high-profile projects continued with Crazy Rich Asians (2018), a rom-com based on Kevin Kwan\u2019s best-selling novel. Hugely popular, the movie featured Yeoh as a steely matriarch who objects to her son\u2019s girlfriend. During this time she also had a recurring role on the TV show Star Trek: Discovery<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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In 2021 Yeoh appeared in another Marvel movie, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings<\/a>. The next year, she garnered rave reviews for Everything Everywhere All at Once<\/a>, the first Hollywood film in which she had the lead role. In the sci-fi comedy, Yeoh was cast as a laundromat owner who must save the multiverse<\/a>. The role required her to play various versions of the character, one of whom is an actress who is also a martial arts expert. For her portrayal, Yeoh won the Oscar for best actress, becoming the first Asian performer to receive that award. In addition, she also earned a Golden Globe Award<\/a>. Her other 2022 films include Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank<\/a> and Minions: The Rise of Gru<\/a>\u2014animated comedies to which she lent her voice.<\/p>\n
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Yeoh remained busy. Her films from 2023 include Kenneth Branagh<\/a>\u2019s A Haunting in Venice<\/a>, an adaptation of an Agatha Christie<\/a> novel featuring detective Hercule Poirot<\/a>. The following year she did voice work for several projects, including the animated movie The Tiger\u2019s Apprentice, and she played Madame Morrible in Wicked<\/a>, which was based on the Broadway musical<\/a> about the Wicked Witch of the West. In 2025 she appeared in James Cameron<\/a>\u2019s Avatar: Fire and Ash<\/a>, the third film in the epic sci-fi<\/a> fantasy franchise.<\/p>\n
\n\n\t\t\t\tQuick Facts<\/p>\n
\n\n\n- \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAlso called: <\/p>\n
- Michelle Khan<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Show\u00a0more)<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n
\n\n- \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOriginal name: <\/p>\n
- Yeoh Choo Kheng<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Show\u00a0more)<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n
\n\n- \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBorn: <\/p>\n
- August 6, 1962, Ipoh, Malaysia (age 63)<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Show\u00a0more)<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n
\n\n- \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMarried To: <\/p>\n
- Dickson Poon (1988\u20131992)<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Show\u00a0more)<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n
\n\n- \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMovies\/Tv Shows (Acted In): <\/p>\n
- “Babylon A.D.” (2008)<\/dd>\n
- “Star Trek: Short Treks” (2018)<\/dd>\n
- “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny” (2016)<\/dd>\n
- “Tong tian da dao” (1987)<\/dd>\n
- “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” (2017)<\/dd>\n
- “Crazy Rich Asians” (2018)<\/dd>\n
- “Ging chaat goo si III: Chiu kup ging chaat” (1992)<\/dd>\n
- “Morgan” (2016)<\/dd>\n
- “Wong ga jin si” (1986)<\/dd>\n
- “Kung Fu Panda 2” (2011)<\/dd>\n
- “Far North” (2007)<\/dd>\n
- “Xin liu xing hu die jian” (1993)<\/dd>\n
- “Mao tou ying yu xiao fei xiang” (1984)<\/dd>\n
- “Strike Back” (2015)<\/dd>\n
- “Wo hu cang long” (2000)<\/dd>\n
- “A Jin de gu shi” (1996)<\/dd>\n
- “Memoirs of a Geisha” (2005)<\/dd>\n
- “Song jia huang chao” (1997)<\/dd>\n
- “Dung fong sam hap” (1993)<\/dd>\n
- “Sunshine” (2007)<\/dd>\n
- “Sing yuet tung wa” (1999)<\/dd>\n
- “Wu xia qi gong zhu” (1993)<\/dd>\n
- “Tai ji: Zhang San Feng” (1993)<\/dd>\n
- “Last Christmas” (2019)<\/dd>\n
- “Mechanic: Resurrection” (2016)<\/dd>\n
- “Shao Lin xiao zi II: Xin wu long yuan” (1994)<\/dd>\n
- “Chao ji ji hua” (1993)<\/dd>\n
- “Xia ri fu xing” (1985)<\/dd>\n
- “Tomorrow Never Dies” (1997)<\/dd>\n
- “Jian yu” (2010)<\/dd>\n
- “Fei Ying” (2004)<\/dd>\n
- “Yin doi hou hap zyun” (1993)<\/dd>\n
- “Tian mai zhuan qi” (2002)<\/dd>\n
- “Wing Chun” (1994)<\/dd>\n
- “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor” (2008)<\/dd>\n
- “Star Trek: Discovery” (2017\u20132019)<\/dd>\n
- “Zhong hua zhan shi” (1987)<\/dd>\n
- “Marco Polo” (2016)<\/dd>\n
- “Final Recipe” (2013)<\/dd>\n
- “Purple Mountain” (2008)<\/dd>\n
- “Huang jia shi jie” (1985)<\/dd>\n
- “Su Qi-er” (2010)<\/dd>\n
- “The Children of Huang Shi” (2008)<\/dd>\n
- “7 jin gong” (1994)<\/dd>\n
- “The Lady” (2011)<\/dd>\n
- “Ye wen wai zhuan: Zhang tian zhi” (2018)<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Show\u00a0more)<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n
\n\n- \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMovies\/Tv Shows (Writing\/Creator): <\/p>\n
- “Tian mai zhuan qi” (2002)<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Show\u00a0more)<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n
\t\t\t\t
- “Star Trek: Short Treks” (2018)<\/dd>\n
- “Babylon A.D.” (2008)<\/dd>\n
- Dickson Poon (1988\u20131992)<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n
- August 6, 1962, Ipoh, Malaysia (age 63)<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n
- Yeoh Choo Kheng<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n
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