Who is Michelle Yeoh? Everything You Need to Know About the Medal of Freedom Honoree

Michelle Yeoh has lived anything but an ordinary life. From beauty pageant winner to martial arts movie star to groundbreaking dramatic actress, Yeoh has captivated audiences in Asia and around the world with her talent, determination, and advocacy. This year, Yeoh adds another extraordinary achievement to her résumé – recipient of the United States’ Presidential Medal of Freedom. In this article we talk about Who is Michelle Yeoh? Everything You Need to Know About the Medal of Freedom Honoree.

Early Life in Malaysia

Born August 6, 1962 in Ipoh, Malaysia, Yeoh Choo-Kheng was the daughter of Janet Yeoh and Yeoh Kian Teik, a lawyer and MCA politician. She began studying ballet at age 4 and continued dancing throughout her childhood. As a teen, Yeoh attended an all-girls Catholic school where she excelled in sports. She also dabbled in beauty pageants, winning the 1983 Miss Malaysia crown.

Shortly after, Michelle Yeoh graduated with a bachelor’s degree in creative arts from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia. She originally pursued a career in ballet but a spinal injury dashed her dreams of becoming a prima ballerina. At her mother’s urging, Yeoh tried acting. She quickly realized she had a natural talent for performing and drama.

Rise to Fame in Hong Kong Action Films

Yeoh started out in commercials and TV shows in Malaysia. Seeking bigger opportunities, she moved to Hong Kong in the mid-1980s. She landed a few supporting roles before achieving her breakthrough as the lead Bond girl in the 1992 film Supercop, starring Jackie Chan. Supercop propelled Yeoh to stardom across Asia. She soon gained international fame starring alongside Chan in the wildly popular Police Story 3: Supercop (1992).

Capitalizing on her beauty and martial arts abilities, Yeoh cemented her status as one of the leading action-movie actresses of the 1990s. Some of her major Hong Kong action films include:

• Yes, Madam (1985) – One of her first action roles
• Magnificent Warriors (1987) – First lead role
• Police Story 3: Supercop (1992) – Breakthrough part alongside Jackie Chan
• Wing Chun (1994) – One of the highest-grossing HK films of the year
• Tai Chi Master (1993) – Best Actress winner at the Golden Horse Awards
• Ah Kam (1996) – Nominated for Best Actress at the Golden Horse Awards

Yeoh performed almost all her own stunts and fight scenes, showcasing impressive athleticism and physicality. She soon gained the moniker “Female Bond” and brought Chinese martial arts films to mainstream Western audiences.

Crossover Appeal in the US and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

As the 1990s drew to a close, Yeoh parlayed her action movie fame into American film projects. She made her Hollywood debut as Bond girl Wai Lin in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) opposite Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond. The role boosted her profile in the U.S. and demonstrated her ability to hold her own alongside Western stars.

Yeoh continued straddling both Eastern and Western cinema over the next few years. Her credits from this period include:

• Babylon A.D. (2008) – Sci-fi action film with Vin Diesel
• Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) – Drama with Zhang Ziyi and Ken Watanabe
• The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008) – 3rd film in The Mummy franchise
• Sunshine (2007) – Sci-fi thriller with Cillian Murphy

Without a doubt, Yeoh’s career-defining role came in 2000 when she starred as warrior Yu Shu Lien in Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. An international co-production, the martial arts drama became a global phenomenon, earning over $213 million worldwide. Along with critical acclaim and 10 Academy Award nominations, Crouching Tiger cemented Yeoh as one of Asia’s biggest exports to Hollywood. Her graceful yet formidable swordswoman also epitomized the strong female archetype Yeoh herself pioneered.

Dramatic Transformation in Crazy Rich Asians and Everything Everywhere All At Once

Entering her 50s, Yeoh was still landing action-heavy parts in films like The Lady (2011) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017). But she yearned for more substantive, dramatic roles that could showcase her versatility. Yeoh got her wish when she was cast as family matriarch Eleanor Young in 2018’s Crazy Rich Asians.

The first Hollywood film in 25 years with an all-Westernized Asian cast, Crazy Rich Asians was a major cultural milestone for Asian representation. As the regal and complicated Eleanor, Yeoh stole every scene she was in. Her emotional performance earned her a Screen Actors Guild nomination and reminded audiences of her immense acting chops.

In 2022, Yeoh took on another career-defining role – that of beleaguered laundromat owner Evelyn Wang in Everything Everywhere All At Once. An absurdist multiverse action film, Everything Everywhere All At Once relied heavily on Yeoh’s comedy and martial arts skills to ground its ambitious premise. She delivered a tour-de-force performance spanning vulnerability, heroism, trauma, love, and hope.

Critics heaped endless praise on Yeoh and she made history becoming the first Asian actress to win the Oscar for Best Leading Actress. At age 60, Yeoh’s moving portrayal of a Chinese immigrant finally brought her the industry recognition she deserved after decades of groundbreaking work.

Activism and Philanthropy

Beyond acting, Yeoh has dedicated herself to activism and human rights causes. She frequently advocates for greater Asian representation and women’s empowerment in entertainment and media. As a Malaysia tourism ambassador, she works extensively to promote her home country across the world.

Yeoh also supports numerous children’s charities including the Make-A-Wish Foundation and United Nations Development Programme. In 2007, the French government honored her with knighthood in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for significant contributions to the arts.

A trailblazer her whole career, Michelle Yeoh’s perseverance, talent and global appeal make her the perfect embodiment of the American Dream. Her Presidential Medal of Freedom acknowledges not just her acting achievements but her cultural influence in bridging Eastern and Western cinema. At only 60 years old, one imagines Yeoh will continue shattering glass ceilings and captivating fans wherever her career takes her next. I sincerely hope you find this “Who is Michelle Yeoh? Everything You Need to Know About the Medal of Freedom Honoree” article helpful.