Michelle Yeoh had been acting long before her global breakout role in 2000’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” which earned her a BAFTA best actress nomination.
Over the years, she’s established her star power with audiences, as she receives her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and in case you need a refresher, here’s five films that show her range.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
©Sony Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
As Yu Shu Lien in this Ang Lee film, Yeoh delivers one of her best and most iconic performances to date. Yeoh’s turn as a fierce warrior anchors the emotional core of Lee’s masterpiece of a film.
Crazy Rich Asians
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Eleanor Young is the opposite of all other characters Yeoh has played, yet the actress is perfectly cast as the dragon mother fiercely protective of her son.
Take the scene when with Rachel, the girlfriend (Constance Wu) of her son Nick (Henry Golding), that unfolds on a staircase in Eleanor’s mansion. Eleanor seems vulnerable, opening up about her own marriage, but as she glides up the stairs, talking about the sacrifices she made, the hardships endured, she drops a bomb on Rachel from the steps above, telling her she will never be good enough for her son.
The scene begins with them on the same level, but by the end, Eleanor has wielded her power over Rachel.
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Michelle Yeoh in Everything Everywhere All At Once – 2022
Courtesy
Evelyn Wang (Yeoh) wants to finish paying her taxes, but she’s exhausted — and the story takes a wild and crazy twist. Yeoh’s performance is bold, wild and utterly hilarious as she travels through crazy multiverses to save her daughter. Yeoh won the Oscar and racked up other awards for the role, and rightfully so.
Royal Warriors
This 1986 film from David Chung solidified Yeoh’s role as a top female action star in Hong Kong cinema. The film’s opening scene alone showcases jaw-dropping action from Yeoh, playing a mercenary who tackles opponents and takes on some gangsters. And yes, that’s Yeoh doing all her own stunts.
The Lady
THE LADY, Michelle Yeoh, 2011. ©Cohen Media Group/Courtesy Everett Collection
Cohen Media Group/Courtesy Everett Collection
Yeoh’s versatility can be seen in this Luc Besson film where she plays Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of Myanmar. In this biopic, she takes on a fight of a different sort — the political kind.
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Actioner features a motorcycle scene with Jackie Chan, which sees Yeoh jumping off a bike without the aid of green screens or wires.
