Michelle Yeoh and the Elusive Oscar | Why She Won

then Along Came the best gift everything everywhere all at once shut up please [Applause] I can beat you up okay and that's serious shut up is right it's not every day after all that Michelle yo wins a televised award an immensely talented and prolific actress with 60 credits to her name going back to the mid-1980s yo finally won a major trophy on January 10 2023 at the Golden Globe awards for her spectacular mind-blowing career defining performance and everything everywhere all at once co-starring kihi Kwan Jamie Lee Curtis and Stephanie Shu and directed by the Daniels this relatively low budget Indie gem filmed before the pandemic was an absolute sensation out of the South by Southwest Film Festival critics and audiences adoring this creatively daring story filled with so many narrative twists and turns superb performances and gorgeous homemade visual effects the film was released to theaters and was normally a pretty quiet time of year at the cinemas late March but then some extraordinary things happened the film slowly made its way into wide release and then it stayed there for months remaining in theaters well into the summer a word of mouth phenomenon like few films we've seen in recent years and then even more amazing the movie hung on well into the fall and winter to become a top Awards Contender kihi Kwan the front runner to win the Academy Award for best supporting actor the movie very likely to win the best picture Oscar and then there's Michelle yo who's been acting in film and television for four decades finally at the age of 60 getting her due in the industry she's won tons of critics prizes she was nominated for her first ever Golden Globe award and she won in the musical or comedy category she was nominated at Critics Choice sag bafta and now she has received her first ever nomination for an Academy Award can she do it can she when can yo beat Cate Blanchett and tar to become the first ever Asian woman to win the Oscar for best actress I think she can in fact I'm predicting it as of this recording bafta and sag have not happened yet she lost the Critics Choice Award to Blanchette and both Blanchette and yo one of the Golden Globes it's very possible Blanchard could take sag and bafta and the Oscar it wouldn't surprise me I'm not really sure it would surprise anybody Blanchett gave one of her very best performances in tar and if there's one gold trophy that movie can win its best actress but I just have this feeling about Michelle yo it's not going to be easy but I absolutely believe she can win the whole thing for everything everywhere all at once her finest performance and what has been a series of Great Performances throughout the decades in this video we're talking the extraordinary career of the one and only Michelle yo and my many reasons why I think she's about to win that elusive Oscar so real quick before I continue I wanted to let you know that the Brian Rowe video patreon page is coming your way next month if you like my videos and want to support my channel I have lots of really cool things coming to the patreon I'll be producing an exclusive new video every month just for my patreon subscribers you'll have access to all of my videos earlier than everyone else you'll get to choose who the next elusive Oster video will be about and what Oscar race retrospectives you'd like me to explore I'll have live q and A's behind the scenes materials your name at the end of each of my new videos to say thank you and so much more on Sunday March 19th one week after the 95th Academy Awards I will be launching the Brian Row video patreon page I hope you'll come and support my channel for all things Oscars now let's get back back to Michelle yo first let's start at the beginning Michelle yo was born on August 6 1962 in Malaysia to Mother Janet and father yo she studied dance from an early age later majoring in ballet at UK's World Academy of Dance in 1983 at the age of 20 she won the Miss Malaysia World contest soon thereafter appearing in a TV commercial with Jackie Chan that caught the attention of a Hong Kong Film Production Company DNB films she started her film career acting in action in martial arts movies where she did most of her own stunts her film debut came in 1984 as the owl vs Bumbo and her third film yes Madam marked her first major role in a movie Yo credited as Michelle Khan in these early parts foreign after taking five years off from the business when she was married to Hong Kong entrepreneur Dixon poone she returned to acting in 1992 with super cop also known as police Story 3 super cop starring Jackie Chan calling headquarters do you read me throughout the next few years she appeared in lots more action titles including the heroic trio holy weapon and another Super cop movie you got enough room here do you want to move that I got enough room wait oh oh oh whoa normally I would have to hit him there so he goes like that and kick him I wore a cup for this interview so you know for major arrival to Hollywood came in 1997 when yo scored the lead female role in Tomorrow Never Dies Pierce Brosnan's second James Bond outing yo played y Lin a Chinese Ministry of State security agent like General Chang wants you dead it depends whether your mission is peace or Revenge Brosnan was impressed with yo throughout shooting calling her a wonderful actress who was serious and committed about the work and he referred to her as a female James Bond in reference to her combat abilities yo wanted to perform her own stunts but was prevented by director Roger spotterswood who considered it too dangerous but she did perform all her own fighting scenes for the film yo received an MTV movie award domination for you guessed it best fight and the women were all almost always the Bond girls but they were ready at that time when they came looking for me was to have much more depth in emotions and the quality of the nature in the film After Tomorrow Never Dies director Ang Lee approached Michelle yo to appear in his next project a film that until everything ever were all at once was by far her most awarded Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon released in the year 2000 co-starring Chao young fat and Zi Zhang the the film tells of a young Chinese warrior who steals a sword from a famed swordsman and escapes into a world of romantic adventure yo did not speak Mandarin at the time so she had to learn her Mandarin lines phonetically like Tomorrow Never Dies Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon brought yo International Fame and attention the film one of the most beloved of its year um Lee had proven his worth of talent as a director with movies like the ice storm and the oscar-winning sends its ability and now here he was delivering one of the most astonishing martial arts epics ever caught on film Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon was adored by critics and audiences upon his Premiere at the 2000 can film festival eventually becoming a blockbuster with 200 million dollars worldwide the film did very well throughout award season winning more than a hundred prizes and receiving more than 130 nominations it earned a whopping 10 Oscar nominations total and was for a Time the front-runner to win best picture pretty much unheard of at the time for a foreign language movie The Accolade started at the Golden Globes where it not only won best foreign language film but also best director for Ang Lee who beat out heavyweights like Ridley Scott for Gladiator and Steven Soderberg for traffic the film was nominated for best picture at critic's choice and it won best picture best director and best supporting actress for Z Zang at the film in independent Spirit Awards the film completely missed its sag which surprises me you think it would have gotten the best cast in a motion picture nomination but the film came roaring back at bafta where it received an astonishing 14 nominations total including best picture best director and best adapted screenplay as well as a much deserved nod for best actress in the leading role for Michelle yo and it's always been very special because I think my first one was for Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon where I was nominated so you know it brings back good memories and it's good to be back again until 2023 this did Mark Yo's highest nomination honor bafta voters knew what was up including yo in this impressive category and they also did well picking Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon for Winston music costume design foreign language film and director for Ang Lee after Lee won at DGA he became the front runner to win at the Oscars 2 which seemed possible given the film's remarkable Oscar Hall of 10 nominations including adapted screenplay and picture no actors from the movie were recognized that the Oscars sadly but 10 nominations was huge for a foreign film and given all the love Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon had received all season it seemed possible it could win both director and picture but it missed in categories it had significant shots at like costume design and film editing director ended up going to Steven Soderbergh for traffic and picture went still it was a busy award season for Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Michelle yo who now had two blockbuster hits behind her and a promising career ahead of her I always welcome questions about Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon simply because I have so many memories some of them are so incredible you know working with Ang Lee and Chao young fat and to be able to when I answer the questions I remember all those moments and the time that we spent on it and that was time well spent Yo's next major project was Memoirs of a Geisha Rob Marshall's second feature after his oscar-winning Chicago about a young woman forcing the servitude who becomes a geisha of beauty and influence you have a gift for expression and if Mrs Nita adopts pumpkin that is hardly a threat the film star Z Zang and the lead role a performance I would argue got very close to an Oscar nomination for best actress since she made it in at the Golden Globes sag and bafta but the end of the year drama did well otherwise six nominations of bafta and six nominations at the Oscars and the film took home gold trophies in three categories art Direction set Direction cinematography and costume design yo didn't really show up anywhere for her performance but it was another boost to her career to be a part of a successful Awards movie she continued to appear in high profile projects in the years to come Sunshine the science fiction film directed by Danny Boyle The Mummy Tomb of the Dragon Emperor the third film in the Blockbuster franchise she was in Babylon A.D Kung Fu Panda 2 in 2011's the lady directed by Luke bassan which earned yo a satellite award nomination for best actress in the last decade she's continued getting juicy roles in major films and television series like Marco Polo on Netflix mechanic Resurrection opposite Jason Statham the science fiction horror film Morgan and Star Trek discovery which he appeared on between 2017 and 2020 before we arrive at the main film we need to talk about yes I'm getting there we have to discuss the incredible success of crazy Rich Asians which follows Native New Yorker Rachel Chu to Singapore to meet her boyfriend Nick's Family yo plays the family matriarch Eleanor pursuing one's passion how American well your mother is very open-minded not like here where parents are obsessed with shaping the life of the children also starring Constance Wu Henry Golding Lisa Lou and Aquafina this film was one of the runaway hits of the year made 238 million dollars worldwide on just a 30 million dollar budget and Yo's performance was singled out by many as one of the film's best an amazing turn that always keeps you compelled the big award nomination crazy Rich Asians received was Best cast in a motion picture at the SAG Awards where it lost to the cast of Black Panther so Michelle yo lost at that ceremony in part to Angela Bassett which makes the ensuing years kind of interesting yo teamed up with Bassett for 2021's gunpowder milkshake and then here we are in 2023 Angela Bassett is the front runner to win the best supporting actress Oscar for black panther wakanda forever and Michelle yo I would argue is the front runner to win the Best Actress Oscar for everything everywhere all at once what an incredible story this movie is what a sensation something in the hands of lesser artists could have been an interesting genre Bender quickly forgotten about has become a genuine phenomenon over the last 12 months the story of Evelyn Wang a Chinese immigrant swept up into a crazy adventure exploring other universes and connecting with the lives she could have led everything everywhere all at once is the brainchild of the gifted filmmakers Daniel Kwan and Daniel scheinert who previously directed Swiss army man it's too late when so say that there's script for everything everywhere all at once was originally written for Jackie Chan until the directors reconceived the protagonist as a woman making the husband wife Dynamic more relatable in August 2018 it was announced that Michelle yo and Aquafina were to Star and then Aquafina was later replaced by Stephanie Shu browning out the cast with Jamie Lee Curtis and kihi Kwan the latter of whom returned to acting for the first time in nearly 20 years Quan and China were inspired to cast Quan after seeing a meme of politician Andrew Yang being shown as a grown-up version of Short Round Quan's character in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom they wanted us to know what Quan had been up to and they learned that he was the right age for Waymond principal photography began in January 2020 mostly in Simi Valley California on a budget of 25 million dollars the film wrapped in early March during the onset of covid-19 and before its World premiere the filmmakers had about two years to edit and score their movie and give the project its inventive visual effects the response to everything everywhere all at once is Premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival on March 11 2022 was reportedly through the roof and the word of mouth continued to build as the filmed open and limited release on March 25th and then went Nationwide on April 8th the film grossed a whopping 72 million dollars in the United States and a total of 106 million worldwide making this the first 100 million dollar earner for a24 critics adored the movie Amy Nicholson of the Wall Street Journal sang over its nearly two and a half hour running time the movie's Ambitions double and double again as though it's a petri dish teaming with Mr Kwan and Mr shiner's wildest ideas many critics pointed their Acclaim straight at Michelle yo Maria E Gates and Roger E deeper.com saying yo is the anchor of the film given a role that showcases her wide range of talents from refined martial arts skills to her superb comic timing to her ability to excavate endless depths of Rich human emotion often just from a glance or a reaction in essence Michelle yo was getting the best reviews of her entire career and when the film started pulling in big box office too it looked like a sure thing that the film was going to be a favorite in the upcoming award season despite it being released way back in March it was clear everything everywhere all at once was going to hang on and what's been amazing the last few months has been seeing the movie actually gain in strength here we are about a month away from the 95th Academy Awards and the film is the front runner to win best picture over new movies by Steven Spielberg Todd field Martin McDonough and many others this is the movie almost Everyone likes or loves a vibrant and original original piece of filmmaking that only comes around every so often it wasn't clear in October or November just how well the film was going to do throughout this award season but almost everyone agreed Michelle yo would be up for some prizes her performance nearly universally lauded a once in a lifetime role for this talented actress finally about to give her the recognition she deserves her Awards Journey started with the critics prizes yo winning best actress from Boston Denver Kansas Nevada and St Louis as well as the national board of review I am so incredibly proud to be the first Asian actress in 45 years to receive this honor from the national board and then came the nominations for the televised Awards starting with Golden Globes and Critics Choice most were predicting the Kate Blanchett was going to win best actress in the drama at the Globes and Michelle yeoh was going to take best actress in a musical or comedy just because we all thought it would happen didn't make the moment any less spectacular Michelle Yo's speech truly was a great one and this is also for all the shoulders that I've stand on all who came before me who looks like me and all who are going on this journey with me forward so thank you for believing in us thank you she missed a few days later at critic's Choice Blanchette winning best actress there although everything everywhere all at once did take best supporting actor for KiKi Quan best director for Daniel Quan and Daniel scheinert and best picture the loss of Critics Choice seemed a minor hiccup because soon thereafter Michelle yo made the final five at all the other major televised ceremonies the SAG Awards and the bafta awards and on Tuesday January 24th it became official yo was an Academy Award nominee and Michelle yo in everything everywhere as of this recording we're in the middle of the current award season bafta and Sagar on the horizon and then the Oscars come soon thereafter Kate Blanchett is a major threat for tar it's one of the best performances by anybody in the last few years it's my personal favorite movie of 2022 the film has over performed all season long and I'm not sure if anyone is going to be that shocked if Blanchette picks up her third Oscar on Sunday March 12th but can Michelle yo win instead is it possible I think it's a lot more than possible I have predicted for weeks now that Michelle yo is going to win best actors at sag and then she's going to win best actress at the Oscars why do I think yo is going to take the gold trophy on March 12th here are my top five reasons the first reason is that yo winning best actress at the Academy Awards would make history in the most glorious way it is insane to think that in 95 years only one other Asian person has received an Oscar nomination in the best actress category Merle Oberon who was nominated and best actress in 1936 for the film The Dark Angel at the time Oberon kept her by racial Heritage a secret trying to pass as white and thus many have considered yo really the first Asian identifying woman to be nominated for best actress it's a crime that's taken this long for an Asian woman to even be recognized in this category and I believe a lot of Academy members will see what a groundbreaking moment it would be to reward yohir who's more than deserving of this honor as yo said to deadline following learning of her Oscar nomination I think what it means to me is all those Asians out there you see it's possible if she can do it I can freaking do it as well I think many Academy members are going to Rally around yo and push her over the Finish Line it's like the older you get they see you by your age rather than see you by your capability but she says the directing Duo known as the Daniels saw it differently they thought you know she can do this if anybody can in our industry who can fight who can be funny who can you know be dramatic and sincere and all those kind of things we believe Michelle will be able to do it and to receive that you don't know how joyful the second reason is that Yo's only real competitor Kate Blanchett has already won two Oscars and she won those Oscars in the last 20 years if Blanchett hadn't yet taken the gold trophy in the best actress category let's say her only Victory so far was for The Aviator in 2005 it would be hard to predict anyone but her but that best actress Victory nine years ago for Blue Jasmine gives me pause about predicting her now are we ready to give her a third trophy already yes her performance in tar is spectacular and she is the whole movie it makes sense to consider her the front runner she won at the Golden Globes she won the Critics Choice Award for best actress but I do feel like Academy voters will feel the way I do and thinking she has enough she doesn't need a third Oscar this early in her career in Her speech or Critics Choice where she dismissed the idea of pitting women against each other that there shouldn't be winners and losers got me thinking maybe even Blanchette doesn't really want to win this year and that actors on actors video she's clearly smitten with yo as a person with her work and everything everywhere all at once I feel like Blanchette would be one of the first people to jump to her feet if Yo's name was called none of the other three nominees in the category can win Anna De armas and Michelle Williams are just happy to be here and then there's Andrea risborough who some feel could be a spoiler but I just can't imagine she could beat yo and Blanchette with her movie receiving only one nomination while tar and everything everywhere all at once receives several no the only person who can beat yo is Blanchette and although it could happen of course Francis McDormand won a third best actress prize for nomad land in 2021 you can always point to that but I also think there wasn't someone in her category that year as beloved a performer as Michelle yo with his beloved a movie as everything everywhere all at once this is Yo goes time it's her moment and I believe Academy voters are going to see that there's such an intensity to what you do but this it's always so playful and so it just felt like in Nathaniel's movie that all of that just got you know was just magnified magnified times a thousand it was such a Joyce was really amazing really inspiring the third reason is that everything everywhere all at once has been the most Awards friendly movie of the year and as currently as I mentioned before the front runner to win best picture at the Oscars yes tar has done well too throughout the season I would even say it over performed with the Oscars getting into not only director and picture but also technical categories like editing and cinematography but everything everywhere all at once got in pretty much everywhere it could have including best original screenplay supporting actor two nominations and supporting actress director and picture I mean people love this movie and I feel like if you love the movie you have to love Michelle yo in it Tara is in picture two but it doesn't have as many nominations as Yo's film and I feel like more voters will eventually see everything everywhere all at once and will want to vote for Yo's performance now I have seen some people argue that voters can reward everything everywhere all at once in lots of other categories including best supporting actor for kihi Kwan he is definitely winning there no questions asked as well as maybe Best Director best picture we give everything everywhere all at once lots of trophies on Oscar night but actress goes to Blanchette so we can give that wonderful film something that argument is valid I get it but I do feel like lots of great films nominated for many Oscars go home empty-handed all the time the Irishman anyone and I'm not sure this issue will be at the Forefront of people's minds when they're voting what was it like to work with Michelle yo she is such she's such an icon on and what what is what is she like on set is she playful is she just doing the work is she someone who stays in character all the time what's she like as a partner she really is incredible I mean she's not only a total badass and like completely so dedicated to the craft but she really makes everyone feel like family and I I strongly believe that the movie was able to work because she was our matriarch the fourth reason is that Michelle yo is immensely respected in the industry having done great work in the past many people love especially Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon in this video I've highlighted her best films and I do think her many excellent credits and performances and her being not a kid anymore does play a factor as well Michelle yo is 60 years old and it's sad to say it but this might be the one and only time we get to give her an Oscar especially in the best actress category since opportunities for yo will always be Slimmer than opportunities for a white actress like Blanchette and many others as yo talked about so articulately in The Hollywood Reporter Roundtable I honestly look at all of you with such Envy because you know you get an opportunity to try all the different roles simply get that opportunity maybe once in a long long time people have adored her work in film and TV going back decades and that respect will play a role in yo winning two Michelle yo is the reason that I am sitting at this desk Michelle yo is the reason that for the rest of my life you will say Oscar nominated actress Jamie Lee Curtis Michelle yo is the reason that is happening the fifth and final reason is that Michelle yo is quite simply extraordinary and everything everywhere all at once playing all kinds of characters and emotions throughout the two and a half hour running time as great as everyone and everything is in that movie she is the glue that holds it all together she's grounded and real she's funny she's strong she's a total badass it is the ultimate best actress performance and would be one of the best winners we've had in this category in ages because when I read the script I thought this is something oh dear no this is something I've been waiting for for a long time that's going to give me the opportunity to show my fans my family my audience what I'm capable of to be funny to be real to be sad finally somebody understood that I can do all these things again I love Cate Blanchett and tar it's an amazing work of film acting but I believe this year this moment belongs to Michelle yo she's currently more popular and in demand than she's ever been besides everything everywhere all at once also appearing in Marvel's Xiang Chi and the legend of the ten Rings minions the rise of Gru The Witcher blood origin on Netflix she's appearing in the next Avatar movie she's in the upcoming Wicked movie she is a stunningly talented actor who with everything everywhere all at once received the role of a lifetime I want to hear it on March 12th I want to stand up and cheer for Academy Award winner Michelle yo [Music] thanks so much for watching if you enjoyed this video don't forget to like And subscribe and let me know in the comments below if you think Michelle yo is going to win the Oscar for best actress do you think Kate Blanchett will take it instead see you next time

Channel: Brian Rowe Video

Views: 51,770

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Id: 5fhM9tLZIeI

Length: 30min 1sec (1801 seconds)

Published: Tue Feb 14 2023