The Majesty of Michelle Yeoh
A once-in-a-lifetime career.
Hi everyone, long time no clack! How’s the existential dread of this timeline been treating ya? At minimum, I hope everyone’s been able to eke out some simple joys…like that horror film trifecta cavalcade we got in March! Stay tuned for that review…in the meantime, let’s talk about…
Everything.
“…because when I read the script, I thought, THIS is something. Oh dear. *wipes away tears* 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 of these things.” — Excerpt, Michelle Yeoh Breaks Down Her Most Iconic Characters, GQ, April 6 2022
Lo! We are gathered here today to pay homage, to give a magnificent bouquet, and to revel in the majesty that is THEE one and only Michelle (does all of her own stunts) Yeoh. What to say about a living legend, moreover, what makes one eligible for legendary status?
Time and work.
Michelle has been in the filmmaking business for decades, paid her dues by giving every single performance 110%, and always ALWAYS been regarded as an exemplary role model of professionalism. Lest we forget, Michelle Yeoh is one of the most recognizable and internationally acclaimed Southeast Asian actors (who has been consistently) working into the modern technological age.
The springboard of Michelle’s career coalesced at the perfect time of the 80s Hong Kong action + kung fu boom, the explosive national/international VHS sales market, and most importantly women finally getting more opportunities in the action star spotlight. *Realistically, working alongside Kung Fu film legends like Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, and Donnie Yen didn’t hurt either. At the time (even now) having the co-sign of other men in the industry could make or break many women’s careers…especially if they were interested in longevity, more dynamic roles, and an international push. The stars truly aligned for Yeoh’s long-term career because even with a minor break in the late 80s she came back swinging with the iconic (Police Story 3) Supercop in 1992.
Continuing this work ethic with multiple film releases — frequently within the same year — kept her recognizable, bankable, and admired by legions of new fans (with a craving for broader imaginings of women lead films that exuded effortless grace, grit, and gumption). Sinking her magnificent teeth into a myriad of roles that showcased her versatility in the 1980s and 90s had the U.S. Hollywood machine calling, which lead to a co-starring role in the James Bond franchise, with many admittedly buying a ticket just for her presence alone. With almost 20 years of acting and first-class stunt work as her claim to (inter)national fame across multiple filming industries, an incredible piece of cinema was waiting in the wings that cemented her legendary status (where if Michelle so chose could have taken another break from acting or retired and we still would remember her brilliance) in Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000).
There is a self-assuredness that radiates from the screen in every single film that Michelle stars in or that has the honor of having her as the guest of honor. She’s perfected this magnetism and mystique that many actors even with youth or maturity have difficulty in expressing but she effortlessly holds the camera and the audience’s attention. There’s a steely set to her facial features when she’s in the zone and when the camera zooms in on it — its truly magical — and yet there’s a knowing eye twinkle that she may give away alongside a smirk or a smile that stuns in certain scenes that just oozes charisma and deep interior ‘knowing’ of one’s greatest assets as a performer. When you are multifaceted in your skillsets, like Michelle Yeoh, being engaging is as comfortable as breathing.
Everywhere.
From a ballet career in her youth that was derailed due to an injury to leaping headfirst into becoming one of the most famous Hong Kong brawlers and stuntwomen, it shouldn’t be misunderstood that Michelle Yeoh gives range and versatility like no other, especially in romantic, maternal, or voice acting roles. If she isn’t tapping into multi-layered performances in historical pieces like The Lady (2011), she’s giving a masterclass in being a complex Mother betwixt and between two worlds of conversation regarding ethnicity, the escalating class strata, and how one commandeers the ship of family and responsibility in Crazy Rich Asians (2018). A surprise that had a ripple effect across the space-time-continuum was her cast announcement in Star Trek: Discovery (2017–) as Captain (and later in the series from a mirror universe altogether Emperor Georgiou). Little did many of her longtime fans know that she would be charting a course for the stars in the latest iteration of Star Trek and the fanfare from many sides of her respective fandoms rejoiced.
I initially thought that her multi-season starring role on Discovery was a beautiful showcase of her range in empathy, humor, intelligence, hand-to-hand combat, and adeptness to shape-shift into villainy (or morally grey neutral) when called for but whoah was I underprepared for her channeling every single thing from her entire career (on and off the screen) into one character: Evelyn Wang. Warning! I may delve into spoiler territory but there’s nothing I can type here that will undo the rapture that is seeing the final jewel in her crown crafted by the dynamic directing duo of The Daniels. Ensconcing the audience into the lives of Chinese immigrants who must navigate the rigors of a business, a child about to leave the nest while the elders try to stay connected to their roots and traditions, coupled with adapting to a bevy of American peculiarities…whilst juggling conversations in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese…is shown to the audience in a whirlwind format that was in my opine more chaotic than the multiverse jumping that happens later in the film. I loved the juxtaposition of the current life that Yeoh’s character Evelyn lives in comparison to the shards of her life in other dimensions that seem more fully formed and realized which gradually come together by film’s end to show a resplendent and revolutionary whole.
With a stacked and I mean positively stacked list of Asian-American actors alongside Yeoh; the daughter (and the story’s big bad bagel) played by Stephanie Hsu, husband (and child star that you may have a lightbulb moment when you recognize) Ke Huy Quan, and the Grandfather (I have 450 acting credits to my name and counting) James Hong…this movie shouldn’t feel like the FINALLY moment that it is but lest we forget many of the actors mentioned including Yeoh were never or not always the leads in their films or played nuanced and more authentic portrayals of themselves in the Western aka American Hollywood market. Each actor has the opportunity to shine in this film in a way many cinema-goers may have never seen before from Asian actors and I pray that this momentum continues in the U.S. because of this stop-start blindspot of casting (and honestly subtle and at times blatant racism) from many cinephiles or people who green-light the art films or the blockbusters who clearly and abysmally don’t have a lot of Asian actors on speed dial for multi-layered performances. When that happens and has been happening, smash hits like Crazy Rich Asians or Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) take far too many by surprise. *Your mileage may vary on the quality and the depth of these films but one thing that cannot be denied is their impact.
All at Once.
With a theater all to myself on opening day in my area (a travesty but GREATLY appreciated) I let myself float away into the timey-wimey googly-eyed kaleidoscope that was this masterpiece that had tears running down into my mask before the credits rolled. Trust me, the directors, writers, and cinematographers did their jobs extremely well when you can become emotionally invested and devastated by the moral quandary of existence through talking rocks. I was verklempt, just boo-hoo-ing in the theater one moment, cheering for a chef running after his raccoon best friend, and then smiling until my face cracked when the entire family on the brink of utter destruction joined forces to pull their loved one from the void. I CHEERED, muffled though they may have been, I cheered. What I witnessed in this film was also a metaphorical passing of the torch and a nod from the elders present that the future is in good (able to laugh at oneself sausage-gloved) hands. Oh! Oh! This isn’t a spoiler but the costumes, set designs, and action sequences are all imaginative, creative, and jam-packed with social and pop-cultural references galore. *The fun of a rewatch for easter eggs awaits.
Michelle Yeoh will turn 60 years old this year and has the broadest and most incredible life story/resumé imaginable. She shows no signs of slowing down because if there’s one thing Michelle stays — is booked and busy. However, with a COVID infection announcement, while she was promoting the film in March, I pray she has plenty of time to quarantine, heal, and reset because I know she’s not through challenging herself and her adoring fans yet. I didn’t have access to this film due to its limited screening during Women’s History Month but if I had you know I would have written this love letter then rather than now. Alas, no time like the present, eh? Now excuse me while I binge-watch every single clip from her career I can get my hands on. *Do yourself a favor and start with Yes, Madam! (1985)
Recommended Reading/Watching:
