Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh

An iconic actress who has done Malaysia proud, Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh began her career in 1984, appearing in a string of Hong Kong action films that eventually saw her rise to fame. From 1990s films like Police Story 3: Super Cop (1992) and Wing Chun (1994), she made the transition to Hollywood and appeared in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies (1997). Other films of note include Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), Memoirs of a Geisha (2005), and Crazy Rich Asians (2018), where she was lauded for her performance as Eleanor Young.

The veteran actress’ blockbuster year began in March 2022 when she was named in Time magazine’s list of 100 Influential People. In December, Time once again honoured Yeoh by naming her Icon of the Year.

Her role in Everything Everywhere All at Once, as a harried laundromat owner navigating the multiverse, proved to be a breakthrough not just for herself, but for all Asian actors. Yeoh took home the award for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical at the 80th Golden Globes held in January 2023, followed by the award for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role at the 95th Academy Awards in March, becoming the first Asian to win the category and the first Malaysian to win an Oscar.

The White House awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honour, for continuing “to shatter stereotypes and enrich American culture” in 2024. That same year, she was also awarded the Crystal Award by the World Economic Forum for her role as a cultural leader and her contributions to society as an exceptional artist.

In 2025 Yeoh remains exceptionally active: in addition to the release of Wicked 2, where she played a supporting role, she also voiced a lead character in the English-language version of the blockbuster animated film Ne Zha 2, and took on major film projects such as The Surgeon and Star Trek: Section 31. She also continues her longstanding commitment to philanthropy, advocacy and representation, bridging her Malaysian heritage with an international platform.