There’s no question that Michelle Yeoh is one of the most versatile actresses working today. To celebrate her 60th birthday (how is she 60?), Variety is ranking the best performances of her career so far.
From her first role in “The Owl vs. Bombo” (1984) up until her most recent work in the box office smash “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” she’s shown no signs of slowing down and continues to push the boundaries of her craft.
For over three decades, she’s built a career that has made her one of the biggest Asian stars in Hollywood. Known for her ability to access the emotional center of a character, no matter the genre — even taking it up a notch by performing many of her own stunts — Yeoh is a force in the
industry.
As the highest-grossing film in A24 history, “Everything Everywhere” is looking like the most substantial awards contender for the first half of 2022. With a career that has included roles in iconic films such as “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (2000), Yeoh has never landed an Oscar nom. As we head towards the fall festival season and awards campaigns begin to take shape, her performance as Evelyn, a Chinese American laundromat owner who explores the multiverse, is her best shot at Academy attention. Hopefully, it won’t be her last. Next on her docket is the role of Dr. Karina Mogue in James Cameron’s anticipated “Avatar: The Way of Water” (and the three following sequels). She also has a role in Netflix’s “The School for Good and Evil” from Paul Feig due out in October.
Read Variety’s ranking of her 10 best performances.
Honorable mentions: “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” (2017); “Memoirs of a Geisha” (2005); “Kung Fu Panda 2” (2011)