RELATED: Michelle Yeoh Shares Her Emotional Reaction To Everything Everywhere All At Once Script
With over 65 plus film credits to her name, the indications are that Michelle Yeoh is certainly not slowing down. With upcoming releases such as The Witcher: Blood Origin and 4 Avatar movie sequels in the works, fans can hardly wait to see what’s next. Before that, however, let’s take a look at some of the seminal movies that highlighted Michelle Yeoh’s artistic prowess and talent.
9 Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
The film that propelled Michelle Yeoh towards international acclaim and stardom, Tomorrow Never Dies features Yeoh as Chinese spy Wai Lin, who must work together with 007 to take down a power-hungry media mogul bent on initiating world war 3.
Fans of Michelle Yeoh would argue that she eclipses Pierce Brosnan in the film as her skills as a fighter appear more pronounced and fluid. Despite having to be rescued by Bond, Michelle honors her character with strength, intelligence, grace, and independence, demonstrating that she is much more than a typical ‘Bond girl’.
8 Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000)
As one of the greatest and most successful Wuxia films of all time, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon cemented Michelle Yeoh’s reputation as a skilled martial artist and actress. Though Michelle Yeoh starred in a series of prominent Hong Kong action films in the early 1990s where she performed her stunts, it was this film that brought her international recognition and she was nominated for a BAFTA award for best actress.
Following the success of the film, Yeoh would go on to star in multiple Hollywood productions and found her own company, Mythical Films which was set up in 2002. It was noted that Michelle Yeoh did not speak mandarin well at the time and learned all her lines phonetically.
7 Yes, Madam (1985)
Yes, Madam is Michelle Yeoh’s first leading role and was the first film in a line of others that would catapult her towards fame during the early 90s. A buddy-cop film where Yeoh partners up with Cynthia Rothrock in an east meets west police collaboration to recover some stolen microfilm.
RELATED: Best Martial Arts Movies, According To Rotten Tomatoes
Known for its incredible action sequences, Michelle Yeoh is said to have spent 8 hours at a gym every day to prepare for her role. The film was popular enough that it spawned the In The Line Of Duty film series and is considered to be the first film of the ‘girls with guns’ subgenre of action films.
6 Supercop (1992)
Also known as Police Story 3: Supercop, the film stars Michelle Yeoh alongside Jackie Chan who must team up in another buddy-cop scenario who must infiltrate and take down a drug lord based in Hong Kong. Interestingly, this is the first Jackie Chan film from Hong Kong to utilize what is known as sync sound, allowing actors on set to have their voices recorded as previously, voices would be dubbed on later after shooting
The film demonstrates Yeoh’s ability to match Jackie Chan in terms of his stunt and martial ability and Yeoh can pull off some breathtaking stunts within the film. In public, Yeoh cites that her stunts from Supercop were one of her most hazardous, demonstrating how much actors put themselves on the line for the viewer’s entertainment.
5 The Soong Sisters (1997)
Based on the real 3 Soong sisters who married the founders of the Republic of China: Dr. H. H. Kung, Dr. Sun Yat Sen, and General Chiang Kai-Shek respectively, the story follows their journey of how they studied overseas, returned home to China, married, and ultimately influenced their husbands, changing the course of Chinese history forever.
Michelle Yeoh plays the eldest sister, Soong Ai-Ling, and was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the 1998 Hong Kong Film Awards. The film was released at a very precarious time for Hong Kong and Chinese cinema as Hong Kong was restored under Chinese mainland sovereignty. Hong Kong filmmakers feared that their creative licenses would be stripped by the mainland as this film tackled the bold topic of the Republic of China which saw both Communist and Kuomintang forces vying for power.
4 Far North (2007)
In this film, Yeoh stars as Saiva, an outcast of a Siberian tribe whose shaman foretold that she was cursed at birth and would bring harm to anyone she cared for. Despite this, she is accompanied by her daughter who together, forage and hunt in the wilderness. One day they rescue a lost soldier, Loki, played by Sean Bean, whose fate of course is sealed.
Set against a gorgeous yet desolate backdrop, the characters struggle to survive the harsh cold as tensions rise between the 3 people. Brutal, haunting, and raw, Far North showcases Yeoh’s ability to get gritty and savage for her roles.
3 Sunshine (2007)
Although not Michelle Yeoh’s first foray into sci-fi. The film showcases an ensemble of prominent actors (including Michelle Yeoh) who take on the role of astronauts on a dangerous mission to revive their dying sun.
Despite being amongst an ensemble, Yeoh stands out in the crew and holds her own as the ship’s biologist. Yeoh would go on to describe her character as someone more spiritual, grounded, and down to earth compared to her earlier characters from Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Memoirs Of A Geisha.
2 The Lady (2011)
A grand biopic based on the life of Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma’s most prominent non-violent female politician who endured years of house arrest and was ousted by the Burmese military several times. The film chronicles Suu Kyi’s political struggle and her love life with Oxford university sweetheart and historian, Michael Aris.
RELATED: Great Historical Movies That Are Wildly Inaccurate
Given the hardships that Suu Kyi faced, Yeoh was able to demonstrate her versatility and prowess as an actress, portraying a respectable, believable, and vulnerable depiction of Suu Kyi. Yeoh’s portrayal was praised by both critics and the public with Yeoh also calling the film a ‘labor of love.’
1 Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
Although Crazy Rich Asians may not be considered the finest film ever created, the film did set a new standard for Asian-American and Asian representation in Hollywood films. It is the first film by a Hollywood studio to feature a majority Asian (or Chinese) cast since The Joy Luck Club back in 1993.
Michelle Yeoh once again is exceptional in her role as Eleanor Young. Despite playing a dominant dragon-lady, she doesn’t fall into the stereotype. Instead, Yeoh brings a distinct vulnerability to the role whilst retaining her authority, highlighting the nuances within the delicate and often difficult relationships between Asian parents and their children.
MORE: Live-Action Movies Based On Anime That Are Actually Great
