Oscars 2023: Michelle Yeah first Asian best actress winner; ‘Everything Everywhere’ wins best picture
Michelle Yeoh, who starred in “Everything Everywhere All at Once” as a harried mom who tumbles into multiple parallel universes, won the Oscar for best actress at the Academy Awards on Sunday, making history as the first Asian actress ever to do so.
As she accepted the award on the Dolby Theatre stage, she spoke of the need to hold fast to your dreams no matter your background or age.
“For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight, this is a beacon of hope and possibilities,” she said in accepting her award. “This is proof that dreams — dream big, and dreams do come true. And ladies, don’t let anybody tell you you are ever past your prime. Never give up.”
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” proved throughout the night to be the weird little movie that could, winning seven of its 11 nominations including Oscars for best picture, best director, and three of its actors.
Producer Jonathan Wang thanked the “brilliant and bighearted cast and crew” who surrounded him on stage at the Dolby Theatre after “Everything Everywhere” closed out the night with a win for best picture.
Co-director Daniel Kwan wrapped up with a message of hope for the continuing role of film to help “shelter each other from the crazy chaos of this world.
“I have great faith in our stories,” Kwan said of films in general. “These stories have changed my life. They have for generations. And I know that we’ll get through this.”
Brendan Fraser won the Oscar for best actor for his work as a grief-stricken character in “The Whale,” a role for which the Oscar for makeup and hair also went to “The Whale” for their work transforming Fraser into a 600-pound man.
“So this is what the multiverse looks like,” a visibly emotional Fraser said in a nod to the setting of “Everything Everywhere.” “Oh my goodness.”
After thanking director Darren Aronofsky for “throwing me a creative lifeline,” Fraser said he had come to realize that had taken his success in Hollywood as a younger actor a bit for granted.
“Things, they didn’t come easy to me,” he said. “But there was a facility that I didn’t appreciate at the time until it stopped. And I just want to say thank you for this.”