PETALING JAYA: The usually composed Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh was overwhelmed with emotions as she accepted the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role at the Screen Actors Guild Award on Sunday night in Los Angeles.
Midway through her acceptance speech, the 60-year-old actress became flustered and dropped a few curse words on air, drawing cheers from her peers gathered at Fairmont Century Plaza to honour actors from the TV and film industry.
Yeoh won for her stellar performance as a laundromat owner who has the ability to travel through various multiverses in the indie film Everything Everywhere All At Once. She is the first Asian woman to win a leading film acting award at SAG, while the movie also nabbed the Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture award.
Wearing a strapless dress by Schiaparelli Haute Couture, Yeoh thanked the members of the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists for giving her the award.
“SAG-AFTRA, to get this from you, who understands what it is to get here.
“Every one of you knows the journey, the roller coaster ride, the ups and downs.
“But most importantly, we never give up. I thank you,” she said after accepting the award from actor Jeff Bridges.
“This is not just for me, this is for every little girl who looks like me,” a tearful Yeoh continued.
“Thank you for giving me a seat at the table and tonight you’ve shown us that it is possible.
“I’m grateful and my mum will be eternally grateful to all of you,” she added.
Yeoh beat Cate Blanchett (Tar), Danielle Deadwyler (Till), Viola Davis (The Woman King) and Ana de Armas (Blonde) for the award.
This puts the trailblazing Malaysian star one step closer to winning the most coveted acting prize in showbiz – the Oscar.
While Yeoh is considered a hot favourite to win the Best Actress statue at the Academy Awards on March 12, Australian actress Blanchett proved to be a worthy contender.
Last week, Blanchett beat Yeoh for the Best Actress gong at the Baftas, the British equivalent of the Oscars.
However, the SAG Awards have long been considered one of the most reliable predictions for the Oscars since actors make up the biggest portion of the film academy, and their votes have the largest sway.
Last year, the top winners at the SAG Awards all corresponded with the subsequent Oscar winners.
