Here it is!: Yeoh holding her Oscar trophy at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur. — AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Ladies and gentlemen, there’s an Oscar winner in the house.
These words were unspoken but the vibe was felt all over yesterday when Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh was in town.
And the Malaysian-born, who has now become a Hollywood A-lister, is feeling right back at home.
“I have had curry laksa, nasi lemak, horfun and Ipoh chicken rice with nga choi. That’s why I look so fat,” she quipped to reporters.
She said she was happy to be back in the country, especially since she got to eat her favourite food, which she missed.
The packed press conference, which was attended by local and international press, was held before she met her fans at the “Pride of Malaysia Michelle Yeoh Homecoming Public Fan Meet” at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.
“I’ve never seen so many (media) at one place,” she said.
“Hopefully, you will meet my little man,” she teased, referring to her Best Actress trophy.
The statuette was then taken out from a briefcase in front of her. She walked around the stage with it for the benefit of photographers.It was almost like a victory lap for Yeoh who has been under the spotlight since winning the Oscar last month for her role in Everything Everywhere All At Once.
Yeoh paid tribute to Malaysians for their love and support, which she said she felt all the way in Los Angeles, where the Academy Awards were held.
“I heard the roar of joy and happiness all across the world to Los Angeles. So, I thank all of you. You have been on that journey with me... I felt your strength,” she said.
She recounted what she described as “an incredible journey”.
“It was a roller coaster ride that started last year when the movie first came out. And the Oscar was in March (this year) so can you imagine it was a whole year of not knowing... wanting, hoping, wishing (for it),” said Yeoh, adding the Oscar journey was difficult and lonely for her as it was “completely new territory” because no Malaysians had been nominated before.
“I remember during the journey, everyone was always asking, ‘So do you want the Oscar?’ Hell yes! Of course I want the Oscar! Who doesn’t, right?” she said.
She also attributed her growing-up days in a multiracial society in Malaysia to shaping her to be who she is today.
“The beauty about Malaysia is we are multiracial. We have learned to live and embrace each other’s culture.
“And I think that has fundamentally made me such an international, global person,” Yeoh said.
“So anywhere I go, I don’t see differences. I see how I can learn from other people. Because when we are here in Malaysia, we learn from our Malay friends, our Indian friends, our Chinese friends, I believe that is beautiful,” she added.
Yeoh said she had never entertained the thought of giving up in all her 40 years as an actor and that was what led to her accomplishing the impossible – winning the Oscar.
“I think if I had that thought I wouldn’t be sitting here today. In our line of business, it’s very important that you are truly passionate about what you do. Because you never know what’s around the corner,” she said.
Apart from acting, Yeoh has also dabbled in producing.
Asked if she would want to expand her repertoire into directing, she gave a resounding no.
“Directors have no life. I love my life too much,” she said with a laugh.
“Being a director means you have to know everything and be everywhere all at once,” she said in a cheeky reference to her award-winning movie.
Yeoh said she was back in Malaysia as she had promised her mother Datin Janet Yeoh that she would be celebrating her birthday.
“Because of the pandemic, she has not been able to celebrate for a few years. So we’re gonna throw her a big party this time,” she said.
After Malaysia, Yeoh will fly to London where she is shooting the film adaptation of the Broadway musical, Wicked.
