A Tribute to Michelle Yeoh
More than an actor, Yeoh is a symbol of talent and tenacity and SFFILM’s 2022 Tribute recipient. Join us for an intimate in-depth conversation, hosted by Sandra Oh, as we celebrate the career of Michelle Yeoh.
Tribute
Michelle Yeoh was recently called, “one of the great international movie stars of the past quarter-century” by New York Times chief film critic A.O. Scott. We can’t wait to speak with her at the beloved Castro Theatre.
In Conversation
Join us for a very special conversation with actors Sandra Oh and Michelle Yeoh, about Yeoh’s creative choices, career decisions, genre performances.
PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
Alexandra & Spencer Wells
Courtney Benoist & Jason Fish
Description
Michelle Yeoh is an indelible screen presence who grounds every frame she inhabits with authenticity and explosive talent. It is hard to think of another artist who can match her style, skillset, and command of the camera. An icon and global movie star, Michelle is also in the words of Buzzfeed, “a martial artist, athlete, ballet dancer, pianist, beauty queen (Miss Malaysia 1983), and hardcore action star all rolled into one; in short, Michelle Yeoh is the GOAT.”
Born in Malaysia, Yeoh studied dance before injuries waylaid those ambitions and she turned to acting. She first established herself as an action star in such classics as Stanley Tong’s Supercop (1992), which paired her with Jackie Chan, and Johnnie To’s The Heroic Trio (1993). International fame soon beckoned when Roger Spottiswoode cast her opposite Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) and entered the pantheon of martial arts supernovae with her electrifying moves in Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000).
Films like Rob Marshall’s Memoirs of a Geisha (2005), Danny Boyle’s sci-fi drama Sunshine (2007), and Luc Besson’s The Lady (2011) demonstrated her flair for quiet drama, while such movies as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) and Crazy Rich Asians (2018) allowed her to flex her comedic talents. On television, she became part of one the last half century’s most storied franchises when she played Philippa Georgiou on Star Trek: Discovery (2017-2020). Most recently, she returned to action in Marvel’s Shang-chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) and The Daniels’ Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022), where her beleaguered laundry owner Evelyn, beset by money and tax troubles, unleashes her inner warrior as she discovers powers she never knew she had.
Michelle Yeoh headshot courtesy of Thomas Laisne via Getty Images.
After three years of study at the National Theatre School of Canada, Sandra Oh beat out more than 1,000 competitors to win the titular role in the telefilm The Diary of Evelyn Lau (1994), earning a Gemini Award nomination for her performance. For her debut feature, Double Happiness (1994), she won a Genie Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, winning again five years later for Last Night (1998). Among her film roles are Dancing at the Blue Iguana (2000), Long Life, Happiness & Prosperity (2002), Sideways (2004), Cake (2005), The Night Listener (2006), Rabbit Hole (2010), and Turning Red (2022). On television, her roles have included Arli$$ (1996-2002), for which she won a 1997 CableACE Award; Grey’s Anatomy (2005-2014), for which she garnered five Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama; Killing Eve (2018-2022), for which she received three Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama; and The Chair (2021). For her 2019 stint hosting Saturday Night Live, she received an Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series nomination.