Oscars 2023: Michelle Yeoh Becomes 1st Asian Woman To Win Academy Award For Best Actress

Michelle Yeoh has become the first Asian woman who won the Academy Award for best actress and made history all at once.

The Malaysian-born actor won the Academy Award for best actress on Sunday night for her multifaceted performance in the multiversal Everything Everywhere All at Once.

As a nominee, Yeoh was the first in the category who identified as Asian. Merle Oberon, who was nominated in 1935 for “The Dark Angel” but didn’t win, hid her South Asian heritage, according to birth records.

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Of all the universes, we live in the one where Michelle Yeoh makes history as the first Asian woman to win the Best Actress Oscar—love that for us! #Oscars #Oscars95 pic.twitter.com/Nb5CvKIwew

— The Academy (@TheAcademy) March 13, 2023

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Michelle Yeoh accepts the Oscar for Best Actress for her outstanding performance in ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ #Oscars #Oscars95 pic.twitter.com/fIDMBH1rEy

— The Academy (@TheAcademy) March 13, 2023

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The category also received notice for who wasn’t nominated: In a year of strong performances from Black women like Viola Davis (The Woman King) and Danielle Deadwyler (Till), they were shut out. Meanwhile some criticized the grassroots campaigning by A-listers on social media for Riseborough.