At the just-concluded 95th Academy Awards ceremony, 60-year-old Asian actress Yang Ziqiong won the Best Actress award for her role in “Wonder Woman Saves the Universe,” becoming the first action film actress to ascend to the throne of Best Actress and the first “Asian Best Actress” in Oscar history, winning a beautiful victory in the global film industry. How did she go from being a “stuntwoman” in the Chinese film industry to slowly making her way into Hollywood’s film world, and then shining on the Oscar stage today? Let’s take a look at Yang Ziqiong’s legendary path to fame!
Michelle Yeoh was born on August 6, 1963 in Malaysia. She went to the UK as a child to study ballet and developed a flexible body. However, a few years later, she had to end her dance career due to a spinal injury caused by dancing. Despite this setback, she was still beautiful and at the age of 20, with her mother’s encouragement, she participated in the “Miss Malaysia” beauty pageant and won the crown, which paved the way for her entry into the film and television industry.
After participating in a beauty pageant the following year, Yang Ziqiong had the privilege of being mentored by Sammo Hung and later married to Teddy Robin, and she filmed her first movie, “Owl vs. Dumbo,” in Hong Kong. She then went on to star in action-packed films such as “Royal Warriors,” “The Thief of Time,” “Police Story III: Super Cop,” “Seven Princesses,” and “Future Empire of Iron Man,” becoming a famous “action actress” in the Hong Kong film industry at that time.
In 1988, she married wealthy businessman Pandi Sheng and chose to retire from the entertainment industry according to her husband’s wishes. However, she longed for the stage of performing arts more than enjoying the life of a wealthy wife. Therefore, this marriage only lasted for three years, and the two of them peacefully separated.
Further reading:
- Oscar 2023 Winners List! Yang Ziqiong wins Best Actress, “Wonder Woman” sweeps 7 awards, let’s take a look at the highlights on stage one by one!
- 盤點奧斯卡 2023 紅毯造型：楊紫瓊 Dior 優雅登場、Rihanna 最強孕婦禮服
- 楊紫瓊的肌膚秘密！原來擁有無瑕肌膚，打造完美紅地毯妝容就是用上它
After returning to the film industry, she was nominated for the “Best Actress” award at the Hong Kong Film Awards in 2000 for her popular film “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” and her acting skills were highly praised. This is also why Zhang Ziyi specifically mentioned Hong Kong on the Oscar stage, as it is an important place where she developed her career in the performing arts.
Until 1997, Michelle Yeoh made her Hollywood debut in “Tomorrow Never Dies,” becoming the first ever Chinese “Bond girl.” This film also helped her gain recognition overseas and gradually develop into a highly sought-after Chinese actress.
Looking back at every project she has participated in, Yang Ziqiong has always put in a great effort. Due to her background in dance and her extraordinary courage, she personally performed many challenging actions in the films. With her “female hero” image, she despises the stereotypical portrayal of “damsel in distress” in movies and boldly declares, “I save myself.” She once broke three ribs and suffered a serious neck injury while filming action scenes, almost causing paralysis in her lower body. However, this did not extinguish her passion for acting.
And this actress, who always “dedicates her life to making movies,” finally, after nearly forty years in the industry, won her first “little golden man” with the role of “Xiu Lian” in the sci-fi action film “Wonder Woman Saves the Universe.”
When she spoke on stage, she encouraged women not to give up on their dreams based on her own experiences, declaring, “Ladies, don’t let anyone tell you that you’ve passed your prime. Absolutely do not give up.” Later, in an interview with the media, she also expressed optimism that she would not be the last Asian female star to receive this honor. Her positive attitude is truly inspiring!
