Michelle Yeohhas become a staple in the movie world for decades now, even before she broke into all-new levels of acclaim with her appearance inEverything Everywhere All at Oncein 2022. The Malaysian actress beganher movie careerin Hong Kong, where she appeared in a plethora of action movies. Starring alongside giants like Jackie Chan, it seemed inevitable that Yeoh was destined for something more, and, in 1994, she appeared in the James Bond movieTomorrow Never Diesas Wai Lin. Not long after that, she rose even more to mainstream prominence after appearing in Ang Lee’s smash wuxia hitCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
Ever since then, Yeoh has been consistently landing major movie roles and hasbecome a recognizable facein Hollywood. Whether it’s a drama or an action movie, Yeoh has proven again and again she can do it all and has deserved the increasing limelight and accolades she has collected throughout the years. Now, in 2022 and 2023, her odds of landing a Golden Globeor Academy Awardlook even better after appearing inEverything Everywhere All at Onceas Evelyn, a struggling mother, and immigrant who finds herself traveling through multiple universes (viaVariety). While the multiversal A24 film may have introduced her to newer audiences, Yeoh’s filmography is not one to be missed. Here are 10 quintessential Michelle Yeoh movies you need to catch up on.
10Tomorrow Never Dies
Tomorrow Never Dieswas released in 1997 and is the 18th James Bond movie in the franchise. In this movie, James Bond must stop a media baron from sparking World War III with a conflict between the United Kingdom and China. Teaming up with the Chinese agent Wai Lin (Yeoh), Bond must stop everything from happening before it’s too late.
Related:It’s Michelle Yeoh vs. Cate Blanchett for the Best Actress Oscar: Who Should Win?
9Crazy Rich Asians
Based on the novel of the same name,Crazy Rich Asiansfinds its protagonist, the daughter of an immigrant from New York City, discovering her boyfriend is from an elite Singaporean family. Now forced to navigate new territory abroad along with this new information, their relationship is going to go through new tests as she confronts his past and family members.
8Memoirs of a Geisha
A young girl from Japan is sold to a geisha house inMemoirs of a Geisha, completely changing the trajectory of her life. Set only a couple of years before World War II consumes East Asia, the girl must learn the ways of the geisha, putting up with abuse, injuries, and rivalries to survive. Despite this,Memoirs of a Geishais referred to as a Westernized take on Japanese culture and history.
7Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
The 25th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe,Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringsbecame Marvel’s first movie with an Asian lead. Shang-Chi, who ran away from home after conducting a traumatic assassination attempt, has to confront his past when his father returns to his life and drags him onto a new adventure. A sequel is currently in the works.
6The School for Good and Evil
The School for Good and Evilwas released on Netflix in 2022 and is based on a fantasy novel geared toward young adults. Two friends from the same village are the outcasts where they live, but when they’re kidnapped in the forest one night, they find themselves at the School for Good and the School for Evil. They seem to have been misplaced, as neither of their personalities is fitting for where they were placed, but as the story unfolds, it seems everything was done for a reason.
5Everything Everywhere All at Once
Perhaps one of the best movies of 2022,Everything Everywhere All At Onceis a wild ride. Yeoh portrays an aging immigrant mother who owns a laundromat and struggles with her family life, but when she goes to the IRS to attempt to clear up her tax fraud, she ends up traveling through multiple different universes with her existing in all of them. Forced to confront the weight of her decisions, it may be too late to fix her relationship with her husband, father, and daughter.
Related:Michelle Yeoh’s Best Action Movies, Ranked
4Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragonput so many of its actors on the international map, as well as director Ang Lee. The first non-English-language film to breach over $100 million at the US box office, it also popularized the genre of Chinese wuxia for audiences that were largely unfamiliar with it beforehand. An epic journey begins when a sacred sword is stolen by thieves, leading the protagonists to chase after them for justice. Full of martial arts and vibrant cinematography, this isn’t a movie to miss.
3Kung Fu Panda 2
Kung Fu Pandawas a classic for a generation when it originally came out, and the sequel,Kung Fu Panda 2was no exception. Po, after the events of the first movie, is enjoying his new life as a kung fu master, but a new villain has appeared on the horizon to conquer all of China with his army. It is up to Po and his allies to defeat this new threat before it’s too late for all of them.
InThe Lady, Yeoh takes on the role of the Burmese activist and politician Aung San Suu Kyi. Although after the events in the late-2010s that ousted her from power after a coup,The Ladytells the life story of Aung San Suu Kyi and how she founded a new political party that would completely change Burmese politics.
1Police Story 3: Supercop
Yeoh teams up with Jackie Chan in this Hong Kong action movie,Police Story 3: Supercop, which is the third film in thePolice Storyfranchise from the 90s. Chan’s character, Ka-Kui, is assigned to infiltrate a Hong Kong drug lord’s gang and take it down from the inside. He ends up having to travel abroad multiple times to chase after this criminal, making it an arduous, but rewarding journey by the end.
