Malaysians celebrating Michelle Yeoh’s Oscar nomination

PETALING JAYA: Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh is one step closer to winning the highest acting honour in show business.

The 60-year-old Malaysian received her first ever Oscar nomination in the Best Actress category for her performance in Everything Everywhere All At Once.

The announcement was made yesterday at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California where actors Riz Ahmed and Alison Williams hosted the livestream event.

Yeoh is up against Cate Blanchett (Tar), Ana De Armas (Blonde), Andrea Riseborough (To Leslie) and Michelle Williams (The Fabelmans) for the award.

Everything Everywhere All At Once enters the Oscar race with 11 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director.

Yeoh’s co-stars Ke Huy Quan is nominated for Best Supporting Actor while Jamie Lee Curtis and Stephanie Hsu will compete for Best Supporting Actress.

Everything Everywhere All At Once, which sees Yeoh portraying a laundromat owner, has been a frontrunner in the awards circuit the past couple of months, winning accolades after accolades for Yeoh, Quan as well as the directors, The Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert).

Earlier this month, the Ipoh-born actress took home the Best Actress In A Musical Or Comedy Motion Picture at the 80th Golden Globe Awards, making her the first Malaysian to achieve such feat.

If Yeoh wins the Oscar, she will, again, be the first Malaysian to walk away with the most coveted acting prize in Hollywood.

Additionally, she will also be the first actress of Asian descent to win in the Best Actress category in the Academy’s 95-year history.

However, she faces stiff competition from the formidable actresses nominated in the category, especially Blanchett who bested Yeoh at last week’s Critics Choice Awards for Best Actress.

Yeoh’s fans are celebrating the actress’ Oscar nomination on social media.

“Very happy for the recognition Michelle Yeoh is getting because it’s actually very deserving. I’m hoping she wins,” tweeted @LadyBaron_

“Five noms, sure ... but this is honestly a two-woman race between Michelle Yeoh and Cate Blanchett. Both gave brilliant performances ... but my heart hopes Michelle Yeoh takes home the award on March 12,” @frosty_todger wrote.

“She’s definitely going to win. The trophy is in her hands,” Bavindh PV wrote on Facebook.

In recent years, Yeoh’s popularity has skyrocketed in Hollywood with starring roles in blockbusters such as Crazy Rich Asians, Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings and Avatar: The Way Of Water.

She’s slated to star opposite Kenneth Branagh in the Agatha Christie mystery A Haunting In Venice and appear in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical Wicked.