Michelle Yeoh is having quite the year, or should I say Dr. Michelle Yeoh. That’s right! On Saturday, during the American Film Institute’s class of 2022 commencement ceremony, the actress was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts! The Everything Everywhere All At Once directing duo, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Sheinert, were with Yeoh to present her with the honor at Hollywood’s TCL Chinese Theatre. Scheinert had this to say about working with Yeoh when presenting the award.
“I think we underestimated just how risky the script was for her. We’d find ourselves on set and and see Michelle putting her wiggly hot dog fingers covered with condiments into Jamie Lee Curtis’ mouth — if you haven’t seen our movie, that happens in our movie — and we were like, ‘That’s brave.'”
Sheinert added in that while audiences have seen Yeoh jumping motorcycles onto moving trains, he felt that what she did on Everything Everywhere was braver.
“Every few weeks while we were shooting, she’d turned to us and say, ‘If this movie doesn’t turn out good, I’m going to have to kill you both.’ We’re still here! It’s a testament to the hard work of our collaborators who helped us that we’re still alive.”
It was then that the duo introduced Yeoh and brought her to the stage. The star thanks everyone, stating that of all people, the doctorate would make her mother the happiest in the world.
“I think now she actually thinks I’m an adult with a real job. I had to keep telling her, ‘I’m not a real doctor, I don’t write prescriptions, mom.’ But she can go around telling everyone, ‘My daughter is a doctor.'”
Pushing Forward and Breaking Barriers
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After accepting her doctorate, Yeoh had some very wise words to share with the graduating class. She shared that in the earlier days of her career, she would be subjected to several injuries on set. But every time, she would pick herself back up. The experiences taught her perseverance, an important part of surviving in the industry, and stated that everyone who succeeds only makes it on top after a share of failures. Yeoh then went on to state that the industry is constantly changing, and facing a new frontier for the graduates, especially for stories that center around marginalized groups and voices.
“We are witnessing a profound shift — greater inclusion, more diverse stories, wider access and unlimited global reach. We have shown in our work and at the box office that we are ready for the opportunities and we deserve more. But inclusion is not a destination, it is a never-ending journey. There is always more we can do to improve our storytelling and it is up to you, the next generation of filmmakers, to keep that momentum going. Telling stories is a privilege none of us should take for granted. We are time travelers, world builders, change-makers. A scene you shoot on an average Tuesday may seed the dreams of a young child somewhere far away, inspire a future superstar or even begin an important conversation in our society. Be courageous. Take chances. Break barriers. Be proud of what makes you unique. And most importantly, don’t be afraid to fall because you are learning to fly.”