Michelle Yeoh Quick Info | |
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Height | 5 ft 4 in |
Weight | 55 kg |
Date of Birth | August 6, 1962 |
Zodiac Sign | Leo |
Spouse | Jean Todt |
Michelle Yeoh is a brilliant Malaysian actress. She is known for her tough and action-packed roles in movies like Police Story 3: Super Cop, The Soong Sisters, Tomorrow Never Dies, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Memoirs of a Geisha, Sunshine, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, True Legend, Reign of Assassins, The Lady, and Crazy Rich Asians. Michelle is a trained ballet dancer from the Royal Academy of Dance, London and has a fan following of over 350k followers on Instagram and more than 150k followers on Facebook.
Born Name
Yeoh Choo-Kheng
Nick Name
Michelle
Sun Sign
Leo
Born Place
Ipoh, Malaysia
Residence
Geneva, Switzerland
Nationality
Education
Michelle Yeoh majored in Ballet from the Royal Academy of Dance in London. Later, she graduated with a BA degree in Creative Arts and a minor in Drama.
Occupation
Actress, Producer
Family
- Father – Yeoh Kian Teik (MCA Politician)
- Mother – Janet Yeoh (Lawyer)
- Siblings – Lam Hoe Yeoh (Brother) (Malaysian Consultant), Robert Yeoh (Brother)
Manager
Michelle Yeoh is managed by Three Six Zero Group, Talent Management Company, Los Angeles, California, United States.
Build
Slim
Height
5 ft 4 in or 162.5 cm
Weight
55 kg or 121 lbs
Boyfriend / Spouse
Michelle Yeoh has dated –
- Alan Heldman (1988) – In 1998, Michelle was briefly engaged to cardiologist Dr. Alan Heldman.
- Dickson Poon (1988–1992) – In 1988, Michelle married an entrepreneur from Hong Kong, named Dickson Poon. Unfortunately, their marriage did not work out and they separated in 1992. But, they maintained a friendly bond afterward.
- Jean Todt (2004–Present) – In 2004, she began a relationship with French motorsport executive, Jean Todt. They met in Shanghai at a presentation ceremony. In July 2008, on CBS’s The Late Late Show, she confirmed her engagement to Jean. On July 27, 2023, the couple tied the knot in Geneva, Switzerland. Jean has a son named Nicolas Todt from a previous marriage. In January 2024, it was revealed that Michelle and Jean had become grandparents after Jean‘s son Nicolas Todt and his wife Darina welcomed a child named Maxime.
Note – She does not have any children (biological or adopted) until now.
Race / Ethnicity
Asian
She has Hokkien and Cantonese ancestry.
Hair Color
Dark Brown
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Long rounded chin
- Often wears glasses
- Pleasant smile
Brand Endorsements
Michelle Yeoh has done endorsement work for various brands like –
- Anlene
- Guy Laroche
- Tourism Bureau of Malaysia (2002)
- Puma
In October 2011, she became the skincare ambassador of the brand, Guerlain.
Religion
Buddhism
Best Known For
- Her versatile roles in films including Yes, Madam (1985) as Inspector Ng, Police Story 3: Super Cop (1992) as Inspector Jessica Yang, The Soong Sisters (1997) as Soong Ai-ling /Madam Kung, Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) as Wai Lin, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) as Yu Shu Lien, The Touch (2002) as Pak Yin Fay, Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) as Mameha, Sunshine (2007) as Corazon, Babylon A.D. (2008) as Sister Rebeka, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008) as Zi Yuan, True Legend (2010) as Sister Yu, Reign of Assassins (2010) as Zeng Jing, The Lady (2011) as Aung San Suu Kyi, Mechanic: Resurrection (2016) as Mei, and Crazy Rich Asians (2018) as Eleanor Young
First Film
In 1984, she made her theatrical film debut in the action comedy film, Mao tou ying yu xiao fei xiang (a.k.a. The Owl vs Bombo), as Miss Yeung.
In 2011, she made her theatrical film debut as a voice actress in the animated action-adventure film, Kung Fu Panda 2, as the voice of the soothsayer.
First TV Show
In 1996, she made her first TV show appearance as a guest on the talk show, The Rosie O’Donnell Show.
Personal Trainer
Michelle Yeoh is a trained ballet dancer who had a disciplined upbringing. She exercises every day. Earlier when she was working in films in Hong Kong, she would train for around 8 hours in the gym. As soon as she wakes up, she starts doing her stretches. When she was younger, she used to play a lot of squash, swim, and do rock climbing. She still follows an active lifestyle and often goes hiking and practices martial arts as well.
As for her diet, she prefers having smaller meals several times a day. Her food contains lots of organic vegetables and seafood. She also loves pasta, bread, and desserts like ice cream and cakes. She is also a slow eater.
Michelle Yeoh Favorite Things
- Place To Shop – Costco in America
- Food – Chicken, bean sprouts, fish head curry
- Movie – The Exorcist (1973)
- Authors – Stephen King, Shakespeare
Source – Daily Mail, Wikipedia
Michelle Yeoh Facts
- She started taking ballet lessons at the age of 4.
- Aged 15, she moved to London with her parents.
- Her dream of becoming a professional ballet dancer was shattered after she incurred a spinal injury.
- Her last name “Yeoh” is pronounced “yo”.
- During her earlier acting career, she was given an alias name, Michelle Khan.
- In 1983, at the age of 20, she won the Miss Malaysia beauty pageant.
- Later in 1983, she represented Malaysia at the Queen of the Pacific contest in Australia which she won. She also represented Malaysia at the Miss World 1983 contest in London.
- In 1997, People magazine named her as one of the “50 Most Beautiful People in the World”.
- In 2008, she was named as the greatest action heroine of all time by Rotten Tomatoes.
- She has been known as the “queen of martial arts” in the Hong Kong film industry.
- She can speak English, Malay, and Cantonese.
- In 2002, she was a part of the esteemed jury at the Cannes Film Festival.
- She is the 2nd Asian actress to star in a James Bond movie after Mie Hama, who appeared in You Only Live Twice (1967).
- Michelle is committed to protecting the endangered tigers in South China through her association with Save China’s Tigers project.
- She is scared of going under the knife and thinks that it’s not worth it.
- Knitting is her hidden talent.
- Growing up, Tarzan used to be her hero.
- She describes herself as kind, reliable, and fun.
- On April 23, 2007, Michelle was awarded the Knight of the Legion of Honour (Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur) by French President Jacques Chirac.
- Later, on March 14, 2012, French President Nicolas Sarkozy upgraded her status to Officer of the French Order (Officier de la Légion d’honneur).
- She has also had her share of injuries while doing her own stunts which include cracked ribs, torn knee ligaments, and a ruptured artery in the leg.
- As an executive producer, she has worked in numerous projects like Final Recipe (2013), Pad Yatra: A Green Odyssey (2012), and Silver Hawk (2004).
- In May 2022, Michelle received the “SeeHer Award” at the Gold House’s Inaugural Gold Gala: A New Gold Age.
- In August 2022, Michelle received an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts by the American Film Institute at the film school’s Class of 2022 Commencement Ceremony.
- In January 2023, Michelle was honored with an award at the 2023 National Board Of Review Awards Gala.
- During the 2023 Golden Globe Awards, she won the award for “Best Actress – Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy” for portraying the role of Evelyn Quan Wang in Everything Everywhere All at Once.
- In January 2023, Michelle was featured on the cover of W Magazine’s first issue of 2023, “Volume 1, Best Performances”.
- In February 2023, Michelle won the Hollywood Critics Association’s HCA Film Award for “Best Actress” for her work in Everything Everywhere All At Once.
- During the 2023 Screen Actors Guild Awards, Michelle received the “Best Actress” award for her work in Everything Everywhere All at Once.
- In March 2023, Michelle won the Academy Award for “Best Actress” for her role in Everything Everywhere All At Once. With this, she became the first Asian actress to win the “Best Actress” award at the Oscars.
- On October 17, 2023, she was chosen as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Featured Image by Rita Molnár / Wikimedia / CC BY-SA 2.5