How long is a person’s “golden period”? The 60-year-old Oscar actress Michelle Yeoh is the best answer.
”To all the boys and girls like me who are watching tonight, this is a beacon of hope, the possibilities are endless, this trophy is about being brave enough to dream and dreams can come true. Hope all the ladies, Don’t listen to anyone who tells you that you are past your prime, and never give up.”
As the 95th Academy Awards ceremony was held, Best Actress winner Michelle Yeoh’s heartfelt words aroused countless sympathies and points of view Praise, this is a speech Michelle Yeoh has practiced with decades of acting career, verified with classic roles, and proved with an Oscar queen trophy.
This year’s Oscars has been attracting attention since the release of the shortlist. After its release in 2022, the highly acclaimed “Transient Universe” was shortlisted with a big hit. When Michelle Yeoh finally won the Best Actress trophy, people gathered together Witnessed an important moment in the history of the Oscars – Michelle Yeoh became the first Asian Best Actress at the Oscars, and even the first Chinese Best Actress. And Michelle Yeoh’s excited look is the harvest fruit of countless Chinese actors who have gradually expanded their territory in Hollywood.
In fact, from Michelle Yeoh’s resume, we know that it is not the luck of the pie falling from the sky that makes her successful, but the unremitting efforts that never give up for her dreams. A professional actor, especially an actress, has many “ceilings”. Whether it is a female identity, age, personal ability, or outlook on life, they may stop at different stages. And how did Michelle Yeoh break through the layers of “ceiling”? Michelle Yeoh’s life has not been smooth sailing since she went to England to study ballet at the age of 15 but stopped her dancing career due to an accidental injury. When she was young, she took the title of Miss Beauty Pageant to the Hong Kong film industry to develop, but she was not willing to only play the rescued “beautiful girl” in male-dominated themes, so Michelle Yeoh, who refused to admit defeat, began to try action scenes. In order to perform well in her first action film “Sister Royal”, Michelle Yeoh specially went to Hong’s class to practice martial arts for half a year, practicing kung fu, beating sandbags and kicking legs every day. Her desperation in filming earned her the respect of her peers, and she was dubbed “Asia’s Chief Action Actress”. In 1997, the Bond girl she played in the 007 movie “Tomorrow’s Empire” was no longer Bond’s foil, but became Bond’s partner, creating a brand new image of Chinese women. At the age of 33, she started to get involved in Hollywood. At the age of 40, she turned her career focus to Hollywood. So far, she has worked hard in Hollywood for 20 years. In the meantime, not all of the characters, big and small, were brilliant, but she never stopped to win the crown at the age of 60. How difficult it is for a Chinese actress to make a living in Hollywood may be difficult for onlookers to understand, but the length of 20 years is enough to prove that this road is not easy. Being able to keep going and not letting others set a “ceiling” for herself is an important reason why she finally got on this podium. This point is worthy of reference for many colleagues. Although your career “ceiling” is affected by many external forces, the most important thing depends on what goals you have set for yourself. As long as you don’t give up, the “golden period” will be won’t pass.
Another key word for Michelle Yeoh’s Best Actress Oscar win this time is “60 years old”. For an actress, the age of 60 seems to be an age that cannot be faced. Domestic female stars in their early forties are already calling for more opportunities for them. They are all stereotyped images of middle-aged and elderly women. And Michelle Yeoh’s role in “The Transient Universe” just broke the stereotype of women, expressing in a whimsical way that even though she is getting older and ordinary like her, she still has different sides that are as powerful as Superman. In fact, not only Michelle Yeoh, whether domestic or foreign, many actresses can create a dazzling image when outsiders feel that the so-called “golden period” is no longer there. So 40-year-old actresses, stop always “appealing”, and use your strength to prove more possibilities in the future. As long as you have the ability, pursuit and persistence, any time can be your “golden period”. This is not only for actresses, but also for women. How long the “golden period” will be is up to you.
The trophy raised by Michelle Yeoh today is like a beacon, it will illuminate the path of many latecomers and become the goal of their efforts.
