Today (13th March) marks a momentous day for actress Tan Sri Dato Michelle Yeoh (楊紫瓊). Earlier this year, she had been nominated as Best Actress in the Oscar Awards for her performance in “Everything Everywhere All at Once”. And today, she was awarded as winner of the Actress in a Leading Role category!
Family, friends and fans alike all celebrated Michelle’s win with gusto, with many overjoyed by the actress’s first Oscar win. As it turns out, Malaysians weren’t the only ones celebrating. Others were too! In fact, Hong Kong actor Chapman To (杜汶泽) felt it necessary to remind fans about Michelle’s roots.
Chapman uploaded a post on his Facebook around 12pm today. “Warm reminder to the Hong Kong government,” he wrote. “Michelle Yeoh is a Malaysian. Don’t pump (your ego). Thanks.” Surprisingly enough, the post took off with over 27,000 likes and more than 400 shares. The post was allegedly made after Mr Kevin Yeung, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, congratulated Michelle Yeoh.
“Michelle Yeoh rose to prominence in the Hong Kong film industry for years, then moved on to the international stage and became a shining star with impressive achievements,” Yeung reportedly said. “Her honour of winning the Oscar award, one of the most significant awards in the film sector, is well deserved. This is a testimony to the strong potential of Hong Kong’s talents and film industry.”
Chapman’s fans were startled by his boldness, with several questioning his actions. However, others were pleased with Chapman, opining he was right. Still, there were netizens who claimed Michelle’s win as an honour for the Chinese as a whole.
It is certainly true that Michelle Yeoh grew her career in Hong Kong which later catapulted her to fame. However, above everything, her hard work in the industry should be acknowledged as the real foundation of her success. Well, we too would like to congratulate Michelle for her blood, sweat and tears throughout all these years!
Sources: Xuan, China Press, Facebook
