List of awards and nominations received by Michelle Yeoh
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Yeoh with the 2026 Honorary Golden Bear | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Michelle Yeoh is a Malaysian actress who has received many awards and nominations. Following a spinal injury that prevented Yeoh from pursuing a professional ballet career, she began competing in beauty pageants.[1] In 1983, she was crowned Miss World Malaysia at the age of 20 and represented her country in the Miss World pageant, where she placed 18th overall. A year later, she went on to win the title Miss Moomba International in Australia.
Michelle Yeoh's first starring role in Yes, Madam earned her her first nomination at the Hong Kong Film Awards for Best New Performer. In 1998, Yeoh received her second nomination for Best Supporting Actress for The Soong Sisters. In the same year, Yeoh's first role in Hollywood in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies earned her an MTV Movie & TV Awards nomination in the Best Fight category. In the early 21st century, Yeoh gained widespread recognition for her role in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the first foreign-language film to surpass $100 million at the box office in the United States,[a] which brought her numerous award nominations, including the British Academy Film Awards, Chlotrudis Awards, Saturn Awards, Hong Kong Film Awards, Golden Horse Awards, Toronto Film Critics Association, Vancouver Film Critics Circle. She was also awarded Best Film Actress by the Ethnic Multicultural Media Academy.
The next era was marked by fluctuations in the actress's career. She embarked on producing her first two English-language films, The Touch and Silver Hawk, through Mythical Company, Yeoh's own production company, earning her two Huabiao Awards for Outstanding Co-Production Film. In 2011, Yeoh received Satellite Award and Asian Film Award nominations for her performance as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, and for her role in the wuxia film Reign of Assassins. Seven years later, her participation in the series Star Trek: Discovery earned her a second Saturn Award nomination in the category Best Guest Starring Role on Television. Additionally, the success of the project Crazy Rich Asians has resulted in further nominations, including those from the AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, Dorian Awards, Actor Awards, as well as a Best Cast award from the National Board of Review.
As the female lead in the film Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022), she received her second British Academy Film Award nomination and earned multiple accolades, including the National Board of Review, Critics' Choice Super, Satellite, and Saturn Awards. Her Golden Globe win made her the second actress of Asian descent to win Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy), after Awkwafina.[b] She was also the first Asian woman to win the Actor Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role.[c] On March 12, 2023, Yeoh won the Academy Award for Best Actress, becoming the first Asian actress to receive the award in the 95-year history of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences,[d] which was recognized by Guinness World Records,[22] and the second woman of color to win in that category after Halle Berry.[e] She is also only the second Asian performer nominated for Best Actress, following Merle Oberon in 1936.[f]
Other accolades
Academic
| Organization | Year | Honor | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Film Institute | 2022 | Doctor of Fine Arts | [120] |
| Hong Kong University of Science and Technology | 2023 | Honorary Doctoral Degrees | [121] |
Honors


| Organization[g] | Year[h] | Honor | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| amfAR | 2015 | Humanitarian Award | [122] |
| ASEAN International Film Festival and Awards | 2013 | Lifetime Achievement Award | [123] |
| Asia Society | 2018 | Artistic Visionary Award | [124] |
| Asian American International Film Festival | 1998 | Asian American Media Award | [125] |
| Asian Film Awards | 2013 | Excellence in Asian Cinema Award | [126] |
| Atlantic Council | 2024 | Distinguished Leadership Awards | [127] |
| Berlin International Film Festival | 2026 | Honorary Golden Bear | [128] |
| Cannes Film Festival | 2009 | Festival Trophy (Homage) | [129] |
| 2023 | Women In Motion Award | [130] | |
| CineAsia | 1999 | Excellence in Acting for Outstanding Performance as an Actor | [131] |
| Dorian Awards | 2023 | Wilde Artist of the Year | [132] |
| East West Players | 2022 | Visionary Awards | [133] |
| Family Film Awards | 2021 | Global Lifetime Achievement Award | [134] |
| Federation of Hokkien Associations Malaysia | 2008 | Outstanding Award | [135] |
| Gold House | 2022 | See Her Award | [136] |
| Hollywood Chamber of Commerce | 2026[l] | Hollywood Walk of Fame | [137] |
| Hollywood Film Awards | 2018 | Hollywood Breakout Ensemble Award[m] | [139] |
| Junior Chamber International | 2002 | Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World – Cultural Achievement | [140] |
| Junior Chamber International Malaysia | 2002 | Ten Outstanding Young Malaysians | [141] |
| London Film Critics' Circle | 2023 | Dilys Powell Award | [142] |
| Main Directorate for Traffic Safety | 2009 | Special Award | [143] |
| Marrakech International Film Festival | 2008 | Tribute Award | [144] |
| Maui Film Festival | 2006 | Rainmaker Award | [145] |
| Mill Valley Film Festival | 2011 | Spotlight Award | [146] |
| Montblanc Cultural Foundation | 2002 | Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award | [147] |
| MTV Asia Awards | 2004 | Asian Film Award | [148] |
| My Performing Arts Agency | 2012 | Lifetime Arts Achievement Award | [149] |
| National Association of Theatre Owners | 2001 | ShoWest Convention – International Star of the Year Award | [150] |
| Palm Springs International Film Festival | 2023 | International Star Award, Actress | [151] |
| Safe Kids Worldwide | 2016 | Safe Kids Worldwide Safety Advocate Award | [152] |
| Santa Barbara International Film Festival | 2022 | Kirk Douglas Award | [153] |
| Silent River Film Festival | 2013 | River Glory Award | [154] |
| Singapore International Film Festival | 2015 | Cinema Legend Award | [155] |
| The Asian American Foundation | 2023 | Heritage Heroes Awards | [156] |
| The Asian Awards | 2019 | Outstanding Achievement in Cinema[m] | [157] |
| Toronto International Film Festival | 2022 | TIFF Tribute Awards – Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award | [158] |
| United Nations Association of New York | 2016 | United Nations Day Humanitarian Awards | [159] |
| World Economic Forum | 2024 | Crystal Award | [160] |
| World Grandmaster Awards | 2019 | World Outstanding Film Star Master Excellence Award | [161] |
| You Bring Charm to the World Award | 2009 | Chinese Influencing the World Award | [162] |
Listicles
| Publisher | Listicle | Year | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBC | BBC 100 Women | 2020 | Placed | [163] |
| British Vogue | 14 of the Most Inspiring Female Leads on Film | 2019 | Placed | [164] |
| Business Insider | 25 Iconic Women Who Made Movie History | 2025 | Placed | [165] |
| Den of Geek | The 25 Best Female Action Stars in Modern Cinema | 2014 | 1st | [166] |
| Elle | Elle's Women In Hollywood | 2022 | Placed | [167] |
| The Most Empowering Oscars Speeches | 2024 | Placed | [168] | |
| Empire | 50 Greatest Actors of All Time | 2022 | Placed | [169] |
| Entertainment Weekly | Bond Girls: The Best and Worst[n] | 2008 | Best | [170] |
| Entertainer of the Year | 2022 | Placed | [171] | |
| The 30 Greatest Best Actress-winning Performances in Oscar History | 2025 | 23rd | [172] | |
| Financial Times | The FT's 25 Most Influential Women of 2022 | 2022 | Placed | [173] |
| Forbes | 50 Over 50: Asia | 2022 | Placed | [174] |
| Fortune | Most Influential Women Asia | 2025 | Placed | [175] |
| Gold House | A100 List | 2022 | Placed | [176] |
| A100 Hall of Fame | 2023 | Placed | [177] | |
| A100 List | 2025 | Placed | [178] | |
| IGN | The Best Performance in a Movie in 2022 | 2022 | Placed | [179] |
| IndieWire | The 16 Best Film Performances by Actresses in 2018[o] | 2018 | 10th | [180] |
| The Top 14 Female Action Stars Working Today | 2017 | 6th | [181] | |
| The 28 Best Film and TV Performances of 2022 | 2022 | Placed | [182] | |
| Los Angeles Times | The Best Movie Performances of 2022 | 2022 | Placed | [183] |
| National Geographic | National Geographic 33 | 2025 | Placed | [184] |
| Parade | The 21 Greatest Action Heroines in Movie History[p] | 2023 | 7th | [185] |
| People | The 50 Most Beautiful People in the World | 1997 | Placed | [186] |
| The 35 All-Time Screen Beauties | 2009 | 27th | [187] | |
| People's 2023 Women Changing The World | 2023 | 1st | [188] | |
| Rolling Stone | Best Actress Oscar Winners of the 21st Century | 2025 | 6th | [189] |
| Rotten Tomatoes | The 25 Best Action Heroines of All Time | 2008 | 1st | [190] |
| ShortList | The 20 Greatest Martial Arts Stars of All Time | 2026 | 14th | [191] |
| Tatler Asia | Asia's Most Influential (Malaysia) | 2021 | Placed | [192] |
| 2022 | Placed | |||
| 2023 | Placed | |||
| 2024 | Placed | |||
| 2025 | Placed | |||
| The A.V. Club | The 25 Most Memorable Film Performances of 2022 | 2022 | Placed | [193] |
| The Hollywood Reporter | Best Performances of the Year[o] | 2018 | Placed | [194] |
| Women in Entertainment Power 100 | 2022 | Placed | [195] | |
| 2023 | Placed | [196] | ||
| The New York Times | The 10 Best Actors of the Year | 2022 | Placed | [197] |
| The New Yorker | The Best Performances of 2022[q] | 2022 | Placed | [198] |
| The Ringer | 2022 | Placed | [199] | |
| The 101 Best Movie Performances of the 21st Century[p] | 2025 | 55th | [200] | |
| Time | Time 100: The Most Influential People | 2022 | Placed | [201] |
| Icon of the Year | Placed | [202] | ||
| Time Out | The 5 Fiercest Female Action Stars Of All Time | 2015 | 2nd | [203] |
| Vanity Fair | The Best Performances of 2022 | 2022 | Placed | [204] |
| Variety | The 10 Most Unforgettable Bond Girls[n] | 2015 | Placed | [205] |
| Variety500 – Top 500 Entertainment Business Leaders | 2022 | Placed | [206] | |
| 2023 | Placed | [207] | ||
| Vogue | The 10 Most Powerful Bond Girls of All Time[n] | 2015 | Placed | [208] |
| W | The 11 Fiercest, Ass-Kicking, Gun-Toting Women in Action Films of All Time[p] | 2017 | 3rd | [209] |
Pageant
| Organization | Year | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miss Moomba International | 1984 | Won | [210] |
| Miss World | 1983 | 18th place | [211] |
| Miss World Malaysia | 1983 | Won | [212] |
State honors
| Country | Year | Honor | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | [213] | ||
| 2012 | [214] | ||
| 2016 | [215] | ||
| 2017 | [216] | ||
| 2013 | [217] | ||
| 2001 | [218] | ||
| 2012 | [219] | ||
| 2024 | [220] | ||
World records
| Publication | Year | World record | Record holder | R. Status | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guinness World Records | 2023 | First Asian female to win the Best Actress Oscar | Michelle Yeoh | Record | [22] |