[Busan=Sportschosun reporter Jo Ji-young] Chinese-Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh spoke about her own way of surviving in Hollywood as an Asian actress.

A press conference for Michelle Yeoh, winner of the 2026 Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award at the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), was held on the morning of the 7th at BIFF Hill, Busan Cinema Center, in U-dong, Haeundae-gu, Busan.

Yeoh returned to the Busan International Film Festival for the first time in 15 years, having walked the red carpet for The Lady in 2011. She made her film debut in 1985 with Yes, Madam! and broke through the conventions of traditionally male-dominated genres with Police Story 3: Super Cop (1992) and Wing Chun (1994), becoming a singular presence in Asian cinema. After gaining international recognition with Tomorrow Never Dies in 1997, she transcended the limitations of a non-English-language film with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in 2000, winning both box-office success and critical acclaim around the world and establishing herself as an undisputed global star.

She went on to make her mark internationally in Crazy Rich Asians (2018), Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) and Wicked (2024), among others. In 2022, she made history as the first Asian actor to win the Academy Award for Best Actress for Everything Everywhere All at Once. Then, at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival held this February, she became the first Asian woman to receive the Honorary Golden Bear, once again making her name known on the world stage.

A trailblazer who opened new horizons for self-determined female characters during the renaissance of Hong Kong cinema, and a singular actress who made new history in world cinema, Michelle Yeoh has built her own place across Eastern and Western film industries. With her wide acting range and bold choices, she broke down barriers in Hollywood and demonstrated her formidable presence. As an Asian filmmaker whose contributions to the development of the Asian film industry and culture have stood out most, she was selected by Busan to receive this year’s Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award.

Yeoh began by saying, “I’m truly grateful for the warm welcome. Receiving this award is a great honor for me. Thank you. I wanted to share our films and culture with the world. I think I’ve achieved that to some extent.”

She explained, “When I first went to Hollywood, I was seen as a minority. Honestly, it was really shocking to me that people saw me, someone from Asia, as a minority. And I wasn’t offered many roles. But I think I broke through a wall with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. At first, I thought I was only being cast in straight roles. After that, I gradually expanded the kinds of roles I took and tried to do as much as I could as an Asian actress. Many actors besides me have taken on challenges. Little by little, we’re broadening our path.”

She added, speaking about what drives her acting: “I love my work. Every morning, I dream of taking on a new challenge. I think that’s what life is. I’m not easily frightened, and I love doing things that get my heart pounding. That’s what keeps me moving forward. I’m curious and want new experiences. If you look at my career, you’ll feel that every role is different. I hope audiences see me that way too—not just as an actress, but as a person.”

She also expressed her enthusiasm for working with Korean directors. Yeoh said, “I’d like to work with director Lee Chang-dong. I also know about Possible Love. I’d like to work with directors Park Chan-wook and Bong Joon-ho, too. I also worked with Jung Woo-sung in Reign of Assassins, which came out in 2010. I love Korean culture and Korean people so much—from K-pop to K-food—and I’d really like to collaborate on a Korean project.”

She also spoke candidly about what changed after her Academy Award win. Yeoh said, “I think that, just as I did, Youn Yuh-jung winning Best Supporting Actress as the first Asian actor raised the standing of Asian actors. It’s truly like a dream. After winning, more possibilities opened up for us to do more. It wasn’t a one-off; it gave us an opportunity to move forward. The same goes for Korean cinema. It’s becoming a good example, and we want to move in that direction too.”

The 31st Busan International Film Festival opened on the 6th and will run for 10 days across Busan, through the 15th.

Reporter Jo Ji-young soulhn1220@sportschosun.com

This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.