EEAAO wins in more ways than one
Astrid Cunanan, Arts Editor
The anticipation was palpable as Hollywood’s elite gathered for the biggest night of the year. But for me, the real star of the show was the highly-anticipated film Everything Everywhere All at Once. With its mind-bending storyline and star-studded cast, I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see how it would perform on the Oscars stage. And let me tell you, I was not disappointed.
Everything Everywhere All at Once was undoubtedly the talk of the town this award season, and it’s no surprise why.
With a whopping eleven nominations, including a well-deserved nomination and win for Michelle Yeoh in the Best Actress category, her first Oscar nomination ever. As well as Ke Huy Quan’s win for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and his emotional speech. This film was poised to sweep the Oscars.
The characters’ performances were nothing short of extraordinary, and it was clear that every actor gave it their all.
It was especially heartening to see Yeoh’s win, since the only person of colour to have won the Best Actress award in the past 20 years was Halle Berry back in 2002, making Yeoh the first Asian star to win best actress in the 95-year history of the Academy Awards.
Despite the Academy Awards’ claim to recognize excellence in the film industry, the Oscars have a long history of underrepresenting minorities. As reported by Insider, in the last decade alone, a staggering 89 per cent of nominations have gone to white nominees, with men receiving 71 per cent of nominations.
Yeoh has been acting since 1984 when she made her debut in a commercial alongside the legendary Jackie Chan. She starred in her first film in 1997 in Tomorrow Never Dies. And since then, Yeoh has worked tirelessly to hone her craft, appearing in over 50 films and garnering international acclaim for her talent.
Her win for Best Actress in Everything Everywhere All at Once is a well-deserved recognition of her incredible work in the industry.
The 2023 Oscars was a groundbreaking moment for Asian representation, as Everything Everywhere All at Once secured an impressive seven awards out of 11 nominations. Notably, it marked the first time in Oscars history that multiple Asian actors received awards on the same night.
In a world where sequels and reboots dominate the box office, Everything Everywhere All at Once is a breath of fresh air. It’s a reminder that originality and creativity are still alive and well in Hollywood.
As we look towards the future of Hollywood, we can only hope to see more diverse voices and stories recognized and celebrated on the world’s biggest stage.
