Michelle Yeoh is a Chinese actress who gained worldwide popularity in Hong Kong action films in the late 1990s. She was born in O Fu Lam, Guangdong China, the daughter of a Chinese commercial agent and Chinese martial artist. In her early years, Michelle spent many of her childhood years in Hong Kong, studying acting with varying degrees of success. However, it was in 1996 that she moved to Hollywood and started working in films as an apprentice. Later that year, Michelle Yeoh became popular in the television world when her role in the film Hong Kong: Martial Arts King became one of the first high-profile shows on Chinese television.
Michelle Yeoh’s life and career have gone through many changes during her short career in Hollywood. First, in 1996, Mitchell was cast playing Yip Man in the Japanese production The Quick Winning Mandarin, which saw him play the lead role in that year’s Hong Kong film Best Match. The following year, Michelle played the lead role in the popular Hong Kong film Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, winning the Best Actress award at that year’s film festival. She then appeared in the successful Hong Kong film Mermaids: Prince of the Sea, playing the role of Miss Lin. In 1998, Michelle was also nominated for an Academy Award for her role in the animated film The Princess and the Frog. Following the film’s release, there were several more award nominations, including the Best Actress award at the 1999 Academy Awards.
During the rest of the decade, Mitchell continued to play various starring roles in various action, adventure, science fiction and comedy films, many of which were box office successes. Finally, in 2004, Yeoh appeared in the award-winning Hong Kong film Finding Nemo, playing Charmaine, a widower mermaid who relives her earlier years in an aquatic world populated by fish and seaweed. His leading role in this film earned him an additional Oscar nomination.
Michelle Yeoh Personal Details
- Date of Birth: 6 August 1962
- Birthplace: Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
- Birth Name: Yeoh Choo-kheng
- Nick Name: Michelle
- Zodiac Sign: Leo
- Occupation: Actress
- Nationality: Malaysian
- Race/Ethnicity: Asian/Han Chinese (Hokkien) ancestry
- Religion: Buddhism
- Hair Colour: Dark Brown
- Eye color: dark brown
Michelle Yeoh Physical Statistics
- Weight in Pounds: 108 lbs
- Weight in Kilograms: 49kg
- Height in Feet: 5′ 4″
- Height in Meters: 1.63 Square Meters
- Body Measurements: 34-26-36 inches (87-66-91 cm)
- Breast Size: 34 inches (87 cm)
- Waist Size: 26 inches (66 cm)
- Hips Size: 36 inches (91 cm)
- Bra Size/Cup Size: 34B
- Foot/Shoe Size: 8 (in the US)
- Dress Size: 4 (US)
Michelle Yeoh Family Details
- Father- Yo Kian Tek (Lawyer and Politician)
- Mother: Janet Yoho
- Spouse: Dixon Poon (m. 1988–1992)
- Children: Not now
- Siblings: Robert Yeoh (Brother), Lam Ho Yeoh (Brother)
- Companion: Jean Todt (2004)
Michelle Yeoh Education
- Royal Academy of Dance, Royal Academy of Arts
- She has a bachelor’s degree in dance from the Royal Academy of Dance (London, England).
Michelle Yeoh Facts
- She is of Han Chinese (Hokkien) descent.
- One of the highest paid Chinese language actresses in the world.
- She is one of the only female stars that Jackie Chan lets Jackie Chan do his own stunts.
- She won the Miss Malaysia beauty pageant in 1983.
- She speaks 3 languages, English, Malay and Cantonese.
After some time away from the screen, Michelle returned to the big screen again in an exciting role in the TV series Kung Fu Panda. He played the role of Momo, a fiery and handsome Chinese doctor who was raised by the Panda family. Although the TV show only ran for one season, it soon became a popular program in Asian television. Later, Michelle will play the role of Dr. Zai, the head of the Chi Clinic where the main character went to get his treatment. Other notable roles include the evil envy in the animated Disney cartoon Kung Fu Panda, and the evil queen and king in Beauty and the Beast. Michelle was also nominated for an additional Emmy for her performance as the evil Queen in the film King of the Jungle.
Mitchell is not completely forgotten though, as he has also portrayed martial arts warriors in both live action and on screen. She has appeared in films such as Kung Fu, The Matrix and Kung Mangalay (Kung Fu Panda) for the role of Wu Qi. Other roles included lead roles in the action films Dragonball Z and Kill Bill, and she played Wonder Woman in the second film in her franchise. Additionally, she was also a voice actress for several animated children’s shows such as Rugrats. His most recent acting assignment was playing the lead character in the video game Grand Theft Auto IV. Mitchell is also known for his voice at work, having lent his voice to several video games including Sleeping Dogs and Tomb Raider: Anniversary.
Michelle Yeoh has had a long career in Hong Kong action films and television. Her notable roles inspired the Japanese film industry, casting her as Bruce Lee’s love interest in Fist of Chinese. She also had a memorable turn as Chou Tien’s daughter in Bruce Lee’s film The Replacement. Beyond those roles, he has been seen in other mediums such as cartoons, television, video games and other films. As of this writing, Michele is still active in the performing arts, both in real life and in the virtual world.
