Yeoh depends on East and West
By LIZ KAHLING
News Writer
Actor Michelle Yeoh closed up the successful International Conference on Globalization and Media in Asia held at Notre Dame this weekend by discussing many of her experiences with both the American and Asian film industry before a showing of her blockbuster hit "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."
"Without the Asian market I would not be recognized by the American market. I appreciate where I started in Asia," Yeoh, a native Malaysian, said . "I don't choose by location, but rather by the character I play as well as the director. It's more about their personalities and the vision they have."
She also spoke highly of her experience with Thomas Chung of Han Entertainment, also a speaker at the conference that occurred over the weekend.
After 19 films and 18 years in the industry, Yeoh has collected many awards and honors, including three nominations as "Best Actress" in several Asian film awards and status as the "International Star of the Year" at the ShoWest exhibitors' convention 2001. Her success has not been limited to the Asian film industry; she has captured American audiences with performances in "Tomorrow Never Dies" as well as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."
What makes Yeoh an even more well known actor is that she performs nearly all her own stunts, many of them using martial arts. Rebelling against the stereotype of "damsel in distress," Yeoh has become the preeminent female action heroine. When asked what was one of the hardest movies she had done she told of her knee injury during the first week of filming "Crouching Tiger" that almost stopped production. Even more challenging for the role was learning Mandarin Chinese, a language in which Yeoh is not fluent.
While audience members acknowledged the exciting action roles she plays they wanted to know what her plans are for more dramatic parts. She pointed out her movie "Soong Sisters," a movie about three sisters during the formation of the Chinese Republic; a movie that does not involve action. Yeoh turned the question back on the audience as to why so many female roles in Hollywood tend to be stereotypical. She said that she often receives scripts that have to be slightly rewritten for her because she embodies a different female image than the elite Caucasian female actors who first see the script.
Even though she hopes to get more drama roles, Yeoh still defended her action roles.
"It's not action for action's sake. The dramatic part still matters," she explains. "Martial arts takes away the ugly, bloody violence that you see when someone is shot in a movie."
Yeoh was also asked about her experiences working on a huge Hollywood movie like "Tomorrow Never Dies." She told the audience that she found herself on her own private jet between locations hoping that the audience would watch the movie and say to themselves, "now I understand where they put that $100,000."
Recently, Yeoh has established her own production company, Mythical Films, as a way to continue her development and give back to the industry. She hopes to bring in young and upcoming directors and screenwriters to work in the Asian market. The company's debut movie, "The Touch," will be released this upcoming summer.
All News Stories for Monday, March 4, 2002
