EWP Honors Michelle Yeoh

Michelle Yeoh is an internationally recognized Malaysian-born actress who rose to fame in 1990s Hong Kong action films before going on to shatter convention and star in a myriad of globally acclaimed blockbusters. Yeoh is currently starring in the highly-anticipated original sci-fi action adventure feature from A24, EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (collectively known as the Daniels) and will next be seen in AVATAR 2 and 3 as well as Netflix’s THE WITCHER: BLOOD ORIGINS.

Having appeared in more than 70 features and television series, the former Bond girl’s filmography is a collection of iconic roles, from CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON 1 & 2 and MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA, to TOMORROW NEVER DIES, Danny Boyle’s SUNSHINE, and the hit romantic comedy, CRAZY RICH ASIANS, the highest-grossing romantic comedy in the U.S. in the last decade.

After appearing in the second installment of the GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY franchise, Yeoh returned to the Marvel Universe last year in Destin Daniel Cretton’s SHANG-CHI. In television, Yeoh can most recently be seen as ‘Emperor Philippa Georgiou’ in CBS’ STAR TREK: DISCOVERY and is reuniting with Destin Daniel Cretton in Disney+’s AMERICAN BORN CHINESE.

Featured on both TIME 100 and the BBC’s 100 Women list of 2020, Yeoh’s impact reaches beyond cinema, as she represents the United Nations as Goodwill Ambassador with a focus on raising awareness and mobilizing support for environmental issues.

“East West Players is thrilled to recognize the achievements of the renowned Michelle Yeoh,” says EWP Producing Artistic Director Snehal Desai. “Michelle is a trailblazer who has opened a path for Asian representation in Hollywood. From her breakout roles as a Hong Kong action star, she has starred in many of the seminal API film works of the last thirty years, and continues to define herself as an icon. The honor is ours to celebrate her artistry, activism and humanitarian work. All of our honorees this year have been uniquely pivotal in raising the visibility of Asians and Asian Americans, and it is a privilege to name them as the 2022 recipients of East West Players’ Visionary Awards.”

Sponsors for the event include the Aratani Foundation, Paramount, the Annenberg Foundation, East West Bank, and Comcast NBCUniversal. Leading EWP’s Gala Committee are Co-Chairs Peter Shimamoto and Judith Sasaki. East West Players’ 56th Anniversary Visionary Awards Dinner & Silent Auction will be held on Saturday, April 23, 2022 at City Market Social House, 1145 San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90015. Sponsor Reception, silent auction, and cocktail hour starts at 6pm. The dinner and awards show begins at 7pm.

Individual tickets are $250 – $1,500. Full table sponsorship packages are also available from $2,500 – $50,000. For more information, please visit eastwestplayers.org, or contact East West Players at (213) 625-7000 or galaguests@eastwestplayers.org.

Since 1965, East West Players is committed to raising the visibility of the Asian American experience by presenting inventive world-class theatrical productions, developing artists of color, and providing impactful youth education programs. Founded at a time when Asian Pacific Islanders (APIs) faced limited opportunities to see their experiences reflected outside of stereotypical and demeaning caricatures in American media, EWP not only ensures that API stories are told, but works to increase access, inclusion, and representation in both the performing arts and entertainment industry.