“If it was that easy, it would have been done before” Everything everywhere all at once star michelle yeo said of the Andrea Riseborough Oscar controversy this morning.
Asked about the last-minute campaign that saw Riseborough nominated for an extra $27,000 It’s LesiaYeoh played down any idea that it violated Academy rules.
“The Academy has always prided itself on having rules and playing by the rules and if [cheating them] was so easy he would have done it before,” Yeoh told the BBC. Today program. “We are always evolving how to protect our integrity and I am confident that we will continue to do so.”
The Academy reviewed Riseborough’s nod to the Oscars, which came in the wake of what some called an aggressive campaign by another nominee. Cate Blanchett, but refused to cancel. He wonders, however, “whether changes to the guidelines might be necessary in a new era of social media and digital communication”.
Criticism has come from some quarters about how her nomination came at the expense of black actresses Viola Davis (The Woman King) And Danielle Deadwyler (Until) but Yeoh, who is the first Asian American to be nominated for Best Actress, pointed out how difficult it is to get there.
“I like [Viola and Danielle] to the extreme and I wish we all got Oscars, but it’s hard,” she added. “It took me 40 years to even get a nomination. Every actor and actress puts their heart and soul into these films and you don’t necessarily start thinking you’re going to be nominated. The stories we want to tell are more important.
Alongside Blanchett, Yeoh is considered a favorite for Best Actress after dazzling as Evelyn Wong on The Daniel’s. A24 multiverse thriller, which has grossed over $100 million worldwide and garnered 11 Oscar nominations.
She pointed to the generational nature of the blockbuster film and said it has helped bring families with immigrant backgrounds closer together.
“Different generations come up to me and say, ‘I don’t quite understand your movie, but you started a conversation with my ex-daughter who I haven’t spoken to in two years,’ Yeoh added. “It’s really special.”
She described her Oscar nomination after a four-decade career as “quite a journey” and said she “hopes this is the start of a whole new world” for Asian actresses.