The Berlin International Film Festival will present its 2026 Honorary Golden Bear to Academy Award–winning actress Michelle Yeoh in recognition of her outstanding achievements in film. The award will be given at the opening ceremony at the Berlinale Palast on February 12, 2026.
Yeoh’s four-decade career has crossed continents and genres, from Hong Kong action cinema to Hollywood blockbusters and intimate dramas. “She’s Malaysian, but the beginning of her career was in Hong Kong — popular cinema of the 80s and 90s. Since the 2000s, she’s been making such an interesting range of work, from comedies and big blockbusters such as ‘Wicked’ to smaller, more personal dramas as well,” Berlinale director Tricia Tuttle said.
Yeoh, who served on the Berlinale International Jury in 1999, said Berlin “has always held a special place in my heart. It was one of the first festivals to embrace my work with such warmth and generosity. Returning after all these years, in recognition of my journey in cinema, feels truly meaningful.” Her Berlinale honor will be followed by a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 18.
Her high-profile triumph came in 2023, when Yeoh, then 60, received major awards for her lead role as Evelyn Wang in Everything Everywhere All at Once. She became the first Asian woman to win both a SAG Award and an Oscar for best actress. Accepting the Oscar, Yeoh addressed representation directly: “For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight, this is a beacon of hope and possibilities. This is proof to dream big and dreams do come true.” She also urged older women not to accept limits: “Ladies, don’t let anybody tell you you’re ever past your prime.”
Everything Everywhere All at Once cast Yeoh as a beleaguered immigrant laundromat owner who discovers parallel universes and alternate versions of herself, drawing on skillsets developed across those lives. The role showcased credentials from her 40-year career and underscored her perseverance in an industry that has often offered stereotypical parts to non-white actors.
Born and raised in Malaysia, Yeoh originally trained as a ballerina at the Royal Academy of Dance in London until a back injury ended that path. In 1983 her mother entered her in the Miss Malaysia/World pageant; Yeoh won, which led to commercials in Hong Kong — including one with Jackie Chan — and then to film offers. She rose to prominence in 1980s Hong Kong action cinema, performing many of her own stunts in titles such as Yes, Madam! (1985), Police Story 3: Supercop (1992) and Holy Weapon (1993).
Early in her career she briefly used the stage name Michelle Khan at the suggestion of a production company that believed it would play better internationally; she later reverted to her birth name. Yeoh took a short retirement after marrying businessman Dickson Poon in 1987, returning to acting after their separation in 1992.
Her Hollywood breakthrough came in 1997 as the first ethnic Chinese Bond girl in Tomorrow Never Dies opposite Pierce Brosnan; Entertainment Weekly later ranked her among the top Bond girls for portraying a “savvy Chinese agent” who could “match wits with 007.” Despite that visibility, Hollywood then offered a string of limited, stereotypical roles. Yeoh has spoken about the industry’s obstacles, recalling how casting biases and tokenism constrained opportunities for Asian actors.
A major turning point was Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), which brought Yeoh international acclaim and highlighted her martial arts skills. She has since taken diverse parts: the refined Mameha in Memoirs of a Geisha (2005), a portrayal of Aung San Suu Kyi in The Lady (2011), a protective mother in Crazy Rich Asians (2018), and Madame Morrible in the musical Wicked (2024) and its 2025 follow-up Wicked: For Good. Upcoming projects include a lead role in Ridley Scott’s Prime Video series Blade Runner 2099 and the action thriller The Surgeon.
Yeoh has repeatedly fought for roles that allow depth and complexity. She revealed in a 2023 interview that the lead in Everything Everywhere All at Once was originally intended for Jackie Chan; after he declined, the directors reworked the story, making Yeoh the central character. She welcomed the chance to play “a very ordinary woman, an Asian immigrant woman, who is dealing with all the problems that we all can relate to.”
As part of the Berlinale tribute, the festival will screen Everything Everywhere All at Once on February 13, preceded by the world premiere of Sandiwara, a short film by Oscar-winning director Sean Baker (Anora). Set in a Malaysian night market, Sandiwara features Yeoh in five different roles and is described as “a bold, immersive celebration of womanhood, cultural identity, culinary heritage and the spirit of independent cinema.”
This profile was originally published on March 9, 2023, and was updated on February 11, 2026.
Edited by: Elizabeth Grenier