From her breakthrough role in "Tomorrow Never Dies" to her recent appearances in Marvel's "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," Michelle Yeoh has continued to captivate audiences worldwide. Her net worth is a reflection of her enduring appeal.
2. Michelle Yeoh’s net worth speaks volumes about her incredible work ethic
as one of Hollywood’s most diligent and hardworking women.
2020 was a big year for 60-year-old actress Michelle Yeoh, with her being
named TIME magazine’s 2022 Icon of the Year and one of the 100 Most
Influential People of 2022. Her outstanding performances in A24’s Everything
Everywhere All at Once even earned her a Golden Globe win and an Oscar
nomination. What’s more – she has been involved in multiple upcoming
high-profile projects, including Avatar 3, Avatar 4, Transformers: Rise of the
Beasts, and The Witcher: Blood Origin. But how did these successes impact
Michelle Yeoh’s net worth? Let’s investigate!
Birth, Parents, Early Years & Career
Michelle Yeoh was born Yeoh Choo-Kheng on August 6, 1962, in Ipoh, Perak,
Malaysia. Her parents were of Malaysian-Chinese descent, tracing their roots
back to Cantonese-populated areas of China. At four years old, Yeoh already
had a passion for dance and ballet; her family moved to the UK and she got
to study at The Royal Academy of Dance, London – even majoring in ballet!
3. Unfortunately, a spinal injury prevented her from pursuing a career in
ballet, but she didn’t let that stop her. She kept on exploring other art forms
such as choreography and stunts and ended up getting a BA in Creative Arts
and Drama.
At 20, Yeoh was killing it in the pageant world when she won Miss Malaysia
World and represented her country at the ’83 Miss World. She even got a
Jackie Chan TV commercial shortly afterward, which caught the eye of Hong
Kong production company D&B Films. That’s how she got her start in martial
arts films and scored her first lead in 1985’s Yes, Madam. But she retired
from acting just two years later after marrying Dickson Poon, head of the
D&B Group and billionaire, at his request.
After her divorce, Yeoh bounced back with 1992’s Police Story 3: Super Cop
alongside Jackie Chan and quickly became one of the biggest names in the
Hong Kong film industry. Hollywood took notice and cast her as Wai Lin in
1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies with Pierce Brosnan, which was many
westerners’ first introduction to Yeoh. When Ang Lee put her in 2000’s
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which went on to be a global phenomenon,
she cemented her status as a worldwide star. These days, Yeoh is constantly
cast in Hollywood projects and is highly respected
Michelle Yeoh’s Net Worth
Celebrity Net Worth reckons that the Crazy Rich Asians star’s worth is a
whopping $40 mil – and it’s all down to her huge list of acting gigs! She’s
earned it through her acting gigs in Hollywood and Hong Kong action films,
but Michelle Yeoh’s net worth is likely to skyrocket thanks to Everything
Everywhere All at Once’s success and critical acclaim.
How many languages does Michelle Yeoh
speak?
Well, she was raised speaking Malay in Malaysia, so that’s one. She also
knows English and had a basic understanding of Ipoh Cantonese before
mastering it for her work in Hong Kong action films. Even though her iconic
role in 2000’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon needed her to speak
4. Mandarin, she doesn’t actually know it – she just had to learn her lines
phonetically.
Michelle Yeoh – A Martial art Expert
When Michelle Yeoh first started out in Hong Kong action films, she hadn’t
had any martial arts training, but her background in dance – particularly
ballet – gave her the control, body awareness, and flexibility to learn the
choreography. She trained on set and in the gym with experienced martial
arts actors like Dick Wei and picked it up fast.
Still, the macho stuntmen were skeptical. Yeoh said: “They were just
standing there like ‘This little thing wants to do all this?’ But I kept up with
their move for move. I was in that gym from 8:30 a.m. to sundown every
day.”
In fact, rumors had it that Jackie Chan didn’t want her doing her own stunts
when they starred together in the early ’90s. Yeoh commented on his belief
5. that women belonged in the kitchen: “He used to think that way – until I
kicked his butt.”
Yeoh’s martial arts skill was doubted by many of the macho stuntmen in the
Hong Kong circuit. She recalled, “They folded their arms and just watched
me.” When one asked her to stop, she said, “You’re a fine one to ask! You’re
always doing them.” To which he replied, “That’s because when you do one, I
have to go one better.” Poor guy – the pressure was on him!
How much did Michelle Yeoh make from “
Everything Everywhere All at Once”?
It’s not exactly public knowledge how much Michelle Yeoh got paid for her
amazing performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once. We know the
movie had a budget of $25 million, but for 2018’s Crazy Rich Asians, the cast
members made between $500K and $2 mil. Yeoh was reportedly paid $70K
per ep for The Witcher: Blood Origin – so it’s likely she got around a mil or so
for Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Michelle Yeoh’s Historic Oscar Win: A Beacon of
Hope and Possibility for All
Malaysian-born actress Michelle Yeoh made history as the first South-East
Asian performer to win an Academy Award for Best Actress, adding to her
Golden Globe and SAG awards. Her Oscar-winning role in the superhero
comedy Everything Everywhere All at Once features her playing a
Chinese immigrant who explores alternative lives in other universes. Yeoh’s
acceptance speech highlighted her dedication to inspiring young children of
diverse backgrounds to dream big and never give up, and she gave a
heartfelt tribute to her mother and all the moms in the world who she called
the real superheroes.
6. Final Thoughts
Michelle Yeoh’s net worth is an impressive reflection of her talent, hard work,
and resilience in the entertainment industry. From her early beginnings in
dance and pageantry to her success in martial arts films and Hollywood
blockbusters, Yeoh has shown that she is a force to be reckoned with. With
her recent accolades and upcoming projects, it’s clear that Michelle Yeoh’s
net worth and star power are only set to grow. We can’t wait to see what the
future holds for this remarkable actress and martial arts expert.