Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan honoured at the Golden Globes

Talking to the press backstage at the Golden Globes, it was clear “Everything Everywhere All At Once” stars Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan were incredibly touched and inspired by their awards, Susan Hornik reports

“I’ve been in the business 40 years and finally I get to be number one on the callsheet!” enthused Yeoh, who won best performance by an actress in a musical or comedy motion picture for her role. 

“If you believe in yourself and have passion in what you do, you don’t give up. I do believe that times are changing, there is much more inclusivity, much more diversity, and it’s not lip service anymore. Whatever that glass ceiling was, we just ninja-kicked and shattered it! And we have to keep it that way!”

Yeoh is “so happy” to witness how the industry has altered. “I am overwhelmed at this moment but at least I am here. I am glad I am not really old and in a rocking chair saying ‘Oh I wish I had that role.’”

2023 is shaping up to be a very big year for Yeoh; just last week, she was the recipient of the International Star Award at the Palm Springs Film Festival Awards. In an equally riveting speech, she said, “Representation matters. By your choices over the years, you demanded that attention must be paid to other cultures and a larger world of talent. I thank you for that.”

Quan, the former child star of “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” and “The Goonies,” was equally thrilled to get this kind of recognition later in his career.

“When I first got back into acting, I just wanted a job. I remember talking to my agent, saying, ‘do you think I could get a series regular role, where it is stable?’ So for me to be in this position is really beyond anything I could have imagined.”

Quan loves how the message of their masterful film deeply resonated with viewers.

“This was a role that I wanted for a long, long time,” he acknowledged backstage, after winning the best supporting actor award for “Everything.”

“Not only is it a great movie but also a great message about love, kindness, empathy and acceptance and it means everything to me,” Quan said. “I am just so grateful that the audience embraced our movie. I could not believe that I was given this amazing opportunity by the Daniels (the writing and directing team Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert) and to be able to work with ‘The’ Michelle Yeoh and ‘The’ Jamie Lee Curtis, and of course, the incomparable James Hong was a dream come true.” 

Because their chemistry is palpable, it’s no wonder Yeoh and Quan were cast in another project together, along with actress Stephanie Hsu, who was riveting as their daughter in “Everywhere.”  

Premiering this year is Disney+’s “American Born Chinese,” which is based on the graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang. The upcoming series is a unique action comedy that tells the story of Jin Wang, an average teenager juggling his high school social life with his home life. 

In a Disney featurette, Yeoh describes the series as a “lot of fun, a lot of magic and a lot of badass action!” Daniel Wu, Ben Wang, Yeo Yann Yann, Chin Han, Jim Liu are also in the cast.

Also see: Golden Globes 2023: List of winners