Oscars 2023: Michelle Yeoh Has a Message for All the Dreamers Out There

Now this is a boss level speech.

Michelle Yeoh delivered some inspiring words for every dreamer far and wide who watched her take the stage while accepting the coveted honor of Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for her work in Everything Everywhere All at Once at the 2023 Oscars. (See the full list of winners here.)

"For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight, this is a beacon of hope and possibilities," the 60-year-old said. "This is proof that dreams... dream big, and dreams do come true. And ladies, don't let anybody tell you you are ever past your prime. Never give up."

Reflecting on a person who shaped her, Michelle honored her mother, who she said was watching the Oscars broadcast in Malaysia.

"I have to dedicate this to my mom," Michelle added, "all the moms in the world because they are really the superheroes and without them, none of us would be here tonight."

Others nominated in the category included Cate Blanchett for Tár, Ana de Armas for Blonde, Andrea Riseborough for To Leslie and Michelle Williams for The Fabelmans. (See every star arrive at the 2023 Oscars, including Yeoh, who was dressed in Dior Haute Couture, here.)

Though her career spans 49 years with projects including Supercop, Tomorrow Never Dies and Crazy Rich Asians, this is her first Oscars win. And it's one that marks a history-making moment for the Academy Awards.

Michelle is the first Asian-identifying woman to be nominated in the Best Actress category, and now, she is the first to win the award.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Merle Oberon, whose mom was reportedly part Sri Lankan, is considered by some to be the first Asian nominee for Best Actress at the Oscars. However, Merle hid her ancestry from the public.

Michelle is also the second woman of color to take home the Best Actress statue. In 2001, Halle Berry was awarded Best Actress for her work in Monster's Ball.

Her onstage message is just the latest headline-making speech she has delivered while accepting an award in recent months. While scoring her first win at the Golden Globes in January, Michelle got audiences laughing when organizers tried to get her to wrap up her speech by playing music over her as she spoke.

"Shut up, please!" Michelle joked onstage as music began to play. "I can beat you up, OK? And that's serious."

More recently, Michelle made headlines once again for letting some curse words fly while accepting the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role for Everything Everywhere All At Once at the 2023 SAG Awards.

"I think if I speak, my heart will explode," she began during the Feb. 26 ceremony. "SAG-AFTRA, to get this from you, who understands what it is to get here. Every one of you knows the journey, the roller coaster ride, the ups and downs. But most importantly, we never give up."

"S--t. F--k," Michelle said, which was followed by clapping and cheering from audience members. "Wow, thank you. Thank you. This is not just for me, this is for every little girl that looks like me."

Now at the 2023 Oscars, Michelle has another award and another memorable acceptance speech under her belt.

See all the winners from the 2023 Oscars below.

All Quiet on the Western Front
Avatar: The Way of Water
The Banshees of Inisherin
Elvis
WINNER: Everything Everywhere All at Once
The Fabelmans
Tár
Top Gun: Maverick
Triangle of Sadness
Women Talking

The Banshees of Inisherin, Martin McDonagh
WINNER: Everything Everywhere All at Once, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
The Fabelmans, Steven Spielberg
Tár, Todd Field
Triangle of Sadness, Ruben Östlund

Cate Blanchett, Tár
Ana de Armas, Blonde
Andrea Riseborough, To Leslie
Michelle Williams, The Fabelmans
WINNER: Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once

Austin Butler, Elvis
Colin Farrell, The Banshees of Inisherin
WINNER: Brendan Fraser, The Whale
Paul Mescal, Aftersun
Bill Nighy, Living

Angela Bassett, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Hong Chau, The Whale
Kerry Condon, The Banshees of Inisherin
WINNER: Jamie Lee Curtis, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Stephanie Hsu, Everything Everywhere All at Once

Brendan Gleeson, The Banshees of Inisherin
Brian Tyree Henry, Causeway
Judd Hirsch, The Fabelmans
Barry Keoghan, The Banshees of Inisherin
WINNER: Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once

Babylon
WINNER: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Elvis
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris

WINNER: All Quiet on the Western Front
Babylon
The Banshees of Inisherin
Everything Everywhere All at Once
The Fabelmans

All Quiet on the Western Front
Avatar: The Way of Water
The Batman
Elvis
WINNER: Top Gun: Maverick

All Quiet on the Western Front
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Living
Top Gun: Maverick
WINNER: Women Talking

The Banshees of Inisherin
WINNER: Everything Everywhere All at Once
The Fabelmans
Tar
Triangle of Sadness

WINNER: An Irish Goodbye
Ivalu
Le Pupille
Night Ride
The Red Suitcase

WINNER: The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse
The Flying Sailor
Ice Merchants
My Year of Dicks
An Ostrich Told Me The World Is Fake And I Think I Believe It

"Applause" from Tell It like a Woman, Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
"Hold My Hand" from Top Gun: Maverick, Music and Lyric by Lady Gaga and BloodPop
"Lift Me Up" from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Music by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Goransson; Lyric by Tems and Ryan Coogler
WINNER: "Naatu Naatu" from RRR, Music by M.M. Keeravaani; Lyric by Chandrabose
"This Is A Life" from Everything Everywhere All at Once, Music by Ryan Lott, David Byrne and Mitski; Lyric by Ryan Lott and David Byrne

All That Breathes
All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
Fire of Love
A House Made of Splinters
WINNER: Navalny

WINNER: The Elephant Whisperers
Haulout
How Do You Measure a Year?
The Martha Mitchell Effect
Stranger at the Gate

WINNER: All Quiet on the Western Front
Argentina, 1985
Close
EO
The Quiet Girl

WINNER: Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
The Sea Beast
Turning Red

All Quiet on the Western Front
The Batman
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Elvis
WINNER: The Whale

All Quiet on the Western Front
WINNER: Avatar: The Way of Water
The Batman
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Top Gun: Maverick

WINNER: All Quiet on the Western Front
Avatar: The Way of Water
Babylon
Elvis
The Fabelmans

WINNER: All Quiet on the Western Front
Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths
Elvis
Empire of Light
Tár

The Banshees of Inisherin
Elvis
WINNER: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Tár
Top Gun: Maverick