My mother is a very big cinema buff, so as a kid, we watched a lot of Indian and Malay films. – Michelle Yeoh
You never know whether the subject matter will click with the audience at that particular time. I wish there was a formula, you know, ‘That plus that equals success.’ – Michelle Yeoh
It’s very important for us all to understand that we are interconnected and we need to hold hands together, especially when the going gets tough. – Michelle Yeoh
As an actor, you hope to find roles that are challenging to you as an artist. Then if you are truly blessed, you will find that it also carries a message that you can impart to your audience. – Michelle Yeoh
Playing Aung San Suu Kyi was a journey in itself. She represents many things for many people and for many reasons. Although I have played many important roles in my life, I can say that this role has been a journey of self-realisation. – Michelle Yeoh
I have done many films across the globe and would love to be a part of Bollywood, but the script must have a strong character for me. – Michelle Yeoh
I’m terrible on the phone. I just text my friends and family and say, ‘Hey, I’m in town.’ – Michelle Yeoh
There might never be another ‘Crouching Tiger.’ There might be something that’s even better than ‘Crouching Tiger.’ – Michelle Yeoh
I went to the Gobi Desert, even though I had no scenes there. This is the greatness of China, the landscape, even for us. – Michelle Yeoh
There is no guaranteed formula. And that’s one of the interesting things about filmmaking. You could put $115 million in, and it doesn’t guarantee success. – Michelle Yeoh
‘Crouching Tiger,’ of course, was a very dramatic role for me, and the fighting was very serious. – Michelle Yeoh
We always see Aung San as a strong, tough woman. There are two stories running in parallel. You see the contradictions between the East and the West, and you see someone who does mundane and normal things – someone who’s supposed to be a housewife – and then someone who’s become important and imprisoned. – Michelle Yeoh
To be a geisha, you have to have to an iron-clad layer around you – around your physical body and your heart. – Michelle Yeoh
As producers, we can influence where the budget goes, but only the director really controls what tone, what type of movie you are trying to make. – Michelle Yeoh
They won’t take you seriously because you are a girl. These guys had to understand that you are just as tough as them, and you have to take them on. – Michelle Yeoh
Some of the martial arts films, the motivation is about martial arts. That’s where it’s coming from. It is a visual, commercial film, to showcase the next stunt, the biggest thing. And character development becomes a side thing. – Michelle Yeoh
I have been presented with roles with demand not just a physical ability but mental disciplines as well. ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’ was not so much about physical exertion… it was much more graceful and contained than that. – Michelle Yeoh
When you face up to bad things in the past, the most important thing is not to allow them to happen today or in the future, and as storytellers, we must play our part in that. – Michelle Yeoh
This world belongs to all of us, and all sexes should be able to live in respect and harmony. – Michelle Yeoh