Michelle Yeoh, who won an Oscar for her role in Everything Everywhere All at Once, received the Honorary Golden Bear at the 2026 Berlin International Film Festival. During her press conference, she skillfully avoided questions about US politics. The Malaysian actress, who was honored by filmmaker Sean Baker for her short film Sandiwara at the event, talked about how movies can be a way to get away from politics.
Yeoh said clearly that she couldn’t comment on the US political climate because she didn’t know enough about it. “It’s best not to talk about something I don’t know about,” she said. She turned the conversation back to movies, saying that they are an important place for people to laugh, cry, and connect without being distracted. This happened during the opening of a festival that was full of political protests, but Yeoh stayed focused on the power of storytelling.
Yeoh told a European journalist that Hollywood is still having trouble representing minorities. She credited movies like Crazy Rich Asians, Shang-Chi, and her Oscar-winning role for making progress. She promised to keep going, saying she would “stay until the right changes are made” for Asians and everyone else. Her career, which includes Hong Kong action movies like Tomorrow Never Dies and hits all over the world, shows that she can overcome industry biases.
Yeoh said in her Berlinale Palast speech that she was amazed by how she went from being a Malaysian dancer to a movie star. She saw the award as a “pause” to think before moving on. Baker called her a “once-in-a-generation” talent who makes any scene better. The event shows that Berlinale values a variety of voices over Hollywood glitz.
