Every once in a while an entertainer comes along that is truly different, someone who has the ability to change the way audiences see things, but, who is she? She is an icon. She is a legend. She is the moment. She is Michelle Yeoh. The Malaysian action star and all around badass has been named TIME’s Icon of the Year and we only have one thing to say. It’s about damn time. For real, is there anything this woman can’t do?
The answer is no by the way. Michelle Yeoh can do anything, and there’s nothing you can say about it. She’s been acting since the ’80s, but more than that, she’s been doing her own stunts since then too. Now, Yeoh is finally becoming a Hollywood mainstay with roles in films like Guardians of the Galaxy, Crazy Rich Asians, or the untitled third Avatar film.
If you needed more convincing, take a look at the video below detailing some of Yeoh’s greatest fight scenes over the years. Still, her character hasn’t always been all punch-punch, kick-kick. In new movies like Everything Everywhere All at Once, Michelle Yeoh proves that she’s not just an action star — she’s one heck of a dramatic actor too.
If anyone deserves this kind of recognition, it’s Michelle Yeoh. In an industry that’s just starting to embrace Asian actors and culture, the fact that TIME has chosen her of all people speaks volumes to where entertainment is heading. Frankly, we can’t get enough of her, and as Yeoh finds herself amid a career renaissance, we’re just glad we get to sit back and watch the show.
