By Jennifer Nordin | March 2023
It is awards season in the film industry and there has been buzz, accolades and awards for the movie “Everything Everywhere All At Once” (EEAAOO), which was written, directed and produced by American filmmakers Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (“the Daniels”). The movie is genre-defying and contains a mish mash of elements including fantasy, science fiction, dark comedy and martial arts.
The 2023 Academy Awards may be the “breakthrough” year for Asian Americans in the film industry. The number of major film awards given to EEAAO is momentous for the Asian community!
IMBd, a website of movie, TV and celebrity content, describes the plot of EEAAOO thusly: “An aging Chinese immigrant is swept up in an insane adventure, in which she alone can save the world by exploring other universes connecting with the lives she could have led.”
The cast of EEAAO is made up of mainly Asian actors with Malaysian Chinese actor Michelle Yeoh as the main character Evelyn Wang. The other members of Evelyn’s family are played by are Chinese American Stephanie Hsu, Vietnamese-born Chinese American Ke Huy Kwan (who rose to fame as a child actor portraying Short Round in Steven Spielberg’s 1984 film “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”), and the legendary Chinese American actor from Minneapolis, James Hong. Jamie Lee Curtis also costars in the film.
95th Annual Academy Awards
EEAAO was nominated for 11 Oscars, the most for any film at the 2023 Academy Awards. It won seven Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director.
Yeoh made history as the first Asian woman to win an Oscar for Best Actress. During her acceptance speech she said, “For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight this is the beacon of hope and possibilities … This is proof that dreams do come true.” The 60-year-old actress also said, “And ladies, don’t let anyone ever tell you you’re past your prime.”
Best Picture: Everything Everywhere All At Once
Best Director: Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert
Best Actress: Michelle Yeoh
Best Supporting Actor: Ke Huy Kwan
Best Supporting Actress: Jamie Lee Curtis
(Stephanie Hsu was also nominated in this category)
Best Original Screenplay: Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert
Best Film Editing: Paul Rogers
Other awards
In addition to the seven Academy Awards, EEAAO has won 336 other awards.
EEAAO won three Golden Globes in acting categories:
· Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical/Comedy: Michelle Yeoh
· Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: Jamie Lee Curtis
· Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture: Ke Huy Kwan
EEAAO also won four out of the five film categories at the 29th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards. Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Kwan both made history as the first Asian actress to win the SAG Award for female lead and the first Asian male to win the SAG Award for supporting male actor respectively. The cast of EEAAO won the SAG for outstanding performance by a cast in film. Hong reflected on his years in Hollywood in his part of the acceptance speech. He recalled the beginning of his career when white actors portrayed Asian characters in movies and the producer of “The Good Earth” said “Asians are not good enough, and they are not box office.” Gesturing to the primarily Asian cast with him on stage, Hong added, “But look at us now.” Following
are the four SAG awards won by EEAAO:
· Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role: Michelle Yeoh
· Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role: Jamie Lee Curtis
(Stephanie Hsu was also nominated in this category)
· Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role: Ke Huy Kwan
· Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: Jamie Lee Curtis, James Hong, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, Harry Shum Jr., Jenny Slate and Michelle Yeoh
At the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards, EEAAO won seven of the eight categories in which it was nominated.
· Best Supporting Performance: Ke Huy Kwan
· Best Screenplay: Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert
· Best Editing: Paul Rogers
· Best Breakthrough Performance: Stephanie Hsu
· Best Director: Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert
· Best Lead Performance: Michelle Yeoh
· Best Feature: Everything Everywhere All At Once