Michelle Yeoh receives honorary doctorate from the American Film Institute

Michelle Yeoh received an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from the American Film Institute on Saturday.

During her acceptance speech, the Crazy Rich Asians star teased that the school had ‘made my mother the happiest mother in the world today.’

‘I think now she actually thinks I’m an adult with a real job,’ she joked. ‘I had to keep telling her, “I’m not a real doctor, I don’t write prescriptions, mom.” But she can go around telling everyone, “My daughter is a doctor.”‘

Graduation attire: The 60-year-old Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon star donned black graduation robes and a brown sash on her shoulders

Yeoh was joined onstage by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert who directed her recent film Everything Everywhere All at Once.

The Tomorrow Never Dies actress went on to talk about taking up acting after injuries derailed her ballet career.

She began to learn how to be an action star at a gym with stuntmen – where they taught her to fall. 

‘I was convinced I was being pranked. I was like, ‘When do I get to do the real stuff: the jumping kick, the roundhouse kick?” she revealed. 

Sweet: During her acceptance speech, the Crazy Rich Asians star teased that the school had ‘made my mother the happiest mother in the world today

‘I think now she actually thinks I’m an adult with a real job,’ she joked. ‘I had to keep telling her, “I’m not a real doctor, I don’t write prescriptions, mom.” But she can go around telling everyone, “My daughter is a doctor”‘ 

Creative duo: Yeoh was joined onstage by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert who directed her recent film Everything Everywhere All at Once

Doctorate: The Crazy Rich Asians actress joked that, by receiving her honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts, the school had ‘made my mother the happiest mother in the world today’

‘And they said to me, ‘How are you going to go up if you don’t know how to come down?’ That lesson sticks with me to this day. I had to learn how to fall.’

She continued, ‘After I learned how to fall, I could learn how to fly. What I want to share with you today is that our slips and stumbles are the secrets to our flight. Every person who has ever stepped on the stage has had their fair share of crashes. Trust me, that’s part of the deal. Success without failure is called luck.’ 

The BAFTA nominee also talked about inclusion during her speech calling on young filmmakers to keep making diverse films. 

Derailed: The Tomorrow Never Dies actress went on to talk about taking up acting after injuries derailed her ballet career

Powerful lesson: ‘I was convinced I was being pranked. I was like, ‘When do I get to do the real stuff: the jumping kick, the roundhouse kick?” she revealed. ‘And they said to me, ‘How are you going to go up if you don’t know how to come down?’ That lesson sticks with me to this day. I had to learn how to fall’

Diversity: The BAFTA nominee also talked about inclusion during her speech calling on young filmmakers to keep making diverse films

Call to action: She continued, ‘Telling stories is a privilege none of us should take for granted. We are time travelers, world builders, change-makers’

Social media: The Royal Academy of Dance graduate posted a number of pictures from the event including one where she held the honorary degree

‘We are witnessing a profound shift — greater inclusion, more diverse stories, wider access and unlimited global reach,’ Yeoh said. ‘We have shown in our work and at the box office that we are ready for the opportunities and we deserve more. But inclusion is not a destination, it is a never-ending journey. There is always more we can do to improve our storytelling and it is up to you, the next generation of filmmakers, to keep that momentum going.’

She continued, ‘Telling stories is a privilege none of us should take for granted. We are time travelers, world builders, change-makers. A scene you shoot on an average Tuesday may seed the dreams of a young child somewhere far away, inspire a future superstar or even begin an important conversation in our society.’ 

Yeoh finished off her speech by saying, ‘Be courageous. Take chances. Break barriers. Be proud of what makes you unique. And most importantly, don’t be afraid to fall because you are learning to fly.’ 

The Royal Academy of Dance graduate posted a number of pictures from the event including one where she held the honorary degree. 

She captioned the pictures, ‘Thank you @americanfilminstitute

#DrMichelleYeoh.’ 

Grateful: She captioned the pictures, ‘Thank you @americanfilminstitute

#DrMichelleYeoh’

Source: | Dailymail.co.uk