March 14, 2023
That diversity extended to the directing and screenplay categories of this year's Academy Awards. Lee Isaac Chung, who wrote and directed Minari won for best director and best original screenplay, becoming the first Korean-American to do so.
Accepting his double award, Chung said: I hope that this moment will inspire young filmmakers, especially those from my community, to tell their stories and have their stories recognized on this stage.
Writer-director Emerald Fennell also earned an Original Screenplay nod for Promising Young Woman, and was the first British woman to win for that category.
The diversity within the award ceremonies was also echoed in the award-winners' choice of clothes. South Korean-born singer H.E.R wearing a custom green Thom Browne velvet gown and glasses she designed herself.
Yeoh chose to honour her Chinese roots through fashion, wearing a Qipao couture gown by Singapore-based designer Giorgio Cilia. Her stunning look was finished off with a pearl headband, hand-painted by Wild Orchid Crafts, studded with two Swarovski crystals to represent Yin and Yang.
This year’s Oscars were the most diverse ever, with the most non-white actors nominated and winning awards in Oscars history. The diverse representation in the winners encapsulates the Academy’s commitment towards increasing ownership for all marginalised groups, something that Yeoh has been fighting for her entire career.
She has consistently used her own platform to champion diversity in film and television, and surely her Oscar victory will inspire other minority creatives to break through in the industry and help to bring further representation and recognition to Asian American actors and directors.
It has taken a long time for the Academy to recognise this diversity, but this year, each of the actors, directors, producers and behind-the-scenes crew deserve tremendous recognition for their hard work and substantial influence within the industry.
This year's Academy Awards was a triumphant celebration of representation of all creeds, genders and backgrounds in the film industry, and Michelle Yeoh's victory in the Best Actress category is a truly historic achievement. We look forward to seeing many more diverse talents continue to be recognised in the industry as we progress, and the advances made this year are sure to inspire the next generation of diverse talent.
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