Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan (‘Everything at Once Everywhere’) make SAG history

Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan (‘All at Once, Everywhere’) made history at the 29th Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards by becoming the first Asian artists to win in their categories: Yeoh for Best Actress and Quan for Best Supporting Actor.

The two emotional winners gave a very similar speech making particular reference to the lack of Asian recognition that there has been so far in the awards and the big change that their wins mean. On the one hand Yeoh, who before starting believed that if he spoke his heart “He Was Going to Explode”managed to say that: “Receive this from you [refiriéndose a la academia], who understand what it’s like to get this far…you all know the ride, the roller coasters, the ups and downs, and most importantly, that we never give up. I thank you… This isn’t just for me, it’s for every girl that looks like me.”. Pausing to compose himself, he then added: “Thank you for offering me a seat at the table tonight. you taught us that it is possible”. Finally, he stated that his mother “I will be forever grateful”.

In the same vein, Quan learned on stage that he had just made history, saying that: “This moment no longer belongs only to me, it also belongs to all those who have asked for a change. When I retired from acting it was because there were so few opportunities.”. Looking around the audience and referring to all the nominees, including her co-stars Yeoh and Stephanie Hsu, she said that “The landscape looks so different now”thanking everyone since they also had “contributed to these changes”. Finally, referring to the actors who were watching it from home, He asked you to please continue with your work. “because one day attention will find you”.

History was also made in the category of supporting actresses, as Hong Chau (“The Whale”) was also nominated along with Hsu, being the first time at the SAGs that two Asian actresses are nominated in the same category. The award also went to Jamie Lee Curtis for ‘Everything at Once Everywhere’.

historic victories

Yes, it’s the Second Asian woman nominated for Best Actress after Ziyi Zhang, nominated in 2005 for her performance in “Memoirs of a Geisha”. Also, she is the second Asian woman to win recognition at these awards in the film category, after which Youn Yuh-Jung got the best supporting actress in 2020 for her performance in ‘Minari’. Family history’. Until now, other Asian women like Sandra Oh (‘Grey’s Anatomy’) or Hoyeon Jung (‘The Squid Game’) had won awards, but only in television categories. On the other hand, Quan is the first Asian to win a film acting award at the SAGs since its creation in 1994, since 2022 Lee Jung-jae won the best television actor award for his performance in ‘The Squid Game’. Quan could go on to make history if he wins an Oscar on March 12, becoming the second Asian in history to win a Best Supporting Actor award, after Haing S. Ngor for his portrayal of him in “The Silent Cries” in 1984.