It’s tough to imagine bigger things on the horizon for a woman who has already starred in Hong Kong action classics, a James Bond movie and that trailblazing Asian-centred Hollywood production Crazy Rich Asians, but the best may be yet to come for Yeoh.

For starters, forget that cameo role she had in Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings as the eponymous hero’s aunt, Yeoh is set to be the leading lady in Everything Everywhere All at Once, expected to be released on March 25. The sci-fi concept has Yeoh fighting a great evil thanks to the powers and abilities of her various multiverse incarnations in what sounds like a cool combination of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Free Guy.

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That’s not all, though. Remember Avatar, the most successful movie ever? (Yes, it reclaimed the top spot from Avengers: Endgame after a special re-release in China last year.) Well, Yeoh is starring in the forthcoming sequels that have been years in the making. Although little is know about Yeoh’s role as human scientist Dr Karina Mogue, it really doesn’t getting any bigger than working on the sequels to the biggest film ever, alongside director James Cameron and other stars like Kate Winslet and Vin Diesel.

2. She owns the small screen as well as the big one

It’s not just big budget movies that are keeping Yeoh busy as she heads into her sixties. The international star has a number of high profile TV series gigs, too. She’s been a recurring character on Star Trek: Discovery for the last few years playing Captain Philippa Georgiou. Yeoh’s outstanding work on the show even saw her nominated for the Saturn Award for the Best Guest Starring Role on Television in 2020.

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Also in the works for Yeoh is voice acting in an animated series based on the video game Ark: Survival Evolved. The game’s original story was similar to Jurassic Park, with humans trapped on a dinosaur-infested island, but despite the title’s lack of originality, the TV series has attracted an all-star cast that reportedly involves not just Yeoh but the likes of Russell Crowe, Vin Diesel, Malcolm McDowell, David Tennant, Jeffrey Wright and Gerard Butler.

3. She refuses to be stereotyped

All the above highlights an important aspect of Yeoh’s recent success – that she refuses to be pigeonholed as an actor. Given her early career in kung fu films it would have been easy for Yeoh to remain stuck in that genre the way other action stars of that era were – the likes of Cynthia Rothrock or Cynthia Khan. Now, she can talk proudly not just of her martial arts success but her roles in productions as varied as Tomorrow Never Dies, Memoirs of a Geisha, Star Trek, Crazy Rich Asians and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Yeoh’s relentless drive has kept her at the top of her game and she’s getting more choice roles as a result.

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4. She mentors a younger generation of Asian actresses

It’s one thing to achieve success for yourself, but it’s even more satisfying to be able to leave a legacy behind and guide a new generation. That’s exactly what Michelle Yeoh has been doing these last few years, particularly in Hollywood. As one of the premier Asian actresses working in the West for the last few decades, Yeoh has much experience and wisdom to impart.

Her recent co-stars have had nothing but praise for Yeoh. Simu Liu, her Shang-Chi co-star said, “That’s Michelle in a nutshell – she makes everyone so loved and included. She is such a wonderful spirit to be on set with – friendly, kind, goofy … She radiates amazing positive energy and lights up every single room that she is in.”

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Awkwafina had similar praise after working with Yeoh on the same movie: “To work with people that you’ve watched growing up and especially her – someone who has really taken on only really, really strong female roles her entire career … that really had influenced me growing up. So yeah, it’s an honour [working with her].”

5. She’s vocal about what she believes

As well as mentoring young Hollywood stars, Yeoh also has a number of charitable roles that have helped enhance her life. In 2016, she was made a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Goodwill Ambassador and had this to say:

“My goal is to leverage the platform I’ve been given through my career in film, television and entertainment to raise awareness of and mobilise support for the Sustainable Development Goals – specifically, how each and every one of us can play an important role in making them a reality.”

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That same year, Yeoh worked with the UN’s two “animal ambassadors” – two panda cubs – to help promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by UN members.

Her ambassadorial work aside, Yeoh isn’t afraid to get hands on. Over Christmas she was spotted spending part of the holidays by assisting in the post-flood clean-up work in Taman Sri Muda in Malaysia. “This is the real Christmas spirit. Thank you all,” commented Yeoh, following the disaster that has so far claimed nine lives and displaced nearly 4,000 people. “I am very touched to see the people who are together here regardless of religion, race or nationality who came down to help the flood victims.”