Malaysians are achieving international success, and we are grateful to have such amazing award-winning talents

Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh
Michelle has had a fantastic year, being the first Malaysian to win a Best Actress Oscar at the recent 95th Academy Awards. She was also the first Asian woman to win Best Actress. The Ipoh native received the award for her performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Michelle, 60, previously won the 2023 Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy. The former Miss Malaysia 1983 also made history by becoming the first Asian actress to win Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role at the Screen Actors Guild Awards 2023.

Michelle, who has been acting since the mid-1980s, is an inspiration to many, particularly Asians and Malaysians, as well as women her age. She is proof that with hard work and determination, dreams can come true.

Her Oscar acceptance speech says it all: “For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight, this is a beacon of hope and possibilities. This is proof that dreams come true. And ladies... never let anybody tell you that you are past your prime.”

Expect to see more of Michelle on the big screen in Kenneth Branagh’s Agatha Christie adaptation, A Haunting in Venice, and James Cameron’s Avatar franchise among others.

Yuna 
A brand-new single by Yuna was released earlier this year. The song, Menanti is the 36-year-old singer’s first Malay-language single in seven years. A mix of folk and R&B, Menanti was produced and composed by Yuna in collaboration with Berlin-based singer-songwriter and producer Kenny J Macartney.

At the age of 19, she began her career by recording music in her bedroom and releasing it online. After completing law school, she rose to fame with her catchy English and Malay hits. As she progressed in the industry, Yuna was scouted by US label Indie Pop Records and moved to Los Angeles to further establish her music career.

She has collaborated with big names such as Pharrell Williams, David Foster and Usher. Aside from her musical talent, Yuna has long been a fashion trendsetter, using her influence to raise awareness about Asian beauty and make modest clothing more fashionable. She has even received the attention of Chanel, which extended an invitation to her to attend the Spring/Summer 2020 runway show at the Grand Palais in Paris.

Henry Golding
His career began as a TV host for the BBC, Discovery Channel and the like. Henry’s biggest break came when he was recommended to director Jon Chu for his upcoming film. Jon followed him on Instagram, and after just one audition, Henry was cast as billionaire Nick Young in the smash hit Crazy Rich Asians, released in 2018.

Henry’s charisma and acting chops scored him several more roles in Hollywood films such as A Simple Favor with Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick, and Last Christmas, in which he co-starred with Emilia Clarke.

The former hairdresser of British and Iban parentage also appeared in Guy Ritchie’s 2019 crime film The Gentlemen, opposite Matthew McConaughey and Hugh Grant. Henry went on to star in Monsoon and was cast in the title role of Snake Eyes, a G.I. Joe spin-off film in 2021.

His next films include spy flick Assassin Club, and Henry reportedly stated that there are still plenty of “Crazy Rich” adventures to come. The 36-year-old disclosed to E! News that a sequel is still in development, having been announced in 2018 following the success of the first.

Ronny Chieng
Ronny, who rose to prominence as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah in 2015, has gone on to have greater success in films such as Crazy Rich Asians, Godzilla vs Kong, and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. The 38-year-old has also been on the TV shows Young Rock and Doogie Kamealoha, MD.

But Ronny, who hails from Johor Baru is at his most animated and energetic performing stand-up comedy.

In his 2019 Netflix premiere, Asian Comedian Destroys America!, he highlighted some unflattering yet hilarious realities. 

This was followed by Ronny Chieng Takes Chinatown, which was released last year and co-stars YouTuber David Fung, with guest appearances from actor Simu Liu and NBA player Jeremy Lin. Another of Ronny’s Netflix special, Speakeasy, was released in April the same year.

Nigel Ng
Three years ago, the stand-up comedian and content creator experienced viral fame with his video of Uncle Roger, which was about a middle-aged Asian man critiquing an egg fried rice.

Since then, Nigel, who is based in the UK is seeing continued success in his career.

With more than a billion views on his YouTube channel, Nigel is now working on the development of multiple projects, including a sitcom with ABC Signature, a TV project with Gordon Ramsay’s Studio Ramsay, a feature film, and an animated series based on Uncle Roger.

The 32-year-old performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2019 and was nominated for the prestigious Best Newcomer Award; he subsequently performed to sold-out crowds at London’s Soho Theatre for a week in 2020. His first TV appearance was on an episode of Stand Up Central in 2018, and he has since appeared on more Comedy Central shows such as Roast Battle, and BBC Two’s Mock the Week. Variety, CNN, BBC, The Guardian, SBS (Korea), and South China Morning Post have all profiled him.