'Please don't put me in that box': Michelle Yeoh, 60, not ready for 'grandmother' roles

She may be more than capable of performing in any role she's given, but Michelle Yeoh isn't up for everything, especially not if she has to be a grandmother.

In a group interview with the Hollywood Reporter, the Malaysia-born actress revealed her qualms about being cast in elderly roles, and as she ages, this problem becomes more apparent.

Michelle was joined by Michelle Williams, Jennifer Lawrence, Danielle Deadwyler, Emma Corrin and Claire Foy in the video interview, which focused on how female stars are "navigating a changing Hollywood".

Speaking of the gratification she felt portraying the lead character in her latest movie, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Michelle, 60, said: "I've waited a long time to receive a script like that. Because, as you get older, the box gets smaller and smaller." 

In the movie, Michelle plays Evelyn, a Chinese-American immigrant who gains the ability to jump through parallel universes. She must use these newfound powers to stop her daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu) who threatens all universes at once.

During the interview, Michelle also appeared to hint at the lack of minority representation in Hollywood.

"Especially for us, it's never been an easy ride to start off with. I honestly look at all of you [the other actresses in the group] with such envy because you get an opportunity to try all the different roles, but we only get that opportunity maybe once in a long, long time.

"Crouching Tiger was 22 years ago. With Crazy Rich Asians, suddenly, I am the mean mum. Then I was the auntie. Then when I receive a script and they say, 'Please play the grandmother,' I was like, 'Please don't put me in that box.'"

Ageing like wine

"You know, you get to be my age and you can see it literally slipping through your fingers," said Michelle in a separate interview with the Los Angeles Times. 

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"You are no longer that prime age. The worst is when people think, 'Oh, she doesn't look like she did in her 20s, so she can't physically do the same things.'

"What they don't understand is that I've learned some things over the years, and I'm more clever and smarter in how I can sustain my stamina. I'm as fit as I was before, because I know how to look after myself much better than when I was younger."

Despite her age, her performance in Everything Everywhere has shown that she's still very much relevant to the youth of today.

Recalling an anecdote during the Los Angeles Times interview, she said: "Teenagers will come up to me at the supermarket and say, 'You're cool! Can we have a picture with you?'

"Outwardly, I'll smile and say, 'Of course!' But inwardly, I'm pumping my fist, screaming, 'Yes! Finally! I'm cool!'"

'It's not written for a woman like me'

Being typecast based on age is just one of the problems Michelle says she faces as an actress.

Her gender, too, affects the roles that she's offered.

In the interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Michelle shared: "A lot of the times I get the script, and it's not written for a woman like me… When I first received the script [for Danny Boyle's Sunshine], it was written for a man to start off with."

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Sunshine follows the story of astronauts going to space, heading towards the sun to try and save the world.

And it was "such a joy" that Danny thought to change the script for her, she remembered. But Michelle didn't stop there. 

"At that point, I said to him, 'Why do you think at that time that it's still the Russians and the Americans going to space? Wouldn't you have more Japanese, Chinese?'

Danny changed that up too, adding Hiroyuki Sanada and Benedict Wong to the cast.

Of the adjustments made, Michelle praised: "It takes a director with great confidence in who they are and in their vision."

Even for Everything Everywhere, Michelle's role as Evelyn almost didn't come to pass.

In her interview with The Guardian back in May, Michelle revealed that the lead role had actually been offered to Hong Kong action star Jackie Chan, but he'd passed on it.

Once he turned it down, co-directors Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan revised the script before giving it to Michelle.

She then apparently texted Jackie about it, adding in jest: "Your loss, my bro!"

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxN1T1uxQ2g[/embed]

Everything Everywhere has earned 14 nominations in the Critics Choice Awards, six nominations in the Golden Globe Awards as well as a win for best feature at the recent Gotham Awards on Nov 28.

The Golden Globe Awards will take place on Jan 11, 2023 and the Critics Choice Awards on Jan 16.

ALSO READ: 'Hollywood has always been more concerned about Hollywood': Michelle Yeoh on showbiz realising there are Asian talents

khooyihang@asiaone.com