- Friday, November 22, 2024
The Malaysia-born actress plays Madame Morrible in her first musical “Wicked”, a film adaptation of the hit Broadway play
By: India Weekly
OSCAR-WINNING actor Michelle Yeoh has shared her childhood experiences of growing up in Malaysia’s multicultural society and her love for Indian cinema.
Speaking ahead of the release of her first musical film, “Wicked”, Yeoh revealed her long-standing familiarity with Indian culture.
“I grew up in Malaysia, and we’re a very multi-racial society. I have many Indian friends. In fact, I grew up watching a lot of Indian movies even when as a young child, I used to know how to sing Indian [songs]. I’m very familiar with Indian culture and cinema,” Yeoh told PTI.
Yeoh plays Madame Morrible in “Wicked”, a film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical. Directed by Jon M. Chu, the movie marks her reunion with the “Crazy Rich Asians” director.
Yeoh said she was initially intimidated by the idea of singing for the film but found the genre inspiring. “It’s a fantasy world where people, instead of just talking, suddenly break out into song and dance, and I love that,” she said.
A significant motivation for Yeoh to join “Wicked” was her faith in Chu’s storytelling.
Praising his commitment to diversity, Yeoh noted, “So many of us have been fighting to create these opportunities. Sometimes we demand to have these changes… But then we do need amazing storytellers like Jon M Chu to be able to showcase and highlight all this.”
With a storied career that spans international hits like “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”, Yeoh emphasised the importance of meaningful storytelling.
“Cinema and shows are such powerful mediums of being able to reach out to people to highlight issues,” she said.
“Wicked”, set to release on November 22, also stars Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, and Jonathan Bailey, among others.
