Michelle Yeoh’s family erupts in joy after her Oscar win. Watch their reaction here

Michelle Yeoh is the first Asian to win an Oscar in the Best Actress category.

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At the recently concluded 95th Academy Awards, Michelle Yeoh made history after she became the first Asian to win an Oscar in the Best Actress category for her role in the science-fiction comedy Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Yeoh’s family and friends in Malaysia cheered her as they watched the Academy Awards at a special screening event in Kaula Lumpur. When Yeoh won the Oscar, the hall erupted into joyous applause.

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While speaking to the press about her daughter’s success Janet Yeoh said, “I so love my daughter and she has made Malaysia proud. Malaysia Boleh!”. The term “Malaysia Boleh” loosely translates to “Malaysia can/ Malaysians can do it”.

Datuk Michelle’s mom Janet is over the moon . She told me that Michelle is hardworking from young and she never gives up , a filial daughter, she did it on her own through decades of sweat and pain . Malaysians are super proud of her . Also spoke with womens minister Nancy Shukri pic.twitter.com/34HENkZ1Tp

— Melissa Goh (@MelGohCNA) March 13, 2023

In her acceptance speech, Michelle Yeoh dedicated the award to her mother and all the mothers around the world. “They are the real superheroes, and without them, none of us will be here tonight,” she said.

A video of Yeoh’s family members’ reaction to her Oscar win is going viral. While many people are seeing the 60-year-old star’s Oscar recognition as a pride for Malaysia, many others disagree.

At 60, Michelle Yeoh won the first Oscar for Malaysia . Her mother Janet exalted . Cheers erupted all round at special viewing ceremony in KL . Malaysia made history, https://t.co/KHxOtxcYaD pic.twitter.com/tVEOxucRG3

— Melissa Goh (@MelGohCNA) March 13, 2023

Echoing the former sentiment, a Twitter user wrote, “Let’s get this straight. We are proud of Michelle as fellow Malaysians. But there is nothing Malaysian about her win. If anything, she is also now a bigger role model to the notion of ‘if you want to succeed, you gotta leave’”.

Expressing a contrary view, another Twitter user wrote, “I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m just happy and proud of her win as a fellow Malaysian. At least now when people ask me where is Malaysia, I can say oh you heard about Michelle Yeoh? 😝”.