Michelle Yeoh’s for her performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once was celebrated the world over, especially as she is only the second person of Asian descent to win the award (after Awkwafina in 2020).
But one person who captured the mood of Yeoh’s win perfectly was none other than her co-star Jamie Lee Curtis. Curtis’ yelp of joy when Yeoh was announced the winner went viral, with many social media users commenting on how the moment showcased the importance of women supporting other women.
Both Yeoh and Curtis later took to Instagram wearing T-shirts emblazoned with a picture of them celebrating the moment along with the tagline: “Friends supporting friends”.
Curtis wrote: “I’m still stunned that a moment of natural exuberance and joy, became some sort of a symbol for women supporting other women.”
A number of people on social media noted the significance of the moment, saying we all need friends like this to celebrate us.
The picture also brought to light the importance of camaraderie between women, especially older women in the media and entertainment industry.
Hollywood is . Women over the age of 35 are often seen as past their use-by date – an attitude confirmed by that found female actors reached their earning peak at 34, whereas men peaked at 51 and their earnings remained stable after that.
It was an issue Nicole Kidman back in 2018, after winning an award for her role in Big Little Lies. “I want to thank you all for your trailblazing performances you have given over your career... How wonderful it is that our careers today can go beyond 40 years old,” she said. “We have proven – and these actresses and so many more are proving – that we are potent and powerful and viable. I just beg that the industry stays behind us, because our stories are finally being told."
Both Curtis and Yeoh are in their 60s and are hopefully showcasing a new era in Hollywood where older women are not only starring in movies but are also seeing their stories told in different and exciting ways, as in Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Yeoh recently spoke about being a Hollywood actress in her 60s to the : “You know, you get to be my age, and you can see it literally slipping through your fingers, because 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,’” Yeoh said. “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.”
Meanwhile, Jamie Lee Curtis wants to reframe the word “anti-aging”. “This word anti-aging has to be struck,” . “I am pro-aging. I want to age with intelligence, and grace, and dignity, and verve, and energy.”
She has also called out Hollywood for being ageist. “There’s no question; there are some jobs that you will lose or some jobs that you won’t get because of your age,” the actress .
Both women have had long careers in the entertainment industry and know how important it is to show up for your contemporaries, but more so because they have battled various prejudices in their careers.
As for being an older woman in Hollywood? “You know, older women can still have these crazy adventures!” Yeoh with a laugh. “If people learn nothing else from this movie, I hope it’s that!”
is an author and freelance writer. Her debut novel, , is out now through Penguin Australia.
