Malaysian-born actress Michelle Yeoh made history on Sunday night, becoming the first south-east Asian performer to win the Oscar for best actress. Yeoh won the award for her role in the superhero comedy Everything Everywhere All at Once. She was up against Viola Davis, Frances McDormand, Carey Mulligan and Vanessa Kirby for the prestigious award. The 56-year-old actress, who is best known for her roles in the hit films Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Crazy Rich Asians, was visibly emotional as she accepted the award. "This is a moment I never thought I would ever experience in my life," she said, holding back tears. "This is an incredible honour and I am so grateful to all of the people who have made this possible." Yeoh added that she hoped her win would "inspire more stories from south-east Asia and the rest of the world". The win comes after Yeoh won the Golden Globe and SAG awards for her role in Everything Everywhere All at Once. The film, which follows laundromat manager Evelyn Wang as she discovers a "multiverse" of alternative realities, also won the Oscar for best visual effects. Yeoh's win marks a major milestone for representation in the film industry, and her acceptance speech was met with a standing ovation from the audience.