BAFTA viewers are all saying the same thing following Michelle Yeoh’s snub: ‘Mother was robbed’
Michelle Yeoh fans are not impressed with her BAFTA snub. (Getty/Kate Green)
The 2023 BAFTA awards are facing fierce backlash as Michelle Yeoh was snubbed for her performance in Everything Everywhere All At Once in an overwhelmingly white ceremony.
Many viewers are claiming the BAFTAs were “all white on the night” as they decided to hand out awards to all white actors, despite numerous people of colour making the nominee shortlists.
While many fans had automatically assumed that Yeoh would be taking home the Best Actress BAFTA for her portrayal of Evelyn in absurdist dark comedy Everything Everywhere All At Once, the gong ended up going to Cate Blanchett, 53, for her leading role in Tár.
Blanchett’s performance as the twisted lesbian conductor won critical acclaim, with the Australian star bagging a Golden Globe for her portrayal earlier this year, so her win isn’t a complete surprise. However, many viewers have noted online that Blanchett beat off intense competition from Yeoh, who is Asian, as well as Viola Davis and Danielle Deadwyler, who are both Black.
In addition, Everything Everywhere All At Once, which has a predominately Asian cast, won only one award for Best Editing – despite being nominated for ten.
German anti-war drama All Quiet On The Western Front won in most of the categories where Everything Everywhere All At Once was nominated, with the former taking home an impressive seven awards.
Fans of Everything Everywhere are voicing their frustration and anger at the film and Yeoh being unceremoniously snubbed.
“I’m sure Cate is fantastic in Tár like she is in everything but Michelle Yeoh was robbed,” wrote one person.
“Glad [Yeoh] laughed during Cate’s speech but for god sake!! Woman, you deserved to be the ONE standing there and giving YOUR winning speech with that trophy in hands,” another said.
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Elsewhere, Sex Education actress Emma Mackey won the EE Rising Star award over Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody‘s Naomi Ackie, The Woman King’s Sheila Atim and Good Luck To You, Leo Grande star Daryl McCormack – all of whom are Black.
The Banshees of Inisherin star Kerry Condon won Best Supporting Actress over The Whale’s Hong Chau, Triangle of Sadness’ Dolly de Leon, and Wakanda Forever actress Angela Bassett.
The Banshees of Inisherin triumphed again in the Best Supporting Actor category, with Barry Keoghan taking home the gong over the likes of Everything Everywhere All At Once star Ke Huy Quan and Empire of Light’s Micheal Ward.
Considering numerous people of colour were nominated for BAFTAs across the board, but not one took home a single award, it’s perhaps unsurprising that the 2020 hashtag #BAFTAsoWhite seems to be making a comeback.
Sharing their frustration on Twitter, one person wrote: “The BAFTA actor awards going to four white actors when there were brilliant performances nominated from Michelle Yeoh, Viola Davis, Daniel Deadwyler, Ke Huy Quan, Angela Bassett, Hong Chau and Daryl McCormack feels very #BAFTASsowhite
“People of colour were nominated, presented and also performed at the awards, apparently that’s enough diversity at #BAFTAs,” said another.
A third said: “Sooo not a single person of colour nominated for BAFTA this year won. Wow, soo much change since 2020. They really said BAFTAs so white 2.0.”
The BAFTAs faced extreme criticism back in 2020 when it failed to nominate a single non-white actor in the major acting categories. While several people of colour were nominated this time around, many will be left asking whether all that much has changed, if none of those nominated actually end up with an award to take home.
As well as being a questionably white ceremony, it was also disappointingly cishet – though queer director Charlotte Wells did scoop the ‘Outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer’ award for her emotional drama, Aftersun.
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