The science fiction epic Everything, Everywhere, All At Once has swept award show nominations this year, thanks largely to the performance of its lead actor, Michelle Yeoh.

With eleven nominations at the upcoming Oscars, including Best Picture, the film has been praised for breaking barriers with its primarily-Asian cast. With Yeoh's nomination for Best Leading Actress, she could become the first Asian woman to win in the category.

“Ninety-five years of Oscars,” she said via The New York Times. “Of course, I’m over the moon, but I feel a little sad because I know we know there have been amazing actresses from Asia that come before me, and I stand on their shoulders. I hope this will shatter that frigging glass ceiling to no end, that this will continue, and we will see more of our faces up there.”

Yeoh added that she has a "great passion for film acting," and that while awards are not the purpose of entertainment, her win would nonetheless break barriers.

"I love what I do. ... You don’t do it for the awards. You do it because you want to put what is best out there," she explained. "But of course, please frigging give me the Oscar, man. It’s just a tribute to saying, never give up. If you believe in yourself, you just never give up. It took me forty years, but it’s here.”

Yeoh shared that she was on a Zoom call with her cast members when she learned she had been nominated, and while they weren't in person, they celebrated by "screaming at the top of our heads."

The monumental success of Everything was not anticipated, but Yeoh was still not surprised by it. Filmed mostly during the pandemic, she said that the movie resonated with audiences because it came “at a time where we all needed to be healed.”

“We’ve gone through such a crazy, chaotic time in our life," Yeoh continued. "And we all needed something to fill us with hope and ensure us that as long as we can show each other kindness and compassion and love and never give up on your family.”

Though awards are great honors, Yeoh added that the biggest compliment is when a film touches lives. People sharing stories of their families with the actress have moved her, as Yeoh said: “Sometimes when a movie like this comes along and you feel that you’ve healed people, that is such an amazing award.”