Everything Everywhere all at Once is one of the most sensational films this year with eleven nominations. This year the Academy Awards have nominated a record number of Asian actors, Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and Stephanie Hsu were nominated for Everything Everywhere All at Once, while Hong Chau earned a nod for her performance in The Whale. Stephanie Hsu became the first Asian queer actor to be nominated for the Oscars, she is also the first queer actress to play a queer role in a motion picture to get nominated, after Ian McKellen. McKellen was nominated for Gods and Monsters in 1998.
Stephanie Hsu performs a special ritual after every shoot
Stephanie Hsu plays a daughter in pain, Joy and a supervillain searching for peace, Jobu. This actor is the heart of the film, Joy tugs at our heartstrings, Jobu makes us cheer from our seats, and the actor embodies contrasting characters and makes them both come to life. Joy and Jobu are different people and need different treatment, Hsu uses every skill and weapon in her arsenal to breathe life into not just one but two characters.
Talking to EW Stephanie Hsu said she was overwhelmed and excited about the response her film got but she reiterates that it was all unexpected. The actress emphasized the dedication and love they put into the film. In her heart she knew that the cast and crew deserved recognition and acknowledgment.
“I really wanted to do it as a blessing, as a ritual of recognition not only for myself but for the whole family that came together to make this movie, our crew and everyone. I wanted to return to that little moment in time where we first made this thing, purely out of love for this story that we were telling before anyone really knew who any of us were. So that was a really healing moment to get to see it again, acknowledge how far we’ve come, and also just to be like, ‘I f—ing love our movie!’ So many people tell me that they start sobbing right when it starts, and now I am that person too. Before anything even happens, I’m just like, ‘Oh my God, look at this family. I know what they’re about to go through!'”
The Academy Award nominee continued,
“I am just really proud and really happy that not only our principal cast, but so much of our creative team was celebrated as well. It’s 11 nominations, and every single one is everyone’s first time. When I think about Michelle, I just feel so lucky and grateful that I get to be alongside her in this record-breaking, history-making moment,” Hsu says. “I know that has not been an easy road for me, and she’s had to go through that times 10. So it’s pretty wild that we’re having this moment together. Our movie is a lot about intergenerational trauma, but I feel like today we get to have a public-facing moment of intergenerational healing.”
It induces goosebumps to even think about these legendary actors like Michelle Yeoh and Quan who are finally getting the recognition they deserve. Even though in recent years Asian films have been nominated like Drive my Car but Asian or Queer actors have rarely received recognition. The most striking thing about Hsu’s nomination is the fact that she got nominated for playing a Queer character who wore all kinds of colorful clothes and kills people with Dild*s.
Fans gather support for Stephanie Hsu’s explosive performance
Fans were enraged at the Golden Globes for overlooking Hsu’s performance. They believe it was because she played a Queer character in the film, and many excepted Oscars to follow suit, but this year’s Oscar has surprised everyone nominating the young performer and many Asian actors for their glowing contribution to cinema.
The Oscar nomination is almost a form of revenge for Hsu fans who bombarded the internet after Hsu was snubbed at the Globes. After the mindboggling success of Everything Everywhere all at Once the actress will begin working on an upcoming series with Disney+ called American Born Chinese. The Oscar nominee will reunite with her Asian co-actors Yeoh and Quan.
Everything Everywhere all at Once is streaming on Netflix. American-Born Chinese will release on Disney + the release date is not out yet.
Source: Twitter
