Award-winning actress Michelle Yeoh admitted that she initially turned down her role in Crazy Rich Asians.

In the movie, Michelle played Eleanor Young, the fiercely protective mother of Nick Young (Henry Golding).

In a recent BAFTA interview, the actress shared that the original script painted her character in a way she found too harsh and one-dimensional. "I was sent the script and I actually said no. Initially, the script was written that the mother was very mean, very nasty, and very one tone like that," she recalled.

She explained that she found it hard to believe a mother would be so harsh. "Personally I would never believe a mother is that, you know, why and I would need a very good reason to play, and I would never play someone like that because I don't believe mothers should be represented like that, especially in this story," she stated.

When asked what ultimately convinced her to take the role, Michelle credited film director Jon M. Chu. "I did take a meeting, a Zoom call actually because he was casting, and I think at that time he was probably in China or somewhere in Asia."

"And I remember asking him, 'What's the tone of your film?' And I said, '[Is it] going to be Hangover, you know that kind of fun, commercial, highly successful movies?' And he said, 'If I did that my mother would kill me,'" she recalled. "I was like, 'Oh okay we have a conversation.'"

Crazy Rich Asians was released on August 15, 2018. The film was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $238 million.

It received numerous accolades, including Golden Globe nominations for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Actress (Constance Wu), a NAACP Image Award nomination, and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Cast Performance.

In an interview with Variety back in May 2022, Michelle reflected on the lasting impact of Crazy Rich Asians and how its success shaped the future of Asian-led films.

"It was a big moment for us, but looking back, what if it didn’t work? Would it have set our community back many years? A lot was riding on the success of the film, and a lot of Asian leading roles would not have been greenlit. Because that’s showbiz," she pointed out.

"Fortunately, it was about great storytelling, and Jon did an amazing job of telling this story, which was so relatable and transcends just Asian casts. It sets up the tone that shows that people do love to see leading Asian men and women and to hear their experiences. So, it did change a lot of things," she remarked.