Michelle Yeoh deletes controversial post about fellow Oscars nominee Cate Blanchett

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Michelle Yeoh has deleted a ‘forbidden’ Instagram post which may have violated the Academy Awards rules.

The Everything Everywhere All at Once star, 60, re-shared and later removed a post featuring a Vogue article that highlighted the lack of representation at the ceremony, and mentioned fellow Oscars nominee – and two-time winner – Cate Blanchett, 53.

The article, titled ‘It’s Been Over Two Decades Since We’ve Had a Non-White Best Actress Winner,’ was first shared by Yeoh just hours before Oscar voting was set to end on Tuesday. The star then promptly deleted the post. 

The article indicated that Oscars ‘are very rarely, if ever, won based on a performance alone’ and suggested that the majority of the white Academy voters relate to the actors who look like them. 

The post may have violated the Academy Awards’ ‘References to Other Nominees’ rule, forbidding nominees from using ‘any tactic’ that singles out ‘the competition’ by name or title.

Michelle Yeoh deletes controversial post about fellow Oscars nominee Cate Blanchett

Blanchett pictured attending the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards

Rule breaker: Michelle Yeoh has deleted a ‘forbidden’ Instagram post which may have violated the Academy Awards rules by mentioning fellow Oscars nominee Cate Blanchett; (L) Yeoh pictured 2023, (R) Blanchett pictured 2023

Yeoh and Blanchett are nominated in this year’s Best Actress category — Yeoh for Everything Everywhere All at Once, and Blanchett for Tár.

The article – written by Radhika Seth – questioned whether Blanchett needed a third Oscar to add to her collection, even if she might have had a stronger overall performance. 

‘Detractors would say that Blanchett’s is the stronger performance — the acting veteran is, indisputably, incredible as the prolific conductor Lydia Tár — but it should be noted that she already has two Oscars.’

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‘A third would perhaps confirm her status as an industry titan but, considering her expansive and unparalleled body of work, are we still in need of yet more confirmation?’

The blurb shared by Yeoh went on to state how winning an Oscar for her would be ‘life-changing.’  

‘Meanwhile, for Yeoh, an Oscar would be life-changing: her name would forever be preceded by the phrase “Academy Award winner,” and it should result in her getting meatier parts, after a decade of being criminally underused in Hollywood.’

Halle Berry is currently the only woman of color to receive a Best Actress Oscar for her role in 2002 film Monster’s Ball.

That means Yeoh’s win would make her the second woman of color, and the first Asian woman, to win lead actress. 

Post and delete: The article, titled 'It's Been Over Two Decades Since We've Had a Non-White Best Actress Winner,' was first shared by Yeoh just hours before Oscar voting was set to end on Tuesday. The star then promptly deleted the post

Post and delete: The article, titled ‘It’s Been Over Two Decades Since We’ve Had a Non-White Best Actress Winner,’ was first shared by Yeoh just hours before Oscar voting was set to end on Tuesday. The star then promptly deleted the post

Merit based? It questioned whether Blanchett needed a third Oscar, even if she had a stronger performance, and claimed a win for Yeoh would be 'life-changing'; Blanchett pictured with her Oscar in 2014

Merit based? It questioned whether Blanchett needed a third Oscar, even if she had a stronger performance, and claimed a win for Yeoh would be ‘life-changing’; Blanchett pictured with her Oscar in 2014

Nominated: The star is nominated for Best Actress at this year's ceremony for her portrayal of a tyrannical maestro in Tár; Pictured in a still from Tár

Nominated: The star is nominated for Best Actress at this year’s ceremony for her portrayal of a tyrannical maestro in Tár; Pictured in a still from Tár

The first and only to do it: Halle Berry is currently the only woman of color to receive a Best Actress Oscar for her role in 2002 film Monster's Ball; Pictured at the ceremony

The first and only to do it: Halle Berry is currently the only woman of color to receive a Best Actress Oscar for her role in 2002 film Monster’s Ball; Pictured at the ceremony 

Yeoh and Blanchett are considered the front-runners in this year’s Best Actress category, with Blanchett winning the Critics Choice Awards and the BAFTAs, and Yeoh taking home the prize at the SAG Awards and the Indie Spirit Awards. 

And everything appeared peachy between the ladies last Saturday at the Spirit Awards, as they were seen sharing a warm hug on the red carpet. 

Everything Everywhere All at Once currently leads with 11 nominations and is considered the front-runner for best picture at this year’s ceremony. 

Blanchett first received an Oscar in 2005, for Best Supporting Actress in The Aviator. It was followed by a win in 2014 for Best Actress in Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine. She is currently nominated for her portrayal of a tyrannical maestro in Tár. 

Despite the possible break in rules, Variety reports that Yeoh should ‘rest easy’ as it is unlikely that she will face any consequences, and citing the recent Andrea Riseborough Oscars grassroots campaign controversy as an example.

After Riseborough received a surprise Oscar nomination for the film To Leslie, the Academy conducted a review, and looked over an Instagram post on the To Leslie official account that also mentioned Blanchett.

They then concluded that the post did not merit for the film’s nomination to be rescinded, however Academy CEO Bill Kramer stated that social media tactics ’caused concern.’

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Yeoh, however, was not bothered by the Riseborough controversy ahead of the Oscars, which will take place on Sunday, March 12.

‘The Academy has always prided itself on having regulations and playing by the rules, and if [cheating them] was so easy, it would have been done before. We are always evolving on how to protect our integrity, and I have great faith we will continue to do that,’ she said in an interview with BBC’s Today, after nominations were announced.

All good? Everything appeared peachy between Yeoh and Blanchett last Saturday, as they shared a warm hug at the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica

All good? Everything appeared peachy between Yeoh and Blanchett last Saturday, as they shared a warm hug at the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica

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