Michelle Yeoh to be awarded Doctorate by American Film Institute

Malaysia-born actress Michelle Yeoh will be awarded a Doctorate of Fine Arts by the American Film Institute AFI for contributions to the art of the moving image, according to The Hollywood Reporter THR. AFI said she will become the first Asian artiste to receive the honor.

She will be presented with the honorary doctorate on August 13 at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood at the AFI Conservatory's commencement ceremony on August 13th, honoring the class of 2022.

The 60-year-old Yeoh has several television and film credits to her name, including Crazy Rich Asians, Shang-Chi and The Legend Of The Ten Rings, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and the recent, critically acclaimed Everything Everywhere All At Once, which has garnered her Oscars buzz.

A fellow honoree is Lawrence Herbert, who is credited as the inventor of a variety of colour systems, including the Pantone Matching System. He will be conferred a Doctorate of Communication Arts.

Michelle Yeoh and Lawrence Herbert have inspired the world with their remarkable talents, AFI president and CEO Bob Gazzale told THR.

Both of these trailblazers have proven their impact in vastly different ways, but it is their shared dedication to the art of the moving image that provides the proud moment for AFI to shine a proper light on their gifts. Yeoh and Herbert are in good company as they are some past recipients of AFI s honorary degrees: Maya Angelou, Carol Burnett, Clint Eastwood, Roger Ebert, Jodie Foster, Spike Lee, Lily Tomlin and Rita Moreno.