Michelle Yeoh deletes post about fellow Oscars nominee Cate Blanchett that highlighted lack of representation and may have violated Academy rules

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.

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.’

‘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

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

Historic: Yeoh is nominated for Everything Everywhere All at Once. Her win would make her the second woman of color, and the first Asian woman, to win in the lead actress category; Pictured in a still 

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