Actress Michelle Yeoh will be honored at the 2026 Berlin International Film Festival with the Honorary Golden Bear, “in recognition of her outstanding achievements in film and cinema.”
The award will be presented at the Opening Ceremony at the Berlinale Palast on February 12, 2026.
“Michelle Yeoh is a visionary artist and performer whose work defies boundaries ‒ whether geographic, linguistic or cinematic,” says Festival Director Tricia Tuttle. “Her commanding presence, fearless artistic choices and unmistakable style have left a lasting impression on generations of filmmakers and fans at the Berlinale and across the globe.”
Reflecting on her connection to the festival, – she served as a member of the Berlinale International Jury in 1999 – Yeoh shared “Berlin has always held a special place in my heart. It was one of the first festivals to embrace my work with such warmth and generosity. Returning after all these years, in recognition of my journey in cinema, feels truly meaningful.”
Yeoh rose to prominence in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with films such as Yes, Madam, Royal Warriors, Police Story III and Wing Chun. She achieved international breakthrough in 1997 in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies. She went on to star in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, directed by Ang Lee, and Everything Everywhere All at Once, directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2023 ‒ becoming the first actress of Asian descent to win in this category.
She is currently seen playing Madame Morrible in Wicked: For Good (directed by Jon M. Chu). Earlier this year, she returned to Chinese cinema in Ms. Rubik’s Cube (working title, directed by Bai Xue and executive produced by Wen Muye). Later in 2026, Yeoh will lead a new chapter in the television series Blade Runner 2099 (executive produced by Ridley Scott for Amazon Prime Video). She will also appear in the upcoming action thriller The Surgeon (directed by Roshan Sethi).
Previous recipients of the Honorary Golden Bear include Helen Mirren, Martin Scorsese, Meryl Streep, Steven Spielberg and Tilda Swinton.
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