KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 8 — Veteran Malaysian actress Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh will be presented with a Doctorate of Fine Arts following her contributions to the American film industry.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Ipoh-born actress and producer will be receiving the honorary degree from the American Film Institute (AFI) this Aug 13 during the AFI Conservatory’s commencement ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California.

Yeoh, who has spent nearly 40 years in the entertainment industry, is being awarded for contributions of distinction to the art of the moving image.

Aside from Yeoh, AFI will be presenting a Doctorate of Communication Arts to AFI Trustee Emeritus, Lawrence Herbert, who’s also the inventor of a colour standardisation system known as the Pantone Matching System.

“Michelle Yeoh and Lawrence Herbert have inspired the world with their remarkable talents,” said AFI’s president, Bob Gazzale.

“Though both of these trailblazers have proven impact in vastly different ways, it is their shared dedication to the art of the moving image that provides this proud moment for AFI to shine a proper light upon their gifts given us.”

Yeoh, who recently celebrated her 60th birthday, is currently getting warm reviews and praises for her lead performance in the 2022’s genre-blending film Everything Everywhere All At Once including a 95 per cent score on Rotten Tomatoes.

The film, which was directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, also stars Stephanie Hsu, Jamie Lee Curtis, James Hong and Ke Huy Quan.

Other notable works in Yeoh’s filmography include Crazy Rich Asians, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, James Bond: Tomorrow Never Dies as well as Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

Aside from that, other past recipients of AFI honorary degrees include prominent names such as Clint Eastwood, James Earl Jones, Quentin Tarantino as well as American memoirist Maya Angelou.