Michelle Yeoh stands by the "integrity" of her fellow Best Actress Oscar nominees.
Following discussions about potential voter tampering, the star of "Everything Everywhere All at Once" addressed the controversy surrounding Andrea Riseborough's Academy Award nomination for "To Leslie."
“The Academy has always prided itself on following regulations and abideing by the rules, and if [cheating them] was so simple it would have happened before,” Yeoh said during BBC Radio 4's “Today” (via The Independent).
Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Charlize Theron, Amy Adams, Jennifer Aniston, and Jane Fonda all campaigned for Riseborough's nomination, leading to an inquiry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. However, Riseborough's nomination remains, Academy CEO Bill Kramer said "social media and outreach campaigning strategies that raised concern" will be addressed in future campaigns.
In the midst of the "elitist" Academy investigation, writer-director Paul Schrader and actress Christina Ricci have defended Riseborough.
Yeoh, the best actor nominee, defended the alleged snubs of "The Woman King" star and EGOT winner Viola Davis and "Till" breakout Danielle Deadwyler.
“I love [Viola and Danielle] to the extreme and wish we were all nominated for an Oscar,” Yeoh said. “Every actor and actress puts their heart and soul into these films, and you don't necessarily expect to be nominated. The stories we want to tell are more important.”
Deadwyler, the star of "Till," suggested that Academy voters avoided seeing the historical film that deals with Emmett Till's death.
“We’re talking about people who may have chosen not to see the film. We’re talking about misogynoir, like it comes in all kinds of ways, whether it’s direct or indirect,” Deadwyler said.
"I think the issue is more about people who are living in whiteness, and white people's assessment of the spaces they are privy to," said the actress.