These roles included Yes, Madam (1985), Magnificent Warriors (1987), Police Story 3: Super Cop (1992), The Heroic Trio, Tai Chi Master (both 1993), and Wing Chun (1994).

After moving to the United States, Yeoh gained international recognition for starring in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) and in Ang Lee's wuxia martial arts film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000); the latter gained her a nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

She continued to appear in Hong Kong and Chinese cinema, starring in True Legend, Reign of Assassins (both 2010), Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny (2016), and Master Z: Ip Man Legacy (2018).

Yeoh played supporting roles in the romantic comedies Crazy Rich Asians (2018) and Last Christmas (2019), as well as in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) and the television series Star Trek: Discovery (2017–2020).

[22][30] Yeoh initially used the pseudonym Michelle Khan, a stage name selected by D&B Films for its potential appeal to international and Western audiences.

Yeoh was approached by director Ang Lee to star as Yu Shu Lien in her first Mandarin-language martial arts film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000).

In 2004, Yeoh met Jean Todt, a French motor racing executive, in Shanghai during a publicity event for Ferrari.

In 2008, Yeoh starred in the fantasy action film The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor with Brendan Fraser and Jet Li.

[41] Yeoh was blacklisted by the Burmese government allegedly because of her participation in The Lady; she was refused entry to Myanmar on 22 June 2011 and was deported on the same day.

[44] Yeoh did not branch out into television until 2015, with her first role playing Mei Foster, wife to the British Ambassador to Thailand, who is secretly a North Korean spy named Li-Na,[45] on the fifth season of the Cinemax/Sky series Strike Back.

[51] In 2018, Yeoh played family matriarch Eleanor Young in Jon M. Chu's Crazy Rich Asians, a film adaptation of Kevin Kwan's book of the same name, opposite Constance Wu and Henry Golding.

[54] Yeoh played Ying Nan in Marvel Studios' Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), directed by Destin Daniel Cretton.

[56] In 2022, Yeoh starred in the science fiction surreal comedy film Everything Everywhere All at Once from filmmaking duo Daniels, released in March 2022 to widespread critical acclaim.

[57][58][59] In the film, she played struggling laundromat owner Evelyn Quan Wang, a role that was widely praised by critics, with David Ehrlich of IndieWire claiming it the "greatest performance that Michelle Yeoh has ever given".

In the same year, Yeoh became an International Olympic Committee member,[73] and delivered a speech at Harvard Law School's 2023 class day.

[74] In January 2024 , she led the eight-part action comedy series The Brothers Sun for Netflix, which received generally positive reviews.

[76][77][78] In May 2024, Yeoh was cast in a lead role as a replicant alongside Hunter Schafer in the Amazon science-fiction television series Blade Runner 2099.

[80] Michelle Yeoh devotes a large part of her time to charitable and social endeavors, including disaster relief, HIV/AIDS, poverty reduction, animal conservation, gender equality and road safety.

[81] Among many activities on behalf of the campaign, she promoted safer road design at the events around the world, spoke at the United Nations General Assembly,[82] Asia Development Bank,[83] World Bank,[84] walked to promote traffic safety at the Formula One race,[85] and launched the Call for a Decade of Action for Road Safety at an event in Vietnam organized by the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation.

[91] In order to raise awareness about wildlife conservation and climate change, she collaborated with National Geographic to produce the documentary Among the Great Apes with Michelle Yeoh,[92] while emphasizing the importance of responsible consumerism, sustainable fashion, and ethical business practices.

[94] Yeoh's activism extends to health and well-being issues, ranging from patrons to ambassadors, through organizations including AIDS Concern,[95] Hong Kong Cancer Fund,[96] amfAR,[97] Live To Love,[98] and Paris Brain Institute.

[99] She also joined UNAIDS's commissioner team,[100] and serves on the board of directors of the Suu Foundation, a non-political charity established to support the health, education, human rights, and development of the people of Myanmar.

[101] As one of the survivors of the 2015 Nepal earthquake,[102] after evacuation, she returned to the disaster-hit country to help rehabilitate affected people and donate 100.000 euros for victims.

[108] Yeoh was married to Hong Kong entrepreneur Dickson Poon, known for his ownership of businesses such as Harvey Nichols and Charles Jourdan, from 1988 to 1992.

[124] On 25 November 2002, Yeoh was honored as The Outstanding Young People of the World (TOYP) (Cultural Achievement) by JCI (Junior Chamber International).

[132] On 1 June 2013, Yeoh was awarded the Panglima Setia Mahkota (PSM) which carries the title Tan Sri during the investiture ceremony in conjunction with the birthday of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah.