Michelle Yeoh on playing Aung San Suu Kyi
- 12 years ago
The role of a lifetime is how actress Michelle Yeoh describes playing Burma's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
A campaigner for Burma's freedom from crippling military rule, she was famously under house arrest in Rangoon for almost fifteen years, rarely seeing her family in England.
"The Lady" tells the story of the painful separation from her two sons and husband, Dr. Michael Aris, who were only allowed rare visits to Burma.
Yeoh described meeting the woman and Nobel Peace Prize winner she considers to be a living legend.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTRESS MICHELLE YEOH, SAYING:
"The minute I met her, all she did was she threw open her arms gave me the biggest hug, like she was welcoming a family member. When you sit next to her, I forgot I was making a film, I forgot everything, I just looked at her. She's warm she's articulate, she's straight-forward, she loves to tease, she's quick to laugh. she's also very curious. She kept asking me about my family, myself, my country -- because when you think about it, she's not been out of Burma since '88. So when someone comes from abroad they're bringing a part of the world to her."
Throughout all those years of being locked away, Suu Kyi had the full support of her husband. Despite seeing each other infrequently, they had a loving relationship.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) MICHELLE YEOH, ACTRESS, SAYING:
"It's not that he didn't understand and I think this where true love comes in. When you love somebody you enable them to be who they are and you help them to realise their potential, and I think he knew this was his wife's calling and you know, why would you try to stop something so important when someone can make a difference. That was what he was doing. That was what the whole family was doing. They were putting the needs of others [first] and it's a very noble cause."
Michael Aris was diagnosed with cancer in 1997. Desperate to see his wife, he applied for a visa to visit her, thirty times.
Each application was rejected and he died in 1999, having not seen Suu Kyi since 1995.
Shecontinues to live in Burma and is still campaigning for the country's freedom.
"The Lady" is in cinemas from the end of December.
Nickie Omer, Reuters.
A campaigner for Burma's freedom from crippling military rule, she was famously under house arrest in Rangoon for almost fifteen years, rarely seeing her family in England.
"The Lady" tells the story of the painful separation from her two sons and husband, Dr. Michael Aris, who were only allowed rare visits to Burma.
Yeoh described meeting the woman and Nobel Peace Prize winner she considers to be a living legend.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTRESS MICHELLE YEOH, SAYING:
"The minute I met her, all she did was she threw open her arms gave me the biggest hug, like she was welcoming a family member. When you sit next to her, I forgot I was making a film, I forgot everything, I just looked at her. She's warm she's articulate, she's straight-forward, she loves to tease, she's quick to laugh. she's also very curious. She kept asking me about my family, myself, my country -- because when you think about it, she's not been out of Burma since '88. So when someone comes from abroad they're bringing a part of the world to her."
Throughout all those years of being locked away, Suu Kyi had the full support of her husband. Despite seeing each other infrequently, they had a loving relationship.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) MICHELLE YEOH, ACTRESS, SAYING:
"It's not that he didn't understand and I think this where true love comes in. When you love somebody you enable them to be who they are and you help them to realise their potential, and I think he knew this was his wife's calling and you know, why would you try to stop something so important when someone can make a difference. That was what he was doing. That was what the whole family was doing. They were putting the needs of others [first] and it's a very noble cause."
Michael Aris was diagnosed with cancer in 1997. Desperate to see his wife, he applied for a visa to visit her, thirty times.
Each application was rejected and he died in 1999, having not seen Suu Kyi since 1995.
Shecontinues to live in Burma and is still campaigning for the country's freedom.
"The Lady" is in cinemas from the end of December.
Nickie Omer, Reuters.