Michelle Yeoh says she had a good reason for handing Emma Stone’s statue to Jennifer Lawrence at the 2024 Oscars on Sunday.
After some viewers on social media speculated that the Everything Everywhere All at Once actress, 61, snubbed Stone, 35, by first giving the Oscar to Lawrence, 33, Yeoh took to Instagram on Monday to clear up any confusion over the moment.
According to the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon actress, she wanted Stone to share the Oscar — which Yeoh won last year for EEAAO — with her bestie, Lawrence.
“Congratulations Emma!! I confused you, but I wanted to share that glorious moment of handing over Oscar to you together with your best friend Jennifer!! She reminded me of my Bae Jamie Lee Curtis ♥️✨ always there for each other!! 😘😘😘,” Yeoh wrote in her post.
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Accompanying the sweet and explanatory caption, Yeoh attached a carousel of photos that show her hugging Stone on stage, the two actresses along with Lawrence during the hilarious moment and one picture of the entire Best Actress squad — including Jessica Lange, Charlize Theron and Sally Field — after Stone’s win.
In the comments, fans and followers commended Yeoh on her sweet gesture and thanked her for adding much-needed clarity to the moment — which thousands were sharing online to try to stir up beef.
“😭❤️,” responded The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes actress Rachel Zegler.
“Thank you for the clarification! That was the nicest gesture by you to make Emma’s big moment even more special by including her best friend Jennifer Lawrence. Thank you, Michelle!!! You are such a wonderful human being and talented actress,” wrote one fan.
“Our world is not worthy of your presence! Passing the Oscar over so that she can share that moment with her friend, what an insight so many others would overlook,” another added.
For those who say Yeoh’s Instagram post was still not enough to ease their qualms, photos and videos backstage from Hollywood’s biggest night also show the two actresses embracing after the special moment.
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The semi-awkward exchange also did not stop Stone from going on to give an impassioned speech after her win for playing Bella Baxter in Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things. After marching up to the front of the room following a moment of pure shock at her win, the Easy A star hilariously showed off her ripped dress and thanked her cast, crew and husband Dave McCary for their support.
Additionally, she used her appearance in front of millions of eyes to shout out her daughter, Louise Jean, by quoting Taylor Swift — another one of her best friends — to find the right words to show her love.
“And, most importantly, my daughter, who’s gonna be three in three days and has turned our lives technicolor. I love you bigger than the whole sky, my girl,” she said, referencing lyrics from Swift’s song, “Bigger Than the Whole Sky.”
