‘The First and the Miracle’ Liang Zichong and Brendan Fraser Win Academy Awards for Best Actor and Actress

Yangzichong's Film 'Everything Everywhere All at Once'
First Asian Nationality Actress to Win Best Actress Award
Fraser Praised for Portraying 272kg Character in Film 'The Whale'
Successfully Rebounds After Overcoming Divorce and Depression

Actors Yang Zi-chung (楊紫瓊·60) and Brendan Fraser (Brendan Fraser·55), who captivated the screen with their touching stories of "firsts and miracles," embraced the Oscars.

Actor Yang Zi-chung (Yang Ja-kyung) won the Academy Award for Best Actress. This is the first time in the history of the awards ceremony that an actress of Asian nationality has won in the Best Actress category.

On the 12th (local time) at the 95th Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles (LA), USA, Yang Zi-chung went on stage when her name was called and raised the Best Actress trophy. She succeeded in winning the Oscar, beating Kate Blanchett of "T?r," Michelle Williams of "The Fabelmans," Ana de Armas of "Blonde," and Andrea Riseborough of "To Leslie."

Born in Malaysia, Yang Zi-chung made history as the first Asian actor to receive this award. She is the second Asian female actor to win an acting award at the Academy Awards, following Youn Yuh-jung (Best Supporting Actress).

Yang Zi-chung said in her acceptance speech, "Thank you. I hope this becomes a spark of hope for the children watching tonight who look like me. I hope it becomes a possibility. Dream big and show that dreams can come true. To all the women, never believe that your golden age is over. I dedicate this to mothers around the world because they are the real heroes."

In the film "Everything Everywhere All at Once," Yang Zi-chung played Evelyn, a Chinese immigrant woman running a laundromat in the United States. Portraying Evelyn, who volunteers to become a warrior to save her family in crisis, she received praise for not only showcasing her signature martial arts action performances seen in previous works but also delivering deep emotional acting that reflects on life and her relationship with her daughter.

The Oscar for Best Actor went to Brendan Fraser. Beating Austin Butler of "Elvis," Colin Farrell of "The Banshees of Inisherin," Paul Mescal of "Aftersun," and Bill Nighy of "Living," Fraser took the stage and, with a trembling voice, said, "Only whales can dive deep and swim. I entered the film industry 30 years ago, and back then, nothing was easy. There were things I couldn't do at that time. I am grateful to be recognized like this now. It wouldn't have been possible without our actors. It feels like diving into the sea and air rising above the water."

Fraser played Charlie, a man weighing 600 pounds who is facing death, in the film "The Whale." The story revolves around Charlie, who requests a meeting with his daughter, Ellie (Sadie Sink), whom he hasn't contacted for eight years. Fraser revived Charlie, who had lost his lover and grown uncontrollably due to self-destructive binge eating, with delicate emotional acting, expressing a heartfelt paternal love for his daughter, earning praise for his comeback.

Fraser's achievement, overcoming difficult personal histories such as injury, divorce, and depression, received worldwide support from fans. From the late 1990s to the mid-2000s, Fraser rose to stardom playing Rick O'Connell in the "The Mummy" trilogy. However, he suffered injuries from intense filming, faced huge alimony and child support payments due to divorce lawsuits, and experienced severe depression.

Later, Fraser sustained his livelihood by appearing in low-budget VOD films and made a spectacular comeback by playing Charlie, a character reflecting his autobiographical side, through his work with director Darren Aronofsky. Previously, Aronofsky had revived forgotten actor Mickey Rourke through the 2008 film "The Wrestler."

The Academy Awards, also known as the "Oscar Awards," are the largest film awards in the United States, presented by American film industry professionals and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. This year, popular American comedian Jimmy Kimmel hosted the ceremony.