Malaysian Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh receives Medal of Freedom from Joe Biden – the top US civilian award
- The honorees list pays homage to firsts in their field, including the Everything Everywhere All at Once star, the first Asian to win the Oscar for Best Actress
- Team USA swimmer Katie Ledecky, assassinated civil rights leader Medgar Evers and TV host Phil Donahue were also among those celebrated
Malaysia’s Michelle Yeoh was one of 19 honorees to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from US President Joe Biden on Friday.
Others receiving the highest US civilian award included Team USA swimmer Katie Ledecky, assassinated civil rights leader Medgar Evers and television host Phil Donahue.
“Don’t let age get in your way,” Biden, the oldest US president at 81, said to Ledecky, 27, as he encouraged her to seek more medals during an awards ceremony at the White House on Friday.
“Katie, age is just a number, kid.”
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Malaysians rejoice as Michelle Yeoh wins her first Oscar and makes history
The honoree list pays special homage to “firsts” in their field, including Yeoh, who was the first Asian to win the Academy Award for Best Actress with her role in Everything Everywhere All at Once; Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic woman in space; and Jim Thorpe, the versatile athlete who became the first Native American to win an Olympic gold medal in 1912.
