Trivia
- Michelle is trained in martial arts, paricularly on the Karate-do and Wu Chi disciplines.
- Michelle is a good dancer and is well versed in the modern, jazz, hip hop, Suzuki movement, West African and Afro Brazillian dances.
- During the HBO Aspen Comedy Festival in 2002, Michelle was named as one of the top ten rising performers by The Hollywood Reporter.
- Michelle was trained by renowned acting coach, Larry Moss.
- Michelle visited more than 50 spots around the world while hosting Travelers for two seasons on the Discovery Channel.
- Among Michelle's favorite actors are Gary Oldman, Johnny Depp, and Cate Blanchett.
- Before Michelle got into acting, she dreamt of being a dancer, particularly on the countdown show Solid Gold.
- Michelle is a member of the theatrical group, Apartment A.
- Among her theatrical appearances were in Ether Telegrams as Sara, in Miss Julie as Miss Julie, and in Danny and the Deep Blue Sea as Roberta.
- Michelle studied at the University of Oxford, as well as the Virginia Governor’s Magnet School for the Arts, where she started her honing her acting skills.
- Michelle served as a judge in the 2007 Mr. Asia USA contest, which benefitted the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
- Michelle's Chinese name is Yang Ya-huei.
- Michelle and her family spoke "Chinglish" at their home, which is broken-down English. They didn't speak Mandarin in their house, and her Mandarin was not very good.
- During the Golden Horse Film Festival in 2005, Michelle lost the Best Actress Award by a single vote, but settled for the People's Choice Award for the film Saving Face.
- While starring in One World, Michelle appeared in a public service announcement about substance abuse for NBC's The More You Know campaign.
- Her interests include Asian cultures, African dance, world music, and hip hop.
- Michelle won the Audience Choice award for her film Saving Face at Taiwan's 42nd Golden Horse film awards in 2005.
- Michelle enjoys hang-gliding and snowboarding.
- Michelle got her undergraduate degree in Theatre Arts from Virginia Tech in 1995.
- Michelle speaks English and Mandarin.
- She played the main character in the movie Saving Face with Joan Chen.
- She played the voice of Ayame on Tenchu Wrath of Heaven.
Quotes
- Michelle: (On her love scenes in Saving Face) It is different because there is something delicate about it, at least the way we played it. We were both a little shy, both a little awkward.
- Michelle: Saving Face as a concept really rules everybody's heads; not losing respect among your peers. Whatever they do in life is influenced by somebody else's judgment. I see that quite a bit.
- Michelle: (On who she really is) I'm still figuring that out. I don't think it's a bad thing. It just keeps me on my toes and maybe slightly...slightly confused.
- Michelle: I think being an Asian American actor, you're sort of political whether you like it or not because you represent a group of people who aren't so well represented in the media.
- Michelle: (On getting challenging roles) Well, I think that the projects that I’ve done so far, I pretty much attacked them with a fair amount of confidence and fervor. And I think that the characters that I’ve encountered, I think that I’ve been cast well for them. But there are certain areas of my acting where I feel I haven’t been challenged enough.
- Michelle: (On doing some self-promotion) Ha. Self promotion. That sounds terrible on paper. But I admit, I am my own worst critic and I think my best fan as well.
- Michelle: (On her advice to aspiring actors and actresses) Do it if it is the only thing you can imagine yourself doing. It is one of the toughest things to pursue and perhaps one of the most rewarding. Knowing yourself will be one of the best tools because you will constantly be challenged, and be sure that you are of strong character and mind.
- Michelle: (On winning the People's Choice Award for her film "Saving Face") Oh my God, I prepared a speech for the Best Actress award not this one.
