Michelle Yeoh wants to play Yoko Ono in a biopic
Michelle Yeoh wants to play Yoko Ono in a biopic
Marina WattsSat, July 25, 2026 at 4:21 PM UTC
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Michelle Yeoh at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2026Credit: Albert L. Ortega/ShutterstockKey Points -
Michelle Yeoh says she wants to portray Yoko Ono in a biopic while visiting EW’s 2026 San Diego Comic-Con studio.
Her Blade Runner 2099 costar Hunter Schafer had another musical figure in mind when asked the same question.
Blade Runner 2099 is slated to premiere on Prime Video in the second half of 2026.
Michelle Yeoh is ready to portray this polarizing celebrity.
The Oscar-winning actress tells Entertainment Weekly the “person you’d like to play in a biopic,” and didn’t hesitate with her answer. “Yoko Ono,” Yeoh says while visiting EW’s 2026 San Diego Comic-Con studio with Blade Runner 2099costar Hunter Schafer.
When asked what her favorite Beatles song was, leaning into the idea of potentially portraying John Lennon’s widow one day, Yeoh laughs and says, “That’s really hard. I’m blanking out.”
“I know the Beatles! I know the Beatles so well, but right now,” she adds, miming her brain blanking out. In fairness, naming one favorite Beatles song isn’t easy. “Yoko is funny,” she concludes, standing by her choice.
Michelle Yeoh at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2026Credit: Amy Sussman/Getty
The Euphoriastar, meanwhile, struggled with an answer. “That’s really hard,” she says, mulling over her answer. Yeoh agrees. “They didn’t give us easy questions,” she declares, encouraging her costar to “think of something wild.”
“S---, that’s really hard,” Schaefer says before naming an Icelandic musician. “It wouldn’t work, but in a dream world, Bjork.”
The Blade Runner 2099 series was first announced in 2022. It takes place 50 years after Blade Runner 2049, and Olwen (Yeoh) and Cora (Schafer) will work together to investigate missing rogue replicants this time around. Showrunner Silka Luisa tells Entertainment Weekly that she is “so excited for people to see it,” especially fans across the sci-fi franchise.
“There is so much legacy with Blade Runner. Every person who touched the show in any way is a huge fan. Everyone was very well aware of the weight of what we were doing, and we did it with great care. And when you’re taking on something like this, you’re very thoughtful and deliberate about each step.”
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“That is why it has taken so long, because we wanted to make sure we got it right,” she adds.
Blade Runner 2099 is slated to premiere on Prime Video in the second half of 2026.
Michelle Yeoh in July 2026; Yoko Ono in September 2016Credit: Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty; David M. Benett/Dave Benett/WireImage
Ono, who was married to Lennon from 1969 until his death in 1980, remains a polarizing figure as many believe she was to blame for the breakup of the Beatles: Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison.
The artist will be portrayed in Sam Mendes’ upcoming Beatles biopics by Anna Sawai. “It was my dream to tell her story and I didn’t think it would come this quick,” Sawai told Varietyabout the role in February 2026.
“There’s a version of her I feel people still don’t understand. And in this film, I think we’re going to be able to tell that side of the story.” As for how she’s preparing for the “dream” role, Sawai said there is “so much reading” involved. “So many books, so many videos, so many articles…She has so much artwork that also shows her personality.”
Check out more of EW’s coverage from San Diego Comic-Con 2026.
on Entertainment Weekly
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
