23/02/2026

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Michelle Yeoh receives star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

M ALAYSIAN-BORN actress Michelle Yeoh, who has made a name for herself in Hollywood, continues to bring pride to the nation – her name was recently immortalised on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the international film industry. The 64-year-old actress graced the red carpet in an elegant yellow gown with minimal accessories, radiating sophistication throughout the prestigious event organised by the Hollywood film community. In an Instagram post, Yeoh reflected on her journey from Malaysia to Hollywood, acknowledging that it was far from easy and full of challenges before

o Ipoh-born actress pays tribute to all those who were part of her decades-long career

AI infrastructure company WhiteFiber that was shown on the Nasdaq’s seven story-tall LED video screen in Times Square when the company went public in September. “AI changed my life,” Molnar said. Founded in 2020, Curious Refuge began offering courses in AI-assisted documentary and narrative filmmaking and in advertising in early 2023. It now provides instruction in 11 different languages to students in 170 countries. The Curious Refuge classes are pre-recorded and made available behind an online paywall, allowing students to learn at their own pace. Instructors hold weekly office hours to answer questions and the school hosts regular meet-ups, including at the Cannes Film Festival and in major cities around the world. Meanwhile, the Discord platform, which is popular with gamers and programmers, has become a virtual place for the Curious Refuge community to gather. Curious Refuge also has provided AI training and workshops at studios, which its founders could not identify because of non-disclosure agreements. Hollywood and serves as an inspiration for young Malaysian talent aspiring to break into the international entertainment industry. Previously, the Ipoh-born actress made history by winning the Best Actress award at the 95th Academy Awards in 2023 for the film Everything Everywhere All at Once , becoming the first Asian woman to take home an Oscar in a leading acting category. Yeoh achieved another historic milestone when she was awarded the Honorary Golden Bear for lifetime belonged, but I was fortunate, fortunate to be part of stories that crossed borders and languages, stories that reminded us how deeply connected we all are,” she said during her speech at the ceremony. Known for her role as Madame Morrible in Wicked , she said the honour was not hers alone, but represented the many people who have been part of her career spanning over four decades in the film industry. “Thank you all for surrounding me with love, for being my safe harbour and for helping me stay true to my own North Star. The star may carry one name, but it represents so many people who made this journey possible. “I hope it also reminds someone, somewhere that it is possible, that where you begin does not define where you can go,” she said. This recognition further cements her status as one of the most influential Asian figures in

reaching her current status. “The path from Malaysia to here wasn’t a straight line. There were moments that I wondered if I

Yeoh is the first Asian woman to win an Oscar in a leading acting category.

achievement at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, the highest accolade recognising her

contributions to the global film industry over more than four decades. – Bernama

Yeoh in an elegant yellow gown as she formally receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. – ALL PICS FROM INSTAGRAM @WICKEDMOVIE

AI film school trains next generation of Hollywood moviemakers

LAID-OFF and sidelined by last year’s production slowdown, Hollywood visual-effects veteran Michael Eng discovered a gap in his resume while perusing job listings in Los Angeles – experience in machine learning. Eng turned to Curious Refuge, an online school teaching filmmaking powered by artificial intelligence (AI), in a bid to reinvent his career amid the industry’s rapid technological shift. Launched in May 2023, Curious Refuge’s well-regarded AI film academy has become a training ground for Hollywood workers racing to adapt as generative technology reshapes production, fuelling new career paths even at a time when some in the industry fear losing their jobs to AI. “I kind of just embraced it. I jumped in,” Eng said of diving into AI tools after he was sidelined. Many in Hollywood remain wary of AI, with critics pointing to last year’s debut of the AI-generated actress Tilly Norwood – condemned by the Sag-Aftra actors union as replacing human performers with “synthetics” – as a prime example of the industry’s unease.

“We love to step in and create a baseline of understanding for the entire studio. Here’s what’s possible with AI. Here are the creative possibilities. Here are just different takeaways that you can get from utilising the technology,” said Curious Refuge CEO and co-founder Caleb. One 2024 study commissioned by the Concept Art Association and the Animation Guild predicted that nearly 120,000 jobs in film, television and animation would be consolidated, replaced or eliminated by the end of this year because of generative AI. Some see parallels between the rise of generative AI and the debut of YouTube, which ushered in a new generation of storytellers. “There will be some job loss and job displacement, but there will also be job creation and a generation of new storytellers that emerge, in part, because financial barriers are being reduced or they simply now have access to make things that were not otherwise even available to them,” said Chris Jacquemin, head of digital strategy for the WME talent agency. “I think Curious Refuge plays a

Eng is one of 10,000 students who have attended Curious Refuge’s courses or workshops, looking to update their skills, the school says. Co-founders Caleb and Shelby Ward say 95% of the current students are entertainment or advertising industry professionals looking for new skills as AI gains a foothold in Hollywood. Others, such as Petra Molnar, are hobbyists who have been able to harness AI to find new careers. Molnar said she saw herself as a creative person but was unable to gain entry into art school in her native Budapest. She was working as a dental hygienist in London when the Covid 19 pandemic shuttered her dental office. She used the time to explore her creative side, enrolling in classes – initially studying digital product design and building her own dental app. The rise of AI-powered chatbots such as ChatGPT and image generators such as Midjourney led her to Curious Refuge, where she began taking courses in 2023. She has found a new career in advertising, using AI to create promotional videos, including one for

critical role as a programme that specialises in training filmmakers and storytellers how they can use the array of machine learning tools to their benefit,” Jacquemin said. AI entertainment studio Promise, a well-regarded startup that is backed by media veteran Peter Chernin’s North Road studio and Andreessen Horowitz, acquired Curious Refuge last February. The school serves as a talent pipeline for Promise as it seeks artists, directors and other creatives versed in AI production techniques. It would be a valuable asset, as the rest of Hollywood wakes up to the potential of generative AI and competition for talent heats up. “We realised that there would be other studios such as ours – but also, many of the traditional studios and distributors and production companies – would be looking to hire the same talent. So we thought a lot about how we make sure that we have the right pipeline of talent into the company,” said Promise co-founder and president Jamie Byrne. Deepening the AI talent pool also will help speed Hollywood’s adoption, Byrne said. – Reuters