Try to picture a movie where the imaginary mixes with different realities. Everything Everywhere All at Once explores all the possibilities of this. And as attractive as it looks on screen, the lead actress, Michelle Yeoh, and her co-star, Ke Huy Quan, revealed a few behind-the-scenes facts that seem more like mind-blowing secrets. So let’s jump in together to discover all the hidden mysteries behind creating these universes.
1. The initial script for Everything Everywhere All at Once was written with a male lead in mind.
Originally, the role was going to be portrayed by Jackie Chan. However, after considering the financial aspect, audience appeal, and the perception of a male being the more suitable protagonist for a multiverse storyline, the directors, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, decided to change the lead to a mother role.
Actress Michelle Yeoh expressed that she was initially taken aback by the offer, given that she often received supporting roles. She did not expect the opportunity to star in Everything Everywhere All at Once to win her an Oscar for Best Actress.
2. Michelle Yeoh was intrigued by the opportunity to play protagonist Evelyn in Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Yeoh’s movies often were quite different looking than this project. As an actor with a legendary career spanning various genres and iconic films, Yeoh relished the chance to build on her skills in comedy and fight choreography while also exploring a world more absurd than she had ever encountered.
Yeoh was also excited to portray a middle-aged mom, a character archetype often overlooked in cinematic narratives, and to play an empowered protagonist. She was further drawn to participate in Everything Everywhere at All Once by the passion and dedication of everyone involved.
Not many people know this, but Michelle Yeoh was pressured to retire because of her age. Here, you can read what her reaction was.
3. The sci-fi comedy, Everything Everywhere All at Once, was shot in less than 40 days.
Everything Everywhere All at Once is a movie with many complex sequences, but, despite that, the film’s directors managed to complete the multiversal movie within 40 days. Yeoh praised the directors’ preparation, stating they could make minor adjustments while still staying on schedule.
4. The appearance of Michelle Yeoh’s character’s apartment in Everything Everywhere All at Once was inspired by the director’s grandparents’ home.
The cramped living space filled with cluttered shelves, a crowded table, and various decorations, resembles a typical Chinese-American apartment. The director, Kwan, revealed that he based the apartment’s design on the houses of his grandparents, aunts, and uncles from childhood.
5. Ke Huy Quan performed most of the impressive fanny pack fight sequence.
The actor Ke Huy Quan revealed that he spent lots of time practicing the moves for the fight scene at home, which didn’t please his wife. Ke Huy Quan, known for his role in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, performed many of his stunts in the scene, with only a few shots requiring a stunt double.
Ke Huy Quan’s hard work paid off, and his role in Everything Everywhere All at Once won him a Golden Globe. Find out here why everyone got emotional during his speech at the Golden Globes.
6. Michelle Yeoh also executed her own stunts in her action scenes.
Michelle Yeoh, a veteran action star, executed her own stunts with the help of a stunt coordinator to ensure they were performed flawlessly. The stunt coordinator also shared that Yeoh’s movies were highly influential in his decision to pursue his career, so having an opportunity to work with her was nothing short of awesome.
Read more here about other actors who weren’t afraid of mastering different skills and doing their own stunts.
7. The hot dog hands were not created with CGI — they were prosthetic gloves.
The design artist of the Everything Everywhere All at Once movie revealed he used a material that looked uncannily similar to human skin to create the iconic hotdog fingers. These were molded to the actors’ hands, and hairs were threaded through the material to add to its realistic appearance.
