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AARP The Magazine EXCLUSIVE: Michelle Yeoh Reflects on Aging, Her Past Lives, and Honoring Her CommunityThe Academy Award-winning actress opens up to AARP The Magazine about continuously perfecting her craft, enduring microaggressions and aging in Hollywood, and learning to slow down.WASHINGTON — The momentum in Michelle Yeoh’s career appears endless, even after her historical Best Actress Oscar win in 2023. In the December 2024/January 2025 issue of AARP The Magazine (ATM), the award-winning actress, 62, tells ATM about her desire to continue growing as an actress, her family upbringing, and honoring the past Asian actresses that have paved the way for her success.

Much like Everything Everywhere All at Once, the movie that landed her an Academy Award, Michelle Yeoh has lived many lives. She had previous dreams of being a ballet school owner or a stay-at-home mom. When speaking with ATM, Yeoh said she doesn’t dwell on what her life could have been, instead focusing on what she has now, such as the acting career that continues to thrive after her Oscar win, or finding love again after marrying her current husband Jean Todt.

Yeoh is set to be in the star-studded musical adaptation of Wicked, her second time working with director Jon M. Chu since the breakout rom-com Crazy Rich Asians. She also has upcoming feature roles in Avatar 4 and Star Trek: Section 31. As she continues to grow with these opportunities, considering she completed vocal training in preparation for Wicked, Yeoh tells ATM she’s looking to slow down so she can prioritize staying connected with her family.

The following are excerpts from ATM’s December 2024/January 2025 cover story featuring Michelle Yeoh. The issue is available in homes starting in December and online now at www.aarp.org/magazine/.

Reflecting on her father’s advice and appreciating what she has:

“I’m not the kind of person who thinks, ‘Oh, I should have done that.’ I wouldn’t be where I am today. My dad always said to me: ‘I wish you enough,’ when I was young, I would say, ‘No, I don’t want to have enough! I want more!’”

Director Jon M. Chu On Yeoh’s preparation for her role in Wicked:

“I’ve been around her long enough to know that she has great rhythm, great tone, and that she can sing, She was scared, but she dove headfirst into vocal training. She did a great job.”

On honoring past Asian actresses in her Oscars speech:

“Just think of all the shoulders I’m standing on. It just landed on me to have the microphone and say we deserve to be here. It’s not a responsibility; it’s a necessity to speak out.”

On the disadvantages women in Hollywood face with aging:

“I mean, when you’re in your [late] 30s, if you’re pregnant, it’s a geriatric pregnancy! Why is it that numbers matter so much, especially for women? It seems like the clock is ticking a lot faster for us.”

Co-star Jamie Lee Curtis On Yeoh’s resilience throughout her career:

“The older we get, the more sedentary and isolated we get, because often we are no longer allowed to do the work that brought us into contact with others. But people like Michelle and I, who are artists, must take advantage of this moment, and sacrifice a quieter time.”

On experiencing microaggressions in the U.S.:

“People started saying, ‘You’re a minority.’ How did I suddenly become a minority? There are how many billions of us around the world? Also I come from Malaysia, where we are multiracial, just different cultures in a beautiful country.”

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About AARP:

AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 100 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the nation’s largest circulation publications, AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/about-aarp/, www.aarp.org/español or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspañol and @AARPadvocates on social media.

Glenn Close to Receive Career Achievement Honor at AARP The Magazine’s Annual Movies for Grownups® AwardsThe Star-Studded Ceremony, Hosted by Alan Cumming, Will Be Celebrated in Person in Beverly Hills on Saturday, January 11, 2025, and Broadcast by Great Performances on PBS in FebruaryWASHINGTON—AARP The Magazine announced today that Glenn Close will receive this year’s Movies for Grownups® Career Achievement Award. Close—critically acclaimed actress of stage and screen with eight Academy Award nominations, two AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, three Tony Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, a Critics Choice Award, a People’s Choice Award, and three GRAMMY Award nominations—will be honored at the annual Movies for Grownups (MFG) Awards ceremony on Saturday, January 11, 2025, in Beverly Hills, California.

“Glenn Close starred in The Big Chill, the first blockbuster hit film about the Baby Boomer generation facing aging, and since then her career has shattered Hollywood’s outmoded, ageist stereotypes. Her steady successes exemplify what AARP’s Movies for Grownups program is all about,” said AARP EVP & Chief Communications and Marketing Officer Martha Boudreau. “We are delighted to recognize Glenn Close—who at age 35 landed her first movie role and her first Oscar nomination, and who at age 77 has a highly acclaimed career that continues to flourish.”

For more than two decades, AARP’s Movies for Grownups has championed movies for grownups, by grownups, by advocating for the 50-plus audience, fighting industry ageism and encouraging films and TV shows that resonate with older viewers.

Glenn Close is soaring higher than ever, starring in 2024’s No. 1 Netflix horror hit The Deliverance, the upcoming Knives Out mystery Wake Up Dead Man, Ryan Murphy’s legal drama All’s Fair, The Summer Book, Back in Action, and six more shows and films—all part of a career so deserving of the Movies for Grownups® Career Achievement Award, our highest honor.

“I am so honored to receive the AARP Movies for Grownups Career Achievement Award even though I feel like I’m still 35, if not younger,” says Close. “I love making movies for grownups and everyone else, and I deeply appreciate the inspiration and support of the people I have worked with over 50 years. Thank you, AARP, for this great honor.” 

Close will receive MFG’s top honor at the awards ceremony, which will recognize the best films and filmmakers of 2024, including Best Movie for Grownups, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and more. She joins a prestigious list of previous AARP Movies for Grownups Career Achievement honorees, including Jamie Lee Curtis, George Clooney, Helen Mirren, Michael Douglas, Shirley MacLaine, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon, Robert Redford, Sharon Stone and Robert De Niro.

Glenn Close is known for illustrious performances spanning five decades. Her breakout film role as Jenny Fields in The World According to Garp (1982) and her iconic roles in The Big Chill (1983) and The Natural (1984) earned her three consecutive nominations for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She leaped higher yet with the sexy $320 million blockbuster Fatal Attraction (1987), which earned her nominations for Academy Award and Golden Globe Best Actress honors, and Dangerous Liaisons (1988), which fetched a second Oscar Best Actress nomination and a BAFTA Film Award nomination for Best Actress. Her repertoire ranges from prestige dramas like The Wife (2018) to the bestseller adaptation Hillbilly Elegy (2020) to children’s films and voice acting in Disney’s 101 Dalmatians (1996) and Tarzan (1999).

Close has conquered the small screen as well, earning her first Primetime Emmy nomination for Something About Amelia (1984), followed by three wins: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie as Margarethe Cammermeyer in the television film Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story (1995), and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, twice in a row, for playing Patty Hewes in Damages (2007–2012).

Alan Cumming, the Tony- and Emmy Award-winning host of the widely lauded competition show The Traitors, will return as the host of AARP The Magazine’s Movies for Grownups Awards, which will be broadcast by Great Performances on Sunday, February 23, 2025 at 7/6c on PBS (check local listings), pbs.org/moviesforgrownups, and the PBS app.

Movies for Grownups Awards proceeds benefit AARP Foundation, which works for and with vulnerable older adults—in Los Angeles and across the country—to end senior poverty and reduce financial hardship by building economic opportunity.

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About AARP The Magazine’s Movies for Grownups® Awards’ Philanthropic Goals

The annual Movies for Grownups® Awards raises funds for AARP Foundation, AARP’s affiliated charity, which works for and with vulnerable older adults around the country to transform lives and build a future without senior poverty. Through vigorous legal advocacy and evidence-based solutions, and by strengthening supportive community connections, AARP Foundation fosters resilience, advances equity and restores hope.

About AARP

 AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 100 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health and financial security, and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation’s largest-circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/about-aarp/, www.aarp.org/español or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspañol and @AARPadvocates on social media.

About The WNET Group

The WNET Group creates inspiring media content and meaningful experiences for diverse audiences nationwide. It is the community-supported home of New York’s THIRTEEN – America’s flagship PBS station – WLIW21, THIRTEEN PBS KIDS, WLIW World and Create; NJ PBS, New Jersey’s statewide public television network; Long Island’s only NPR station WLIW-FM; ALL ARTS, the arts and culture media provider; newsroom NJ Spotlight News; and FAST channel PBS Nature. Through these channels and streaming platforms, The WNET Group brings arts, culture, education, news, documentary, entertainment, and DIY programming to more than five million viewers each month. The WNET Group’s award-winning productions include signature PBS series Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, and Amanpour and Company and trusted local news programs like NJ Spotlight News with Briana Vannozzi. Inspiring curiosity and nurturing dreams, The WNET Group’s award-winning Kids’ Media and Education team produces the PBS KIDS series Cyberchase, interactive Mission US history games, and resources for families, teachers and caregivers. A leading nonprofit public media producer for more than 60 years, The WNET Group presents and distributes content that fosters lifelong learning, including initiatives addressing poverty, jobs, economic opportunity, social justice, understanding, and the environment. Through Passport, station members can stream new and archival programming anytime, anywhere. The WNET Group represents the best in public media. Join us.  
For further information: Paola Groom, AARP Movies for Grownups®, pgroom@aarp.org; R&CPMK, AARPMFG@rcpmk.com

Exclusively from AARP Bulletin: How Scammers Target Your Emotions, Travel Savings, and A Guide to How Your Medicare Costs Could GrowPlus: AARP Bulletin Interviewed Presidential Candidates on Social Security, Medicare, Inflation, Caregiving, and MoreWASHINGTON — The October issue of AARP Bulletin explores the ways Medicare costs could grow for individuals in the coming year, the best tips to avoid emotional manipulation by scammers, and travel apps that can help you save money.

Highlights from the October issue of the Bulletin:

How Scammers Target Your Emotions: Read how fear, loneliness, avarice, and anxiety are used as emotional triggers to steal your hard-earned money. AARP Bulletin interviews AARP Fraud Watch Network director of fraud victim support, Amy Nofziger, on how scammers may exploit your emotions and the tell-tale signs to keep an eye out for.

A Guide to How Your Medicare Costs Could Grow: The standard Medicare Part B premium grew 5.9% from 2023 to 2024 – inflation is a major factor affecting price. This month, our editors provide a guide on how costs could grow over time, including Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Part D prescription drug plans, and Medigap policies. In our guide, we also offer hints for keeping your costs down. Learn more in this month’s issue.

Travel Apps That Can Help Save You Money: With the help of artificial intelligence (AI), apps, and access to travel websites you can save big. AARP Bulletin contributor and savings expert Lisa Lee Freeman shares with you the best technological tools to save you money while traveling for the upcoming holiday season and beyond.

Cover Story: Election 2024 – Where They Stand: AARP Bulletin sat down with Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris to hear their thoughts on issues of importance to older voters. Stay informed in this election with the October cover story.

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About AARPAARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 100 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the nation’s largest-circulation publications, AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/about-aarp/, www.aarp.org/español or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspañol and @AARPadvocates on social media.

Protect yourself by protecting your Medicare card!  

The next Medicare Open Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7) is coming fast, which means con artists may try to steal your identity and commit Medicare fraud. Medicare has taken actions to make Medicare cards safer by replacing Social Security Numbers with more secure ID numbers. But even with those efforts, fraudsters may still try to take advantage of you during Open Enrollment. 

Medicare fraud results in higher health care costs for taxpayers just like you. That’s why it’s so important to know how to protect your Medicare card and Number.

What can you do to protect yourself and prevent Medicare fraud?

The most important thing you can do is guard your Medicare card like it’s a credit card. Don’t give your Medicare card or Number to anyone except your doctor or people you know should have it.

You can also:

Keep your Medicare Number to yourself. If you get a call from people promising you things if you give them your Medicare Number — don’t do it. This is a common Medicare scam.
Refuse any offer of money or gifts for free medical care. A common ploy of identity thieves is to say they can send you your free gift right away — they just need your Medicare Number.
Use a calendar to record all of your doctors’ appointments and any tests you get. When you check your Medicare statements, look out for any items and services listed and other details that don’t look correct. If you see a charge or service that you think is incorrect and you know the provider, call their office and ask about it.
Learn how a Medicare plan works before you join.
Stay alert for fraud during the coronavirus disease 2019 (or COVID-19) national emergency. Con artists like to take advantage of people when they’re distracted.
Committing Medicare fraud is illegal & you should report it

If you suspect fraud, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048. If you’re in a Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare drug plan, call the Medicare Drug Integrity Contractor (MEDIC) at 1-877-7SAFERX (1-877-772-3379).

Learn how to protect yourself from health care fraud. Visit Medicare.gov/fraud for more information on how to help fight Medicare fraud.