Michelle Yeoh to play Myanmar's Suu Kyi in film

Malaysian actress Michelle  Yeoh visited Myanmar at the weekend to discuss her plans to play the lead role in a new film about recently released  pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. 

Yeoh, who is best known for playing Chinese spy Wai Lin  alongside Pierce Brosnan in the 1997 James Bond film "Tomorrow  Never Dies" spent Sunday with the Nobel Peace Prize winner to  discuss the possibility of playing her in a movie. 

Yeoh has been shooting scenes with French director Luc Besson in Thailand for the production, titled "Dans La Lumiere", said Wanasiri Morakul, director of the Thailand Film Office. "The film is about Aung San Suu Kyi. We approved it a long time ago and they have shot in several locations," said Wanasiri, whose government agency deals with foreign film-makers operating in Thailand.

The charismatic Suu Kyi, daughter of late independence  hero Aung San and adored by many in Myanmar, spent 15 of the  past 21 years in detention because of her fight against  military dictatorship. She was released on Nov. 13 after her  latest period of house arrest expired. 

"(Suu Kyi) saw her off at the airport this morning," said  Nyan Win, Suu Kyi's lawyer and spokesman. 

"Yeoh spent the whole day at Daw Suu's residence," he  added, referring to Suu Kyi. "I understand she is planning to  play her in a film in the near future." 

Suu Kyi was freed last month after seven straight years of house arrest, less than a week after an election that critics said was a charade aimed at preserving military rule behind a civilian facade in Myanmar. The 65-year-old has won international acclaim for her peaceful resistance in the face of oppression. In 1990 she led her National League for Democracy (NLD) party to a landslide election win that was never recognised by Myanmar's military rulers, who have locked her up for most of the past two decades.

Her struggle has come at a high personal cost: her husband, a British academic, died in 1999, and in the final stages of his battle with cancer the junta refused him a visa to see his wife.

Yeoh, 48, is also a dancer and is well known for  performing her own stunts in action movies. 

She has starred mostly in Asian films and was nominated  for a BAFTA award for best actress for her role in Ang Lee's  2000 box office hit "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" which won  four Academy Awards.

Besson is best known for films including "Le Grand Bleu", "Leon" and "The Fifth Element".
 

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.