KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 — Fresh off her Oscar-winning triumph, Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh is heading back to Chinese-language cinema — and this time she’s trading multiverses for Magic Cubes.

The Ipoh-born actress stars in It’s My Time, an uplifting drama inspired by the remarkable true story of a retired teacher who discovered an extraordinary talent later in life.

The film, directed and co-written by Bai Xue and produced by Wen Muye, premiered in China on June 30 and arrives in Malaysian cinemas on July 23.

Yeoh plays Zhao Yanhong, a woman in her seventies who refuses to settle into a quiet life at a nursing home after uncovering an unexpected gift for solving Magic Cube puzzles.

Instead, she throws herself into competitions, determined to prove that age is no obstacle to learning something new or chasing a fresh dream.

The story is inspired by Zhejiang retiree Zhao Wenying, who became the fastest person aged over 60 to solve a Magic Cube while blindfolded.

Helping Zhao along the way is Wu Youwei, played by Liu Haoran, a former Magic Cube world champion whose best days appear to be behind him as he runs a night market stall.

Despite their age gap and clashing personalities, the unlikely pair form a mentor-student bond that helps both rediscover purpose as they prepare for competitions that change their lives.

The film is Yeoh’s first leading feature role since her history-making performance as Evelyn Quan Wang in Everything Everywhere All at Once, which won her the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Yeoh said she was immediately drawn to Zhao’s optimism and refusal to stop embracing life.

“I’ve never played a character quite like Zhao Yanhong before.”

“She isn’t someone trying to change her life overnight — she simply never stops being curious and never loses the courage to begin again,” she said in a statement.

To bring the character to life, Yeoh spent time observing elderly women at local markets, studying their gestures, expressions and everyday interactions to capture Zhao’s warmth and authenticity.

Distributed in Malaysia by Brilliant Pictures, It’s My Time opens in cinemas nationwide on July 23, the same day as its Singapore release.

The cast also includes Sarina, Bai Ke, Han Tongsheng, Qi Xi and Liu Yang, with special appearances by Tian Yu, Huang Yao and Chen Halin.