Why Merle Oberon, ‘Hollywood’s first South Asian star,’ kept her race a secret

Initially, when Michelle Yeoh was nominated for the Lead Actress Oscar for “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” various news outlets announced that she was the first Asian woman to be honored. Later, they amended their reports to acknowledge that Zarah Oberon had been recognized earlier, in 1935 with her role in “The Dark Angel.” (Yeoh eventually won the award; Oberon lost to Bette Davis.)