Back to the beginning: Everything Everywhere All at Once's journey to the Oscars

Before the $104 million box office haul — the biggest ever for the movie's distributor, A24 — and before its 11 Oscar nominations, the Everything Everywhere All at Once cast and filmmakers were experiencing all the feels as they were about to attend the world premiere of the movie at 2022 SXSW.

"I feel so squishy in my heart. I feel so lucky. I feel so lucky and grateful," Stephanie Hsu said as part of EW's Around the Table series, which you can hear now on the latest episode of The Awardist podcast. Added a celebratory Michelle Yeoh: "I think we will continue to spread our love to so many out there who are in giant need of help and peace and all that. So let's enjoy our moment!"

Jamie Lee Curtis wasn't sure how to follow Yeoh's comments, but she did quite eloquently. "The circle is a very important symbol in the movie," she said. "To me it's about reunification. And if we ever needed reunification, it's now. So, happy to have a fun, crazy, wonderful journey to get to that place. And I'm honored to be in it."

All three of the stars, along with Ke Huy Quan, and the movies co-writers/co-director Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert — collectively known as Daniels — are Oscar nominees (times three in the case of Daniels, who are also Best Picture contenders as producers), the last stop in an awards season where they've collected numerous accolades. It's a rare feat for a movie that opened outside of the traditional fall festival circuit (EEAAO debuted March 25 in 10 theaters, eventually expanding to as many as 2,220 theaters), also for one so "crazy" and "wacky," as Curtis lovingly described it.

The movie became the talk of town thanks to its cast and unique storytelling and striking and humorous visuals, imploring the multiverse to explore the dynamics of a family on the verge of collapse and what the alternate lives of Yoeh's Evelyn could've looked like.

While Yeoh admits she wasn't fully sure what, exactly, they were shooting or what the final product would look like, Scheinert explains that Yeoh's note-covered script helped guide her through the multiverses.

Curtis says the homework paid off. "It's an extraordinary performance," the Halloween alum says. "I can only assume there's just literally no other human being on earth — like, you can say that about people, 'nobody else could have done that part,' bulls---, many people could do that part. Nobody else could do this part."

On The Awardist, EW editor in chief Patrick Gomez joins me to look back on the movie's journey and to discuss it's chances of going all the way at the Oscars. And keep listening for our Around the Table with the EEAAO team as they look back on their unique filming experience and share stories about the production.

Check out more from EW's The Awardist, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis, and our podcast diving into all the highlights leading up to all the major award shows.

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