Nearly 40 years into her acclaimed career, Michelle Yeoh is receiving her best reviews to date, for her performance in the genre-defying fantasy Everything Everywhere All at Once.

“Every time I make a movie, I hope the audience discovers something new about me,” the star, 59, tells PEOPLE in the latest issue.

“What I really enjoyed doing [in Everything Everywhere All at Once] was the physical comedy, which I’ve not really done before. You’ve seen me in martial arts films — I’m always serene. I know exactly what I’m doing. I am the teacher, the mentor. And suddenly in this one, [my character] Evelyn Wang, she knows nothing. She’s a very ordinary, aging housewife who’s got so many troubles in her head. It was really fun.”