By Terrance Turner
Jan. 10, 2023
Tonight brought #BlackGirlMagic to the Golden Globes.
Tonight, Angela Bassett won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Drama for her performance in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. It’s a historic moment: Bassett is the first actor ever to win a major award for a Marvel film.
“I got to find my words. I’m so nervous. My heart is just beating,” Bassett began, taking the stage to accept the award. She reflected on January 1994, when she won the best actress Golden Globe for playing Tina Turner in What’s Love Got To Do With It? Nearly three decades later, here she is, again.
“The late Toni Morrison said that your life is already a miracle of chance just waiting for you to order its destiny. But in order for that destiny to manifest, I think that it requires courage to have faith. It requires patience, as we just heard. And it requires a true sense of yourself.
It’s not easy because the past is circuitous and it has many unexpected detours. But by the grace of God, I stand here. I stand here grateful.”
Acknowledgements
Bassett thanked her husband, Courtney B. Vance, their children Braunwyn and Slater — “I love you from the depths of my heart” — and her Marvel collaborators, including director Ryan Coogler. She also paid tribute to late Black Panther co-star Chadwick Boseman, who died in 2020 of colon cancer.
Bassett reflected on the process of making the Black Panther sequel without Boseman: “We embarked on this journey together with love. We mourned, we loved, we healed. We were surrounded each and every day by the light and the spirit of Chadwick Boseman,” Bassett said.
She added: “We have joy in knowing that with this historic ‘Black Panther’ series, it is a part of his legacy that he helped to lead us. We showed the world what Black unity, leadership and love looks like, behind and in front of the camera. To the Marvel fans, thank you for embracing these characters and showing us so much love.”
Congratulations to Angela Bassett.
Best Actress In a Comedy Series
Shortly afterward, Quinta Brunson won Best Actress in a Comedy Series. Brunson wins her first Golden Globe for playing Janine on the sitcom Abbott Elementary, which she created and co-wrote.
As she took the stage, Brunson adjusted her strapless mermaid gown. Let me get myself together,” she began. She thanked Disney.
“I have to say thank you to to Disney, 20th Century, Warner Brothers, thank you for believing in this show about a group of teachers from Philadelphia. It has resonated with the world in a way that I couldn’t even imagine it would’ve,” Brunson said. “But let’s be real — I did imagine it. That’s why I sold it to you.”
“I have to say thank you to Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacher, my co-producers, who are just incredible and support my vision,” Brunson said during her speech. “It’s just worth everything to be able to have two people support you. They’re very white men, and they said, ‘Okay, Quinta,’” she said to laughs. “They let me get away with a lot.”
Brunson held her phone in her hand; it buzzed with texts from her family. “Oh my God. My family is texting me right now,” Brunson excitedly noted. She continued with thanks: “My husband. My wonderful, wonderful cast. I love you guys so much. And I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for having you. I can’t believe I got to see one of my cast members [Tyler James Williams] win tonight. I’m just so happy to be here with you all.
I feel like I’m missing someone, but I think I got it all…My agents! My team, I love you so much,” Brunson concluded. “And my manager, thank you, I appreciate it. Have a good night, everybody. Thank you.”
Carol Burnett Award
And during his acceptance speech for lifetime achievement, director and producer Ryan Murphy paid tribute to MJ Rodriguez. She won a Golden Globe for her work in Murphy’s groundbreaking series Pose.
“A year ago, the Golden Globes weren’t televised, but the show did go on. And I was so thrilled when it was announced that MJ Rodriguez, from my show, Pose, had been awarded Best Actress in a Drama Series. In doing so, MJ from Newark, New Jersey, became the first trans actress ever to win a Golden Globe.”
“And I thought, ‘Wow, how I would have loved for MJ to be on this stage getting the standing ovation she deserved for making history,” he continued. “And I’m thrilled to say that MJ is one of my guests tonight. She’s here at my table so, MJ, please stand up and let’s give her the ovation that she deserves.”
AND Abbott Elementary won for Best Comedy Series!
“You guys, thank you so much. I created this show because I love comedy. There are so many people in the room tonight who are the reason I’m here tonight,” Brunson said. “Comedy is so important to me. Comedy brings us all together.”
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