Black Excellence Flowed At the 2023 Golden Globes
Written by djfrosty on January 11, 2023
Source: Gilbert Flores / Getty
Angela Bassett, Quinta Brunson, and Tyler James Williams stood out among the winners at the heralded awards night in front of a packed audience.
The Golden Globe Awards was once again held live in Beverly Hills, California before a full audience, and Black stars shined among the brightest for the 80th edition of the awards ceremony honoring the best in American film and television. Hosted by Emmy Award-winning comedian Jerrod Carmichael, the ceremony took place live at the Beverly Hilton. Last year, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association opted to announce the winners online after scandals rocked the organization – which included the discovery that the group had zero Black members.
The evening kicked off with veteran actress Angela Bassett winning Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for her role as Queen Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The 64-year-old became the first actor from a Marvel Studios picture to win a major individual acting award. It was also her second Golden Globe trophy – she won her first in 1993 portraying Tina Turner in What’s Love Got To Do With It.
Quinta Brunson, the star and creator of ABC’s Abbott Elementary gave a heartfelt speech for her win as Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy Television series – with some whimsical name-checking included. “We get to make this show for everyone. During a very tough time in this country, I’m happy that Abbott Elementary is able to make so many people laugh,” she said. Abbott Elementary also took home the award for best comedy series.
Co-star Tyler James Williams took home the award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical, Comedy, or Drama. The 30-year-old shouted out Brunson after receiving his first Golden Globe award, continuing: “I pray that this is a win for Gregory Eddie and for his story and for stories like this that we may understand but his story just as important as all of the other stories that have to be told out here. Thank you so much for this.”
Zendaya won the award for Best Actress in a dramatic TV series for her role as Rue in HBO’s Euphoria, but she wasn’t present at the awards ceremony. Her absence was explained by Top Gun: Maverick actor Jay Ellis, who was presenting with his co-star Glen Powell. “Zendaya couldn’t be with us tonight,” he explained on stage. “So, we are going to accept this award on her behalf. She’s busy, she’s working, y’all. It’s a good thing.”
Lastly, Eddie Murphy was honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award for his 40-year-plus career. His speech captivated the audience, right down to the playful jab he delivered towards Will Smith.