Teyana Taylor has won her first Golden Globe, earning the prestigious award for her outstanding supporting performance in the Paul Thomas Anderson film, One Battle After Another.
Her emotional acceptance speech wrapped up in powerful remarks directed at “brown sisters and little brown girls watching tonight,” according to Deadline.
The 35-year-old actress declared, “Our softness is not a liability. Our depth is not too much. Our light does not need permission to shine. We belong in every room we walk into, our voices matter, and our dreams deserve space.”
READ ALSO: Teyana Taylor explains why she enrolled in culinary school
Taylor also thanked “Paul ‘Let Him Cook’ Thomas Anderson,” acknowledging his “vision, trust, and brilliance,” among others.
She continued, “My gratitude is endless. I love you, we love you, and thank you so much for holding space for me.”
She also expressed gratitude to God, stating, “I praise you for every part of this faith walk—every test and every lesson.”
Taylor also made sure to acknowledge her children, who she knew were watching the telecast. With a playful tone, she joked, “Y’all better be off your damn phones and watching me right now.”
Taylor won her first Golden Globe Award for her debut nomination for Supporting Motion Picture Actress – Drama. She faced strong competition from fellow nominees: Emily Blunt (for The Smashing Machine), Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (both for Sentimental Value), Ariana Grande (for Wicked: For Good), and Amy Madigan (for Weapons).
Taylor has been a breakout star this awards season, with her performance also earning nominations for the Critics’ Choice Awards and the Actors’ Awards.
The film, One Battle After Another, is loosely adapted from the Thomas Pynchon novel, Vineland. The story centers on a band of former revolutionaries who are forced to reunite when an old, evil adversary reappears after 16 years, necessitating a mission to rescue the daughter of one of the group’s members.
The film, which was released by Warner Bros. in September, stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, and Taylor, alongside Chase Infiniti in her first feature film role. Globally, the movie brought in over $206 million.
READ ALSO: Teyana Taylor says her relationship with her ‘apple pie’ Aaron Pierre is ‘very secure’
With a leading nine nominations, One Battle Another was the most recognized film at this year’s Golden Globes. The film was a contender in several categories, including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Director, Best Actor – Musical or Comedy, Best Actress – Musical or Comedy, Best Screenplay, and Best Original Score, and has two nominations for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture.
Despite this being her first Golden Globe nomination, Taylor had already been recognized for her acting, specifically for her role in A.V. Rockwell’s 2023 drama, A Thousand and One, as reported by the LA Times. Beyond acting, she has also been successful in the music industry, first gaining fame as a singer, dancer, and choreographer.
“I’ve been doing this since I was 15 years old,” Taylor said, according to the LA Times. “And what this was, for me, was God reminding me that the wait is not punishment; it’s preparation for what’s already written.”
“If everything would have happened my way on my time,” she added, “I don’t even know if I would be standing up here. … I’m so happy that I stayed patient.”
READ ALSO: This is why Teyana Taylor has been ordered to pay her ex-husband Iman Shumpert $70K
