Angela Bassett, ‘Abbott Elementary’ win big at 2023 Golden Globes

After weathering nearly two years of controversy and scandal, the Golden Globes returned to television Tuesday night clearly intent on addressing one of the show’s key criticisms — its lack of diversity.

As theGrio previously reported, this was the Globes’ first live telecast since the Hollywood Foreign Press Association was called out for its lack of diversity and other ethical issues in a series of reports in 2021 by the Los Angeles Times. Last year’s ceremony was not televised at all. But since then, the HFPA has made significant changes, including actively recruiting Black members to the international organization. Still, all eyes were on Tuesday’s ceremony to see if there would be diverse representation not only behind the scenes but also among the talent recognized on camera, as well.

Refreshingly, the night was a rewarding one for Black talent. Angela Bassett made history when she won Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for her performance in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” becoming the first actress to win a Golden Globe for a Marvel Cinematic Universe film.

During her speech, she recalled winning the Golden Globe for “What’s Love Got to Do With It” in 1994. She added, “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 … and it requires the true sense of yourself.”

“By the grace of God, I stand here,” she continued. “I stand here grateful.” She went on to thank the HFPA, her “amazing” team, her family, her “Marvel / Disney family,” and more. Reflecting on shooting “Wakanda Forever” while grieving the loss of Chadwick Boseman, Bassett said, “Weeping may come in the evening, but joy comes in the morning. We embarked on this journey together with love; we mourned, we loved, we healed, and we were surrounded each and every day by the light and the spirit of Chadwick Boseman.” She concluded by recognizing the history-making nature of her win, saying it belongs, “to all of us.”

It was also a big night for “Abbott Elementary,” ABC’s hit sitcom that took 2022 by storm. The series took home one of the biggest awards of the night for “Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy.” Creator Quinta Brunson and co-star Tyler James Williams both won for their performances in the series as well, each sharing powerful tributes to their collaborators on the series.

Williams kicked off his speech by thanking his cast and crew, calling it an “honor” to work with them every day. “I pray that this is a win for [character] Gregory Eddie, and for his story and for stories like his. That we may understand that his story is just as important as all of the other stories that have to be told out here,” said Williams

Eddie Murphy was honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award this year, making him the fifth Black person ever to win the coveted award. The award was presented to Murphy by Tracy Morgan and former co-star Jamie Lee Curtis. Check out his speech below:

Zendaya, who was not in attendance for tonight’s ceremony, also earned a Golden Globe for her performance as Rue in HBO’s “Euphoria.” In another major win for representation, Michelle Yeoh of “Everything Everywhere All at Once” won Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy.

Check out the full winners’ list at the official Golden Globes site, here.

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