As viewers of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom likely predicted, the late Chadwick Boseman won Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama at Sunday’s Golden Globes for his turn in the film. As she did in January following his Gotham Awards win, Boseman’s widow, Taylor Simone Ledward, gave an impassioned acceptance speech on the actor’s behalf. “He would thank God,†she says, fighting back tears. “He would thank his parents. He would thank his ancestors for their guidance and their sacrifices.â€
“He would say something beautiful,†Ledward continues. “Something inspiring, something that would amplify that little voice inside of all of us that tells you you can. That tells you to keep going. That calls you back to what you are meant to be doing at this moment in history. He would thank Mr. George C. Wolfe, Mr. Denzel Washington, lots of people at Netflix. He would thank Mrs. Viola Davis,†among many others.
“I don’t have his words, but we have to take all the moments to celebrate those we love, so thank you, HFPA, for this opportunity to do exactly that,†she concludes. “And, hon? You keep ’em coming.â€