It was a strange and lackluster Golden Globes, but there were still some definite highlights, including out actress Ariana DeBose winning Best Supporting Actress for her role as Anita in West Side Story.
After a year marred by controversy and a global pandemic, the Golden Globes went with a much less glamorous award ceremony this year, announcing the winners online in lieu of having an online ceremony or a televised event. Still, when DeBose won the award, we couldn’t help but cheer.
DeBose has been collecting praise and awards for her turn as the iconic Anita in Steven Speilberg’s remake of West Side Story. She’s already won awards from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the New York Film Critics Online, and several other groups.
“There is still work to be done,” Debose wrote on Instagram about her win, “but when you’ve worked so hard on a project- infused with blood, sweat, tears and love- having the work seen and acknowledged is always going to be special. Thank you.”
This Golden Globe victory could help DeBose on her way to becoming just the third Latina actress to win an Oscar for acting. Rita Moreno originally won for the same role in West Side Story in 1961, and in 1991, Mercedes Ruehl, who has a Cuban grandfather, won for The Fisher King. DeBose would also become the first Afro-Latina to win an acting Oscar if she wins. DeBose is slated to host this week's episode of Saturday Night Live.
DeBose wasn’t the only Afro-Latina member of the LGBTQ+ community who won an award at the Globes. Michaela Jaé Rodriguez finally got her much-deserved trophy for her starring role as Blanca Evangelista in the final season of Pose.
“This is the door that is going to Open the door for many more young talented individuals,” Rodriguez wrote on Instagram about her win. “They will see that it is more than possible. They will see that a young Black Latina girl from Newark New Jersey who had a dream, to change the minds others would WITH LOVE. LOVE WINS. To my young LGBTQAI babies WE ARE HERE the door is now open now reach the stars!!!!!”
We can’t wait to see how many more awards these two amazing women earn throughout their careers.
