Chadwick Boseman's Wife Cries While Accepting Best Actor Golden Globe Award On His Behalf
Chadwick Boseman posthumously won the Golden Globe award in the Best Actor (Drama) category for his performance in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, and his wife Taylor Simone Ledward gave a moving acceptance speech on his behalf that was as memorable as the late actor's legacy.
Visibly emotional and fighting back tears from the moment Boseman's name was called, Ledward channeled her husband's words in her speech. "He would thank God, he would thank his parents, he would thank the ancestors for their guidance and sacrifices," she said. “He would say something beautiful... Something that would amplify that little voice inside of all of us that tells you to keep going, that calls you back to what you are meant to be doing at this moment in history.”
Watch Ledward's full speech below:
Boseman died at 43 on August 28, 2020 following a four-year battle with colon cancer, a diagnosis he hadn’t shared publicly. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom was his final film role, though he will best be remembered as the Black Panther in the Marvel universe.
Indeed, earlier in the Golden Globes telecast, a segment featuring a bunch of kindergarten kids getting quizzed about this year's nominees proved Boseman's impact and enduring legacy. When shown a picture of the late actor, all the children immediately identified him as the Black Panther, even though they couldn’t do the same for any of the other nominees in various categories.
During her speech, the camera at one point also panned to Boseman’s Ma Rainey Black Bottom co-star, Viola Davis and her husband, Julius Tennon. Davis was also emotional about Boseman’s win for his epic portrayal.