Speeches during the 2021 Golden Globes were often funny and sometimes politically relevant, but no speech was as touching as Taylor Simone Ledward's acceptance speech for Chadwick Boseman. The late actor, who passed away in August following a battle with colon cancer, picked up the Globe for his performance in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, one of two acclaimed showings in 2020. (He also earned raves for his role in Da 5 Bloods.)
Ledward began the speech by thanking those closest to Boseman, but also took the time to highlight what's been most important in 2020: appreciating our loved ones. "He would thank his parents, he would thank his ancestors for their guidance and their sacrifices ... I don't have his words. But we have to take all the moment to celebrate those we love. And hon, you keep them coming."
It's not the first time she's accepted an award on his behalf — she also appeared earlier this year at the Gotham Awards, delivering a similarly beautiful speech:
He is the most honest person I'd ever met. He actively searched for it, in himself, those around him, and the moment. The truth can be a very easy thing for the self to avoid. But if one does not live in truth, then it's impossible to live life. So it became how he lived his life, day in and day out. Imperfect but determined. He was blessed to live many lives within his concentrated one. He developed his understanding of what it meant to be the one, the none, and the all. 'A vessel to be poured into and out of,' he'd said.
And it's likely that this won't be the last we see of Ledward — Boseman seems likely to pick up a posthumous Oscar for Ma Rainey's Bottom, joining 16 others who won the award following their passings. We'll be preparing our Kleenex accordingly.
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