Black entertainers and their presence at the 2023 Golden Globes had the award show trending after making its return to live television. From red carpet slays to first-time winners, jokey flirting, and a lil’ shade-throwing, here are the moments that had the audience and innanet in awe, cackling, and shambles.
Sheryl Lee Ralph gagged folks online when her self-love message to her younger self included a lil’ Kardashian shade.
She told In Style magazine on the carpet:
“There’s nothing wrong with your nose. There is nothing wrong with the shade of your skin. There is nothing wrong with the way your hair grows out of your head. And there is certainly nothing wrong with your lips because there will be some people called Kardashians and they will pay $10,000 for your lips. Hang in there 15-year-old Sheryl Lee Ralph, you’re good!”
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky took a parents’ night out to stun in black ensembles, though they didn’t walk the carpet. But, BabyFace did and had the chain on, chest out with the smile to match.
Viola Davis and husband Julius Tennon and Niecy Nash and wife Jessica Betts had us doing Caresha’s ’11:11 God please’ prayer!
Billy Porter‘s look shined, while Donald Glover gave ‘casual-meets-black-tie.’ and Jay Ellis brought the mustache out to play! Jennifer Hudson had a one-up on the Golden Globes trophies with her sparkling dress, and Laverne Cox served curves on curves in a satin blue gown.
Angela Bassett added a second Golden Globe award to her career wins on Tuesday. The first came in 1994 for her portrayal of Tina Turner in What’s Love Got to Do With It. Last night, Bassett won best supporting actress in a motion picture for her role as Queen Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. She dedicated a portion of her acceptance speech to her friend and Black Panther castmate, the late Chadwick Boseman.
Zendaya was not present at this year’s show, But the actress, who plays Rue on Euphoria, snagged her first Golden Globe for best performance by an actress in a TV series, drama.
Tyler James Williams, who became a household name with the hit show Everybody Hates Chris, also won his first Golden Globe!
The actor took home the best supporting actor in a TV comedy series award for his portrayal of Gregory on Abbott Elementary.
“I pray this is a win for Gregory Eddie and for his story and stories like this, that we understand his story is just as important as all the other stories that have to be told out here,” Tyler said in his acceptance speech.
Quinta Brunson’s Emmy-winning show was the most-nominated show at the 2023 Golden Globes, with five nods total. Abbott Elementary won best television series, musical, or comedy against nominees like FX’s The Bear, HBO Max’s Hacks, Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building, and Netflix’s Wednesday.
Like Williams, Brunson also won her first Golden Globe for ‘best actress in a TV series, musical or comedy’ for her role as Janine. Zendaya, Tyler, and Quinta were all first-time nominees.
Brad Pitt had the ladies weak in the knees with his ensemble and combover on Tuesday. Regina Hall and Quinta Brunson had attendees and folks online cackling after jokingly shooting their shot at the actor, who was seated near the front of the stage.
Hall joked that Pitt was angry after the announcers confused her last name. The crowd was also rolling when Hall said her name was Mrs. Pitt and that Brad was angry at the “disrespectful” confusion.
Meanwhile, Brunson gave Brad a double-back look during her acceptance speech, pausing to greet him. And the crowd lost it as she tried to “pull it together” afterward.
Tracy Morgan presented Eddie Murphy with the Cecil B. DeMille Award in honor of his 40+ year career. During his speech, Murphy thanked his children and his agents before offering the “definitive blueprint” for show business success. But what seemed like a serious moment quickly had the audience bursting with laughter.
He said, in part:
“Just do these three things. Pay your taxes, mind your business and keep Will Smith’s wife’s name out your f**king mouth.”
Murphy’s punchline is a reference to the 2022 Oscars when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on stage for joking about Jada Pinkett Smith’s bald look.
As the show wrapped, people online discussed Jerrod Carmichael‘s performance as the show’s first Black host.
Some argued that he took his comments too far, and others praised his satirical comedy.
During his opening monologue, he said the Hollywood Foreign Press Association hired him because he’s Black, highlighting the recent Golden Globes diversity criticisms.
Carmichael highlighted the event’s location, The Beverly Hilton, as the “hotel that killed Whitney Houston.”
At one point, he told the audience he didn’t think he’d spend so much time telling them to “shut the f**k up.”
