Tracee Ellis Ross made many proud and simultaneously made history Sunday night (January 8) at the 74th Annual Golden Globe awards. The Black-ish actress took home her very first Golden Globe for best actress in a TV comedy and the last black woman to do it was Debbie Allen in 1983.
When the 44-year-old actress was told of her historic win backstage, Ross was visibly taken back.
“It means a lot,” she told reporters. “I’m going to have to ponder [it] for the next couple days. More of it is for our industry to ponder. The work is there. The stories are there.”
The category was stacked with formidable performances including Sarah Jessica Parker, Insecure’s Issa Rae as well as Gina Rodriguez for Jane The Virgin. Yet, when Ellis took to the stage donning her trademark red lipstick, she accepted the award on behalf of women of color who are still fighting to have their stories told.
“This is for all the women, women of color and colorful people whose stories, ideas, thoughts are not always considered worthy and valid and important, but I want you to know that I see you, we see you,” Ross said. “It is an honor to be on this show, Black-ish,to continue expanding the way we are seen and known and to show the magic, and the beauty and the sameness of a story and stories that are outside of where the industry usually looks.”
Congrats to Ross on her well-deserved win, and let’s hope the Hollywood Foreign Press Association doesn’t wait another 33 years before awarding another woman of color in the same category.
