Actress Da'Vine Joy Randolph won her first Oscar during the 96th Academy Awards Sunday night (March 10). The Broadway star accepted her award for Best Supporting Actress after her critically acclaimed performance as Mary Lamb in The Holdovers.
Randolph thanked her mother, team, mentors, and faith for the monumental win in an emotional acceptance speech.
"God is so good," the entertainer opened up. "I thank you to all the people who have stepped in my path and has been there for me, and has ushered me and guided me… for so long, I’ve always wanted to be different, and now I realize I just need to be myself."
The On The Come Up star also told the story about how legendary acting educator Ron Van Lieu encouraged her to pursue her dreams as a young child.
"I thank you when I was the only Black girl in that class. When you saw me, and you told me, 'I was enough,'" she tearfully told the star-studded crowd. "And when I told you, 'I don’t see myself,' you said, 'That’s fine. We’re going to forge our own path. You’re going to lay a trail for yourself.'"
"I pray to God that I get to do this more than once. I thank you for seeing me. Have a blessed night. Thank you," Randolph concluded.
Last month, Randolph took home a Screen Actors Guild award for her lauded role in The Holdovers.
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