Da'Vine Joy Randolph takes home Best Supporting Actress Oscar
Da'Vine Joy Randolph has clinched the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for her role in The Holdovers, directed by Alexander Payne. This is her first Academy Award, following a string of Critics' Guild honors, including the Critics Choice Award, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA. She triumphed over nominees Emily Blunt, Danielle Brooks, America Ferrera, and Jodie Foster at the 96th Academy Awards ceremony, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Randolph's career and role in 'The Holdovers'
Randolph's career is filled with accolades, such as a Tony nomination in 2012 for her performance in Ghost The Musical on Broadway. In 2020, her role in the comedic biopic Dolemite is My Name garnered her Best Supporting Actor wins and Breakthrough Performance awards from various arenas. In The Holdovers, she portrays Mary Lamb, the school's chain-smoking head cook who provides meals for the main characters while mourning her son lost in the Vietnam War.
She broke down in tears during her acceptance speech
In her heartfelt acceptance speech, Randolph expressed gratitude to her mother for steering her toward theater classes after a stint as a singer. "For so long I wanted to be different, and now I realize I just need to be myself." Interestingly, she singled out her publicist for special appreciation, emphasizing their support throughout her journey. Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel playfully granted her a do-over, humorously suggesting, "Your publicist needs a publicist."
Take a look at her winning speech
Randolph joined an elite group of Black women Oscar winners
With this incredible victory, Randolph joined an elite group of only 10 other Black women who have won a competitive Oscar since the Academy of Arts and Sciences began. She now shares this prestigious honor with Hattie McDaniel, Jennifer Hudson, Octavia Spencer, Lupita Nyong'o, and Viola Davis. Interestingly, Angela Bassett received an honorary Oscar earlier this year at the Academy's Governors Awards. Meanwhile, The Holdovers, also starring Paul Giamatti and Dominic Sessa, is now streaming on Peacock.
Meanwhile, know more about 'The Holdovers'
Payne's The Holdovers secured nominations in various categories, including best picture, actor (Giamatti), original screenplay (David Hemingson), and editing (Kevin Tent). Despite the array of nominations, the film did not secure any awards except for Randolph. The storyline revolves around Giamatti, portraying a strict professor compelled to supervise students, including newcomer Sessa, during the Christmas break. Premiering to acclaim at the Telluride Film Festival, the movie amassed $42M at the global box office.
