Teyana Taylor wins first Golden Globe and delivers emotional message to ‘brown sisters’

Teyana Taylor marked a major milestone in her career at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards, winning her first-ever Globe for best supporting actress in a motion picture for her role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another.

The multi-hyphenate entertainer was honoured for her performance as the revolutionary Perfidia Beverly Hills in the black comedy, beating out Ariana Grande for Wicked: For Good, Amy Madigan for Weapons, Emily Blunt for The Smashing Machine and Sentimental Value co-stars Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas.

Overcome with emotion, Taylor admitted she had not prepared a speech because she did not think she would win.

“I almost didn’t even write a speech because I didn’t think I would,” she said, before breaking into tears onstage.

She thanked God, her family and the cast and crew of One Battle After Another, before delivering a message that quickly became one of the most powerful moments of the night.

“Most importantly, to my brown sisters and little brown girls watching tonight, our softness is not a liability,” Taylor said. “Our light does not need permission to shine. We belong in every room we walk into. Our voices matter and our dream deserves space.”

Taylor was one of several cast members from One Battle After Another nominated this year, alongside three-time Globe winner Leonardo DiCaprio and breakout star Chase Infiniti.

Despite being her first Golden Globe nomination and win, Taylor has long been praised for her acting, particularly for her performance in A.V. Rockwell’s 2023 drama A Thousand and One. She first rose to prominence as a singer, dancer and choreographer, before expanding her career into film and television.

Speaking to reporters in the press room after her win, Taylor reflected on her journey.

“I’ve been doing this since I was 15 years old,” she said. “What this was for me was God reminding me that the wait is not punishment, it’s preparation for what’s already written.”

“If everything had happened my way on my time, I don’t even know if I would be standing up here,” she added. “I’m so happy that I stayed patient.”

In a recent interview, Taylor described her One Battle After Another character as a woman who has spent her life showing up for everyone else.

“It’s very seldom that you see a woman actually able to be selfish and show up for herself without the world going for her throat,” she said.

On Sunday night, Taylor did exactly that, stepping into a new chapter of her career as a Golden Globe winner.