‘The Holdovers’ Star Da’Vine Joy Randolph Delivers Beautiful and Emotional Acceptance Speech at 2024 Oscars

Actress Da’Vine Joy Randolph just won her first Academy Award.

Tonight at the 96th Academy Awards, the 37-year-old actress took home the award for Best Supporting Actress for her moving performance as Mary Lamb in The Holdovers. The other nominees in the category included ​​Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer), Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple), America Ferrera (Barbie) and Jodie Foster (Nyad).

Randolph, who was fighting back tears, began her speech by saying, “God is so good.” She continued, “I didn't think I was supposed to be doing this as a career. I started off as a singer. And my mother said to me, ‘Go across that street to that theatre department. There's something for you there.’ And I thank my mother for doing that.”

The Philadelphia-born actress also thanked everyone who has been there to support her on this journey. “I am so grateful to all you beautiful people out here. For so long, I’ve always wanted to be different, and now I realize I just need to be myself,” Randolph continued.

She concluded her speech by giving a special thanks to her acting teacher, Ron Van Lieu. “When I was the only Black girl in that class when you saw me and you told me I was enough,” she said. “And when I told you, I don't see myself, he 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.”