We already know the winners of this year’s Oscars. The critics’ favorite, i.e., left the gala with the statuette Da’Vine Joy Randolph for the best supporting female role in a film “Winter Solstice“. Also nominated in this category were: America Ferrera (“Barbie”), Danielle Brooks (“Purple color”), Jodie Foster (“Nyad”) and Emily Blunt (“Oppenheimer”).
The actress from the stage thanked her mother for believing in her and insisting that she fulfill herself as an actress and singer. Randolph would also like to thank all the people she met on her professional path, especially her… PR specialists “even though they asked me not to”.
In the press room, she was asked whether the award was a confirmation that it was worth fighting for her position in such a difficult industry as the film industry. “I think I would be selling myself cheap if I was just doing it for the rewards. The beautiful and yet very difficult thing about acting is that it requires you to be resilient and confident and to believe in yourself when no one else believes in you. When you hear rejections all the time, but you stubbornly say to yourself: ‘No, I’m going to keep going'” – the 37-year-old replied.
However, the actress does not hide that the acting profession is very demanding in terms of mental health. However, she added that at the same time it can give strength. “This profession poses many challenges to our mental health. But it can also be empowering, empowering you in a way no one else has experienced. And for that I am grateful to him. Plus, it’s a job that keeps you close to the ground. You surround yourself with people who surround you with love and stay close to reality. I am adamant in my belief that this is what one is called to do, that it is what is in one’s heart. I know waiting for roles can be frustrating. But when it finally happens, you realize that it was worth it”.
The Oscar was not the only award she received for her role as Mary in “Winter Solstice”. Its shelf literally bends under the weight of statuettes, which includes, among others: Golden Globe, BAFTA or Critics’ Choice. “The greatest reward are the connections I have made thanks to this role. I didn’t know what to expect from the premiere. I wondered whether the reactions to my heroine would be aggressive. I got beautiful relationships with people who go through something similar to my character. And a support system I can rely on, and friends I’ve made through this project” – she admitted in a conversation with journalists.
While accepting her Oscar, Randolph said she always wanted to be different from the rest. And that now he feels like he can be himself. When asked about it by journalists, she admitted that she knew she was different from childhood. There were few people on television who looked like her, so for a long time she believed that she would not be able to succeed as an actress. However, time showed that things turned out differently.
“I always knew I was different. I thought maybe I needed to change my dreams of being an actress because for years, when I watched TV as a young girl, I didn’t see anyone who looked like me. I wonder what I can do to somehow blend in. I thought that blending in with the crowd meant success. But in the end I realized that success would actually be if I became myself and did what I wanted. This is what I focused on and this is what I surrendered to. Today I am myself” – said the Oscar winner.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph also mentioned her mother and teacher, whom she thanked from the stage after receiving the award: “It is thanks to the people who encouraged me that I am where I am today. The work I do, my authenticity, allows me to introduce a new standard. A standard for telling universal stories of black and brown people. And they can be accepted and liked by the masses. These are not just black series or black films, but universal stories that can be enjoyed by everyone”.
IN “Winter Solstice” she played Mary, a cook at an elite school whose son had recently died in Vietnam. An important element of her film character included, among others: accessories she wears. One of them was… her grandmother’s glasses. “I knew it would be a very difficult role for me. And that I will have to reveal my weaknesses. I knew Grandma was someone who would make it very easy for me to get back into the spotlight. There were many such women – I did very in-depth research. I wanted to show them with their hairstyles and accessories such as glasses to pay tribute to them. I reintroduced them into the world and sent them a love letter”.
At the end of the conversation with the media, she said how she encourages others not to give up on their dreams: “If you are from marginalized communities, you go towards imagination and creativity because you have nothing else. What remains is the use of the innate ability to create. It is a gift that can serve us. When you have the resources, using them becomes easy. I feel like the black community is great at exploiting him despite the lack of resources. This is our super power. And sometimes we should applaud ourselves for it. And think better about yourself. We have enough, we lack nothing”.