Zendaya stole the night of 2021 Critics Choice Awards on Sunday. She was nominated for Best Actress for her role in Malcolm & Marie. But that is not why she was the queen of the night. She became the fifth recipient of the SeeHer Award.
The actress was presented with the award by her co-star, John Washington during the ceremony. He introduced the honor by reflecting on their time together as they worked together in the Netflix flick.
The actor shared what stood out most to him other than her incredible talent, was her wisdom and discernment. He added, “At 24 years old, Zendaya is already a formidable actor, but she’s also a formidable force for good.” Zendaya expressed her gratitude to John as she said how lucky she feels to have him as a friend.
She said, “I’m going to start by saying thank you so much to John David Washington. I’m incredibly lucky to have you as a friend, but also a scene partner.” The actress further recognized her work as both an actress and an activist. She added, “Thank you to the Critics Choice Association for this incredible honor and SeeHer. This means so much to me.”
Zendaya explained how she was thinking of what to say and the one thing that came back to her was “gratitude”. She shared how the word keeps coming to her mind especially after the year everyone has had. The Spider-Man alum said how important it is to continue to be grateful for every single moment, big and small.
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Zendaya Is Grateful
“To be grateful for the people in our world and in our life, that make the work we do possible, to continue to make sure we hold on to our loved ones a little bit tighter, make sure we call them, acknowledge them, and tell them we love them,” she continued. “And take in moments like this.”
Zendaya further shared how she would not be here if it weren’t for the incredible women that have paved the way for her. She expressed she is extremely grateful for those women. The actress said, “Thank you so, so much. And not to overuse the word, but I am incredibly grateful for this moment.”
She has become the fifth actress to receive the honor. Kristen Bell, Viola Davis, Claire Foy and Gal Gadot were the previous successors. However, before Zendaya accepted this honor, several women shared their support for the SeeHer receipient.
“I don’t want to inspire the next generation, I want them to inspire me, and that’s the way I think it should be,” Bell shared. “These younger generations of actresses — Zendaya being a shining star among them — really are pushing the conversation of progress in a way that is new and wonderful, and I am excited and grateful to listen to them.”
This year’s Critics Choice Awards is hosted by Taye Diggs and follows an in-person/virtual hybrid format amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
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