Da’Vine Joy Randolph Wins Oscar for Best Supporting Actress: ‘Thank You for Visiting’

Da’Vine Joy Randolph just took home the gold! The actress won her first Oscar on the 96th Annual Academy Awards, winning the coveted award for her acclaimed performance as Mary Lamb in “The Holdovers.”

In Alexander Payne’s drama, Randolph plays Mary Lamb, a cook and grieving mother at a New England boarding school who, through the school holiday break, develops an unlikely friendship with a professor (played by Paul Giamatti) and a student (Dominic Sessa). . . Previous Best Supporting Actress winners Lupita Nyong’o, Regina King and more presented the statuette to Randolph, who swept the awards season for his performance, winning a Golden Globe, BAFTA, Critics Choice and SAG awards ahead of Oscar night.

“God is so good,” Randolph said through tears at the tip of her speech. “I didn’t think I should pursue it professionally,” she continued, recalling the moment when her mother encouraged her to pursue a profession in theater. She then thanked her mother and all of the individuals who “entered” her path, “introduced” her and guided her.

“For so long I always wanted to be different, but now I realize I just have to be myself,” she said. “And thank you, thank you for seeing me.” She also thanked all the ladies who were by her side, including her teachers, team and publicist.

“I pray to God that I can do it more than once. Thank you for watching me spend a blessed night.”

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“It all comes down to choice,” she said, discussing the range of roles she was capable of tackle. “And you’ve to have balls or ovaries, as we should always actually say. Because it’s going to require strategy. To stand your ground, you wish the need and confidence to imagine in yourself and your goals.