TV super-producer Ryan Murphy has used his speech accepting an honourary Golden Globe to instead pay moving tribute to some of his gay, lesbian and transgender actors.
The 2023 Golden Globe Awards are underway in California, and Ryan Murphy received the Carol Burnett Award for his contributions to television.
In his acceptance speech, Murphy paid tribute to “fearless” LGBTIQ+ heroes of his he brought to the ceremony. They included LGBTIQ+ actors MJ Rodriguez, Billy Porter, Matt Bomer, Jeremy Pope and Niecy Nash.
Murphy kicked off the speech by reminding the audience that last year Rodriguez won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a TV Drama for Pose.
“In doing so, MJ from Newark, New Jersey, became the first trans actress ever to win a Golden Globe,” Murphy said.
“I thought, wow, how I would have loved for MJ to be on the stage getting the standing ovation she deserved for making history.”
Last year, the Golden Globes ceremony wasn’t on TV. So accepting his award Ryan Murphy asked the Golden Globes audience to stand and finally give her the standing ovation “she deserves to hear”. They did, and it was beautiful.
Ryan Murphy pays tribute to Billy Porter
Pose actor Billy Porter introduced and presented Murphy with the award on stage. In his speech, Murphy described Porter as “one of the most iconic actors of his generation”.
“Growing up in Pittsburgh, Billy constantly heard that he was not worthy. Said Billy, ‘when I demanded to be seen as a three-dimensional human being, the work dried up.’
“But Billy Porter kept at it and now he’s one of the most iconic actors of his generation with two Tonys, a Grammy, and an Emmy award for Pose to show for it.
“Billy Porter has changed our perceptions by changing fashion,” Murphy said.
“He’s the one who ushered in this new movement by wearing a black velvet tuxedo gown on the Oscars red carpet.
“I asked him to wear that outfit tonight, and he said, ‘Bitch, it’s in a museum.’ But he whipped up this fuchsia replica for me. I love it, and I love him.”
MJ Rodriquez made history last year as the first trans actress to win a Golden Globe. that ceremony never happened, so tonight Ryan Murphy shouted her out during his own speech so she could get her own standing ovation. love, love, love pic.twitter.com/mJOuK3DY5w
— Spencer Althouse (@SpencerAlthouse) January 11, 2023
Here is that beautiful moment inside the room when Ryan Murphy offers recognition for Pose Golden Globe winner Michaela Jae Rodríguez as she gets an overdue standing ovation. pic.twitter.com/iFZaAf9kjp
— Chris Gardner (@chrissgardner) January 11, 2023
‘It’s hard being an LGBTQ kid in America’
Murphy also said actress Niecy Nash “chose love not fear”. and after coming out has “had the biggest year of her entire career.”
He went on, “I’ve dedicated most of my lifetime achievement speech here tonight to these actors I’ve worked with to make a point of hope and progress.
“When I was a young person at home in the ’70s watching The Carol Burnett Show, I never ever saw a person like me getting an award or even being a character on a TV show.
“It’s hard being an LGBTQ kid in America. In fact, all over the world, then and now. And I have one word for you, Florida.”
He told young people watching his speech “there is a way forward”. He advised them to use his five friends “as your North stars.”
“You are often told you will have to hide your light to survive,” he said.
“Tonight I offer up MJ and Billy and Niecy and Matt and Jeremy as examples of possibility. For 25 years that’s all I’ve ever tried to do here in Hollywood.
“My mission was to take the invisible, the unloved, and make them the heroes I long to see but never did in pop culture.”
The One, The Only, #RyanMurphy ! Congratulations King. pic.twitter.com/GntcFNrAdZ
— Ronen Rubinstein 🧜🏼♂️ (@RonenRubinstein) January 11, 2023
Billy Porter pays tribute to Ryan Murphy’s ‘fearless art’
Actor Billy Porter introduced Murphy, and the actor said he “spent many a year teetering on the precipice of obscurity.”
“It was you, Ryan, and your fearless art that spoke to me, comforted me. It let me know that if I could just hold on a little while longer, my time would come.
“Fast forward to 16 years later. I got the call for a ground-breaking series called Pose.
“Ryan turned out to be the singular yes our community needed to finally have our stories, our lives, our souls honored.”
Ryan Murphy is known for TV series including Pose, American Horror Story and Glee.
Read also: Cate Blanchett wins Golden Globe for lesbian role in Tár
For the latest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) news in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
No Comment