The 35‑year‑old Harlem native won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Perfidia Beverly Hills in One Battle After Another, becoming one of the few Black women to earn the honour in the award’s 83‑year history. Known for her fierce stage presence and meticulous choreography, Taylor surprised the crowd by turning around to show off a bedazzled thong sewn into her gown, joking that it was her “party in the back”. Amid laughter and applause, she launched into an emotional speech that would resonate far beyond the ballroom.
Rather than reciting a prepared list of names, Taylor spoke from the heart. She thanked her two daughters, telling them to put down their phones and watch their mother’s triumph. She expressed gratitude to her parents and the “tribe” of loved ones who keep her grounded, and she singled out Paul Thomas Anderson, the film’s director, for giving her space to explore such a complex role. The most memorable part of her speech came when she addressed “my Brown sisters and little Brown girls.” “Our softness is not a liability. Our depth is not too much. Our light does not need permission to shine,” she declared, reminding young viewers that they belong in every room and that their dreams deserve space. In a year when representation and mental‑health awareness remain critical conversations, Taylor used her platform to send an empowering message.
One Battle After Another is a politically charged drama directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall and Chase Infiniti. Taylor plays Perfidia Beverly Hills, a former leader of the radical group the French 75 who has a child with Bob Ferguson (DiCaprio) and maintains a complicated relationship with Steven Lockjaw (Penn). Perfidia’s story is notable because she grapples with postpartum depression, feeling “unheard, unseen, not beautiful and like a piece of meat”. In preparing for the role, Taylor dug into diverse experiences of postpartum depression, noting that every woman’s journey is different and that she had to “go down a rabbit hole” to understand those differences. She has spoken openly about how Perfidia’s actions—leaving her child to reclaim her sense of self—are not meant to be judged but to spark conversations about maternal mental health. The film’s depiction of a Black revolutionary who uses her sexuality and navigates mental‑health challenges adds nuance to Hollywood’s portrayal of motherhood, activism and womanhood.
Taylor’s Golden Globe moment is the latest milestone in a career spanning music, film, fashion and dance. Born Teyana Me Shay Jacqueline Taylor in Harlem on December 10 1990, she began choreographing professionally at fifteen, including Beyoncé’s “Ring the Alarm” video. She signed first with Pharrell Williams’ Star Trak imprint and later joined Kanye West’s GOOD Music. Her debut album VII (2014) topped the Billboard R&B/Hip‑Hop Albums chart, and subsequent releases—K.T.S.E. (2018), The Album (2020) and Escape Room (2025)—earned critical acclaim, with Escape Room securing a Grammy nomination. As an actress, she has appeared in Stomp the Yard: Homecoming, Madea’s Big Happy Family, Coming 2 America, A Thousand and One and, in 2026, The Rip. Under the moniker “Spike Tee,” she directs music videos and has won BET Awards for Video Director of the Year.
Her entrepreneurial flair extends to fashion and fitness. In 2013 she collaborated with Adidas to design the Harlem GLC sneaker, which reportedly became one of the fastest‑selling shoes in the brand’s history. She later launched the “Fade 2 Fit” workout program and its accompanying clothing line, inspired by her iconic appearance in Kanye West’s “Fade” video. In 2022 she won The Masked Singer as “Firefly,” becoming the youngest contestant to claim the title. Even her personal life has made headlines: she married NBA player Iman Shumpert in 2016, shares two daughters with him, and finalized their divorce in 2024. A surgery to remove a noncancerous growth on her vocal cords in August 2025 briefly sidelined her, but her triumphant return to the stage underscores her resilience.
Teyana Taylor’s Golden Globe is significant for several reasons. It recognizes her ability to carry complex stories and to portray characters who defy stereotypes. Her character Perfidia fuses the roles of revolutionary, lover and mother while confronting postpartum depression, and Taylor’s willingness to explore that emotional landscape invites viewers to empathize with mothers who feel invisible. By publicly thanking her family and calling out to Black and Brown girls to embrace their softness and strength, she asserted that representation is not just about seeing faces on screen but about hearing voices and experiences rarely centered in mainstream cinema.
Looking ahead, Taylor is slated to appear in The Rip and to make her feature directorial debut with Get Lite. Given her track record of innovation—from music and choreography to fashion and film—her next moves will likely continue to push boundaries. For now, her 2026 Golden Globe win stands as a milestone in entertainment and a reminder that Black women’s stories deserve the spotlight.
© Photo: VOA - Domaine Public