America Ferrera accepts SeeHer Award at 29th Critics Choice Awards.Photo:Kevin Winter/Getty
Kevin Winter/Getty
Barbiegives back to Gloria asMargot RobbiepresentsAmerica Ferrerawith the SeeHer Award at the 2024Critics Choice Awards.
“I imagine being the first in any field can be isolating. I imagine it puts an enormous pressure on you to be perfect, to play it safe,” Robbie said. “But what I admire the most about America is how she has handled that pressure while never being afraid to continue to speak the truth when it counts the most.”
After Ferrera took the stage, she launched into a passionate speech about what the SeeHer Award meant to her, and shared that the honor “couldn’t be more meaningful to me” due to her roots.
Margot Robbie presents America Ferrera with SeeHer Award.Kevin Winter/Getty
“I yearned to see people like myself on screen as full humans. When I started working over 20 years ago, that seems impossible, I know. It seemed impossible that anyone could make a career of portraying fully dimensional Latina characters,” she said. “But because of writers, producers and directors… I and some of my fellow Latina colleagues have been supremely blessed to have brought to life some fierce and fantastic women.”
Her speech appeared to have touched many women in the audience includingBrie Larson, who appeared to tear up during her speech, andTaraji P. Hensonwho was caught nodding along to what Ferrera was saying.The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pantsstar also dedicated a part of her speech to Barbie directorGreta Gerwig.
“Thank you for proving through your incredible mastery as a filmmaker that women’s stories have no difficulty achieving cinematic greatness and box office history at the same time,” Ferrera said to the director. “And that unabashedly telling female stories does not diminish your powers, it expands them.”
“Thank you to our Kens, Noah Baumbach… [and]Ryan Goslingfor all being man enough to support women’s work, you are all brilliant and you are all ‘Kenough,’ " she added.
She even added a shoutout to her husband,Ryan Piers Williams, who also made a cameo inBarbie, saying, “You see me and my dreams and you believe and support them as if they were your own, I love you.”
The SeeHer Award was established in 2017 as a collaboration between the Critics Choice Association and an international marketing and media organization collective. The award honors the silver screen’s leading ladies who advocate for gender equality and portray authentic, boundary-pushing characters.
Previous recipients of the SeeHer Award includeViola Davisin 2017,Zendayain 2021,Halle Berryin 2022 andJanelle Monáein 2023.
TheUgly Bettystar launched the digital lifestyle communityPoderistaswith nine prominent activists and businesswomen includingEva Longoria.Poderistaslooks to uplift Latina women to inspire and make change in their lives, communities and nation. Ferrera’s activism also extends to public speaking, with appearances at TED, the DNC, March for Our Lives and on several television documentaries.
Audiences reacted similarly. “I’ve had a lot of moms come up to me and say, ‘I was watching with my kids, and afterward they said, ‘Why were you crying?’ ”she told PEOPLE.
“You know that, ‘You’re so beautiful. You’re so smart and kills me that you don’t think you’re good enough.’ That was pretty good,” Costner said to a surprised Ferrera.
Barbieleads the nominationsat this year’s Critics Choice Awards with a record-breaking 18. Among them, Ferrera received a best supporting actress nod, along with best actress for Robbie and best supporting actor for Gosling.
SeePEOPLE’s full coverageof the 29th annual Critics Choice Awards as they’re broadcasting live from Barker Hangar in Santa Monica on The CW.
source: people.com
