The glamour and glitz of the entertainment industry often obscures the talent, dedication, and hard work of those who are behind it. There are some events and platforms which recognize and honour these celebrated personalities. Recently, several celebrities in the fields of music, film, television and fashion have received significant honors that distinguish them.
The 93rd Academy Awards, held on April 25, 2021, saw a plethora of talented individuals being recognized for their contributions to cinema. Frances McDormand won the Best Actress award for her powerful portrayal of “Nomadland”, the third time in her career. She is now one of the rare performers to have received three or more Oscars. Chloe Zhao was also praised for her work as Nomadland’s director. She became the second woman and first woman of colour to win an Academy Award in Best Director. Anthony Hopkins, who won Best Actor for “The Father”, and “Sound of Metal”, which was awarded Best Film Editing and Best Sound were also honored at the Oscars.
The 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards, held on the 19th of September 2021, recognized extraordinary talent and shows. Olivia Colman was named Best Actress in Drama Series for her performance as Queen Elizabeth II on the Netflix hit series “The Crown”. Josh O’Connor won the Best Actor Award in a Drama Series, for his role in “The Crown”. The Crown’s success didn’t stop with the individual awards. The Crown won Best Drama Series and Best Supporting Actor/Actress in Tobias Menzies’ and Gillian Anderson’s respective categories.
The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards took place on the 14th of March 2021. Beyonce was the biggest winner of the night, becoming Grammy’s most decorated female artist with her 28th Grammy. She won the Best R&B performance for “Black Parade”, and the Best Music Video award for “Brown Skin Girl”. Taylor Swift made headlines when her album Folklore won the prestigious Album of the Year Award. Megan Thee Stallion won the award for the Best New Artist. She is one of the artists to watch in music over the next few years.
The 2021 Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards (CFDA) recognized and appreciated the incredible creativity and resilience displayed by designers amidst challenging times induced due to the pandemic. Christopher John Rogers was named American Menswear designer of the year at the CFDA Fashion Awards. CaSandra diggs won the American Womenswear designer of the year award. Gabriela Hearst won the International Women’s Fashion Designer of the year award. This is a great achievement for the fashion industry.
The Laureus World Sports Awards 2020 lit up the sports arena. The Sportsman of the year award went to Rafael Nadal, and the Sportswoman of the year was Simone Biles. Pau Gasol, a basketball player of exceptional talent, was awarded the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his contributions to the sport.
These celebrities’ accolades are not only a testament to tenacity and talent, but also the unyielding spirit of the entertainment business. These individuals, despite a difficult year engulfed in a pandemic have proven that breaking boundaries and going beyond the call to duty is the way to achieve extraordinary enthusiasm and victory. This pursuit of excellence will inspire others, and pave the path for the next generation to become superstars in different fields.