The 2017 awards season kicked off Sunday with the 74th Annual Golden Globes. Moonlight took home Best Motion Picture Drama, and Ryan Gosling joked about being confused for Ryan Reynolds. Both unbelievably attractive Canadians... who could blame him?
In a night of gowns and grandeur, political messages were a plenty. Clearly, the room of Hollywood's most elite wasn't a fan of the recent election results. Meryl Streep stood on the brink of tears as she accepted her Lifetime Achievement Award and Hugh Laurie "joked" that soon there might no longer be a Hollywood Foreign Press.
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While many of the comments were in jest, some came off dark and bleak, and frankly uncomfortable- almost awkward.
Except for Emma Stone. Stone was awarded best actress in a musical or comedy for her role in the modern, original musical La La Land. The film took home 7 awards, including best picture- musical or comedy, best actor and actress in a musical or comedy (Ryan Gosling and Stone), best director and best screenplay for Damien Chazelle, as well as best original score as well as best original song.
Stone's speech stood out among the rest. She first thanked her mom, her dad, then her brother for putting up with her his whole life. She thanked all the people who supported her over the years. Thirteen years ago, this week, Stone first moved to Hollywood, she said.
"This is a film for dreamers," Stone said.
La La Land tells the story of Mia (Stone) and Sebastian (Gosling), two aspiring artists looking to make it in Hollywood. The musical shares the story of their relationship, their ups and their downs. Judging by its seven awards, the film told that story well.
"Hope and creativity are two of the most important things in the world," she said, "and that's what this movie is about."
Stone finally offered to share her award with anyone who's ever had a door slammed in their face, or anyone who feels like giving up "but finds it in themselves to get up and keep moving forward."
Sometimes actors receiving these awards feel it is their opportunity to take a stand, to send a message to people watching. Reeling from the damage done is the past 18 months, a soapbox stand wasn't what the audience of movie lovers needed to hear Sunday night. What people struggling with work, or family, or their dreams needed to hear, was that hope and creativity can provide them light at the end of the tunnel. Emma Stone was that light at this year's Golden Globe awards.
