Gold is the new black! Rising star Uzo Aduba won big at the 2015 Screen Actors Guild Awards, taking home the statue for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series.
The celebrated actress beat out big names to nab the honor for her work on Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black: Julie Bowen for Modern Family, Edie Falco for Nurse Jackie, Julia Louis-Dreyfus for Veep, and Amy Poehler for Parks and Recreation.
Nominated for the first time at the 21st Annual SAG Awards, Aduba began to cry as her name was called. Looking gorgeous in a bright yellow Angel Sanchez gown, she took the stage at Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium to accept her award.
“Oh my god, I really, truly do not know what to say,” a stunned Aduba gushed. “I just want to say thank you so much to the Screen Actors Guild for this incredible honor.”
The Massachusetts-raised actor, 33, stars in OITNB as a part of an expansive ensemble cast. She plays Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren, an inmate with a kind heart and eccentric personality.
“I want to thank Jenji Kohan for writing a show like this and putting something like this on television, not just for myself, but for our incredible team of actors to be seen in such a beautiful way,” she continued of show creator Kohan. “I want to say a huge massive thanks to our cast, without whom this is not possible. I love you guys so desperately, so much. This is not done without you, any step of the way.”
“Finally I just really, really, really truly want to say, the day I got this job was the day I stopped acting and to be in a room with all you amazing human beings, amazing talents, for what I respect so much and love so much, is really truly the greatest honor,” she added to the star-studded crowd at the SAGs. “Thank you so very much. God bless you all.”
Aduba’s exciting night was far from over, however, as she took the stage again just minutes later when Orange Is the New Black won Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. The actress was joined by her castmates, who beat out The Big Bang Theory, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Modern Family, and Veep, and accepted the award for the show.
“Thank you so much,” she said. “We are incredibly grateful for this tremendous honor.”
