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Ava DuVernay Honors ''Phenomenal'' Oprah Winfrey at 2018 Golden Globes

Director shares her support for her close friend and Cecil B. DeMille Award recipient

By McKenna Aiello Jan 08, 2018 4:09 AMTags
Watch: Ava DuVernay Celebrates Oprah Winfrey at 2018 Golden Globes

If anyone knew Oprah Winfrey would bring the 2018 Golden Globes to its feet, that someone was Ava DuVernay

The Hollywood insider, who directs Winfrey in A Wrinkle in Time, told E! News that the world-famous mogul had practiced her Cecil B. DeMille Award acceptance speech on her, and by no means would it disappoint. 

"I'm here for two reasons," Ava shared. "One, to assert my voice in black for Time's Up and the other is to celebrate my friend Oprah Winfrey. She's getting the Cecile B. DeMille Award. I've heard her speech. It's phenomenal, of course, because she's phenomenal. I'm just really grateful that we get to celebrate her tonight—a phenomenal woman on a night like this."

And of course, DuVernay wasn't mistaken! There wasn't a dry eye inside The Beverly Hilton as Winfrey shared a message of hope for the future. 

Watch: Common Champions Solidarity at the 2018 Golden Globes

 "I want all the girls watching here and now to know that a new day is on the horizon!" Winfrey said, drawing her third standing ovation. "And when that new day final dawns, it will be because of a lot of magnificent women, many of whom are right here in this room tonight, and some pretty phenomenal men, fighting hard to make sure that they become the leaders who take us to the time when nobody ever has to say 'Me Too' again!"

Common championed a similar message in his own interview with E! News, sharing why supporting the Time's Up legal defense fund is so important to him. 

"This 75th Golden Globes is amazing because we have so many stars showing their true star and their true light because we are in solidarity for our women whether it's the Time's Up movement, whether it's the #MeToo movement, all of the above," the recording artist shared.

"We are standing together and standing up for what we believe in. Not only are we celebrating the arts, but we're celebrating life and humanity so this is an incredible Golden Globes and I'm grateful to be here," Common added.