We Love That Quinta Brunson Refused to Downplay Her Success During Her Golden Globes Acceptance Speech

During the 2023 Golden Globes on Jan. 10, Quinta Brunson took home the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy. Discover her inspiring speech here.

Quinta Brunson knows she's created something special.

The Abbott Elementary creator, who also stars as Janine Teagues in the ABC sitcom, took home the Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy award at the 2023 Golden Globes.

And, after taking the stage at the Beverly Hilton, Brunson refused to downplay the comedy's success, as she quipped, "I have to say thank you to to Disney, 20th Century, Warner Brothers, thank you for believing in this show about a group of teachers from Philadelphia. It has resonated with the world in a way that I couldn't even imagine it would've. But let's be real, I did imagine it, that's why I sold it to you."

If you ask us, this on-stage confidence deserves nothing but straight As!

Brunson continued to bring the funny when she also thanked co-producers Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker, adding, "They're very white men and they'll just be like, 'OK, Quinta.' They let me get away with a lot—and it really worked out."

Despite a previous big win at the 2022 Emmys, Brunson still wasn't necessarily a shoo-in in this category, as she was up against A-listers like The Flight Attendant's Kaley Cuoco, Only Murders in the Building's Selena Gomez, Wednesday's Jenna Ortega and last year's winner, Hacks' Jean Smart.

Still, Abbott Elementary has proven to be one of the favorites of the night, with Tyler James Williams also taking home a top prize. Earlier in the evening, Williams was named the winner in the Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical-Comedy or Drama Television Series category.

After thanking the cast and crew, Williams noted, "I truly, truly appreciate this and I pray that this is a win for Gregory Eddie. And for his story and for stories like his that we may understand that his story is just as important as all of the other stories that have to be told out here."

For a closer look at all the winners, keep reading:

Best Motion Picture, Drama

Avatar: The Way of Water
Elvis
WINNER: The Fabelmans
Tár
Top Gun: Maverick

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

Babylon
WINNER: The Banshees of Inisherin
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Triangle of Sadness

Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

Diego Calva, Babylon
Daniel Craig, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Adam Driver, White Noise
WINNER: Colin Farrell, The Banshees of Inisherin
Ralph Fiennes, The Menu

Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

Lesley Manville, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris
Margot Robbie, Babylon
Anya Taylor-Joy, The Menu
Emma Thompson, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
WINNER: Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once

Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama

WINNER: Cate Blanchett, Tár
Olivia Colman, Empire of Light
Viola Davis, The Woman King
Ana De Armas, Blonde
Michelle Williams, The Fabelmans

Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama

WINNER: Austin Butler, Elvis
Brendan Fraser, The Whale
Hugh Jackman, The Son
Bill Nighy, Living
Jeremy Pope, The Inspection

Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture

WINNER: Angela Bassett, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Kerry Condon, The Banshees of Inisherin
Jamie Lee Curtis, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Dolly de Leon, Triangle of Sadness
Carey Mulligan, She Said

Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

Brendan Gleeson, The Banshees of Inisherin
Barry Keoghan, The Banshees of Inisherin
Brad Pitt, Babylon
WINNER: Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Eddie Redmayne, The Good Nurse

 

Best Director, Motion Picture

James Cameron, Avatar: The Way of Water
The Daniels, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Baz Luhrmann, Elvis
Martin McDonagh, The Banshees of Inisherin
WINNER: Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans

 

Best Original Song, Motion Picture

"Carolina" by Taylor Swift, from Where the Crawdads Sing
"Ciao Papa" by Alexandre Desplat, Roeban Katz, Gullermo del Toro from Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
"Hold My Hand" by Lady Gaga, BloodPop, Benjamin Rice from Top Gun: Maverick
"Lift Me Up" by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
WINNER: "Naatu Naatu" by M.M. Keeravani, Kala Bhairava, Rahul Sipligunj from RRR

Best Television Series, Drama

Better Call Saul
The Crown
WINNER: House of the Dragon
Ozark
Severance

Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy

WINNER: Abbott Elementary
The Bear
Hacks
Only Murders in the Building
Wednesday

Best Actress in a Television Series, Drama

Emma D'Arcy, House of the Dragon
Laura Linney, Ozark
Imelda Staunton, The Crown
Hilary Swank, Alaska Daily
WINNER: Zendaya, Euphoria

Best Actor in a Television Series, Drama

Jeff Bridges, The Old Man
WINNER: Kevin Costner, Yellowstone
Diego Luna, Andor
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Adam Scott, Severance

Best Actress in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy

WINNER: Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
Kaley Cuoco, The Flight Attendant
Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building
Jenna Ortega, Wednesday
Jean Smart, Hacks

Best Actor in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy

Donald Glover, Atlanta
Bill Hader, Barry
Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building
Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building
WINNER: Jeremy Allen White, The Bear

Best Limited Series or TV Movie

Black Bird
Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
Pam and Tommy
The Dropout
WINNER: The White Lotus: Sicily

Best Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie

Jessica Chastain, George & Tammy
Julia Garner, Inventing Anna
Lily James, Pam & Tommy
Julia Roberts, Gaslit
WINNER: Amanda Seyfried, The Dropout

Best Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie

Taron Egerton, Black Bird
Colin Firth, The Staircase
Andrew Garfield, Under the Banner of Heaven
WINNER: Evan Peters, Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
Sebastian Stan, Pam and Tommy

 

Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie

F. Murray Abraham, The White Lotus
Domhnall Gleeson, The Patient
WINNER: Paul Walter Hauser, Black Bird
Richard Jenkins, Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
Seth Rogen, Pam & Tommy

 

Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie

WINNER: Jennifer Coolidge, The White Lotus
Claire Danes, Fleishman Is in Trouble
Daisy Edgar-Jones, Under the Banner of Heaven
Niecy Nash-Betts, Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
Aubrey Plaza, The White Lotus

 

Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series

John Lithgow, The Old Man
Jonathan Pryce, The Crown
John Turturro, Severance
WINNER: Tyler James Williams, Abbott Elementary
Henry Winkler, Barry

 

Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series

Elizabeth Debicki, The Crown
Hannah Einbinder, Hacks
WINNER: Julia Garner, Ozark
Janelle James, Abbott Elementary
Sheryl Lee Ralph, Abbott Elementary

 

Best Motion Picture, Animated  

WINNER: Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
Marcel the Shell With Shoes On
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
Turning Red

 

Best Original Score, Motion Picture

Alexandre Desplat, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
Hildur Guðnadóttir, Women Talking 
WINNER: Justin Hurwitz, Babylon
John Williams, The Fabelmans 
Carter Burwell, The Banshees of Inisherin

 

Best Screenplay, Motion Picture

Todd Field, Tár 
Tony Kushner & Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans
Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once
WINNER: Martin McDonagh, The Banshees of Inisherin
Sarah Polley, Women Talking

 

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Check out E! Online's 2024 Golden Globe Awards page for a full recap of this year's ceremony and the best moments from the show and red carpet..