Barbie hits back at Gloria as Margot Robbie presents America Ferrera with the SeeHer Award at the 2024 Critics Choice Awards.
Robbie, 33, introduced Ferrera, 39, with a moving speech about how Superstore the actress influenced the film and television industry by telling stories about complex women. She also noted Ferrera’s distinction as the “first and only” Latina to win an Emmy for lead actress in a comedy for her role in Ugly Betty.
“I guess being number one in any field can be isolating. I guess it’s a huge pressure on you to be perfect, to play it safe,” Robbie said. “But what I admire most about America is how it has handled that pressure without ever being afraid to keep telling the truth when it matters most.”
After Ferrera took the stage, she gave an impassioned speech about what the SeeHer award means to her, saying the honor “couldn’t be more meaningful to me” because of her roots.
Margot Robbie presents America Ferrera with the SeeHer Award.
Kevin Winter/Getty
“I wanted to see people like me on screen as full people. When I started working over 20 years ago, it seemed impossible, I know. It seemed impossible that anyone could make a career out of portraying fully dimensional Latino characters,” she said. “But because of the writers, producers and directors… me and some of my Latina colleagues have been extremely blessed to bring some fierce and fantastic women to life.”
Many of the women in the audience seemed to be moved by her speech, including Brie Larson, who broke down in tears during her speech, and Taraji P. Henson, who was caught nodding along to what Ferrera was saying. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants the star dedicated part of her speech to the director of Barbie, Greta Gerwig.
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“Thank you for proving with your incredible mastery as a filmmaker that it is not difficult for women’s stories to achieve cinematic greatness and box office history at the same time,” Ferrera told the director. “And that shamelessly telling women’s stories doesn’t diminish your powers, it expands them.”
“Thanks to our Kens, Noah Baumbach… [and] To Ryan Gosling for being man enough to support the work of women, you’re all brilliant and you’re all ‘Kenough,'” she added.
She even said hello to her husband, Ryan Piers Williams, who also appeared in the episode Barbiesaying, “You see me and my dreams and believe and support them as if they were your own, I love you.”
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The SeeHer Award was founded in 2017 as a collaboration between the Critics Choice Association and an international collective of marketing and media organizations. The award honors leading ladies on the silver screen who stand up for gender equality and portray authentic characters who push boundaries.
Previous winners of the SeeHer Award include Viola Davis in 2017, Zendaya in 2021, Halle Berry in 2022 and Janelle Monáe in 2023.
The Ugly Betty star started a digital lifestyle community Poderistas with nine prominent activists and businesswomen including Eva Longoria. Poderistas seeks to uplift Latin American women to inspire and bring change to their lives, communities and nation. Ferrera’s activism also extends to public speaking, with appearances at TED, the DNC, the March for Our Lives, and several television documentaries.
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IN Barbie, Ferrera delivers a rousing speech that serves as one of the film’s defining moments. Ferrerina Gloria inspires the despondent Barbie by explaining why it is “literally impossible to be a woman”. The emotional scene — which the actress said she performed “probably 30 to 50” times — brought crew members to tears on set, according to writer-director Gerwig.
The audience reacted similarly. “A lot of moms came to me and said, ‘I watched it with my kids, and afterwards they said, ‘Why did you cry?’ “, she told PEOPLE.
At last week’s Golden Globe Awards, co-host Kevin Costner praised Superstore lead the speech by reciting a few lines from it.
“You know the, ‘You’re so beautiful. You’re so smart and it kills me that you don’t think you’re good enough.’ That was pretty good,” Costner told a surprised Ferrera.
Barbie leads nominations at this year’s Critics Choice Awards with a record 18. Among them, Ferrera won Best Supporting Actress, along with Best Actress for Robbie and Best Supporting Actor for Gosling.
Watch PEOPLE’s full coverage of the 29th Annual Critics Choice Awards as they air live from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica on The CW.
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Source: HIS Education