The Awardist Golden Globes Chadwick Boseman wins his first Golden Globe posthumously The late actor won Best Actor in a Drama for Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. By Marcus Jones Marcus Jones Marcus Jones is a former digital news writer at Entertainment Weekly. He left EW in 2022. EW's editorial guidelines Published on February 28, 2021 11:08PM EST It was a bittersweet moment at the Golden Globes when the award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama went to the late Chadwick Boseman for Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. Accepting the award on his behalf was his wife Taylor Simone Ledward who, in addition to listing the people Boseman would've thanked like director George C. Wolfe, producer Denzel Washington, and costar Viola Davis, said, "He would say something beautiful, something inspiring, something that would amplify that little voice inside of all of us that tells you you can, that tells you to keep going, that calls you back to what you are meant to be doing at this moment in history." She concluded, "I don't have his words, but we have to take all the moments to celebrate those we love, so thank you HFPA for this opportunity to do exactly that, and hun, you keep 'em coming." Boseman died of colon cancer last August at age 43. His death sent shockwaves through Hollywood as the Black Panther star had kept his years-long battle against the disease private. Besting fellow nominees Gary Oldman (Mank), Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal), Anthony Hopkins (The Father), and Tahar Rahim (The Mauritanian), this was Boseman's first Golden Globes nomination and win. Chadwick Boseman in 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom'. David Lee/Netflix The star joins a handful of actors to win posthumous Golden Globes, including Heath Ledger, who won Best Supporting Actor in 2009 for The Dark Knight; Raul Julia, who won Best Actor in a TV Movie in 1995 for The Burning Season; and Peter Finch, who won Best Actor in a Drama in 1977 for Network. Netflix's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom was Boseman's final film to be released after his death, but not his only film of 2020. He also starred in a supporting role in Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods. The late actor scored nominations for both roles at this year's SAG Awards and Critics Choice Awards. Related content: Golden Globes 2021: See the full winners list Jane Fonda calls on Hollywood to address inequality so all can be 'seen and heard' in powerful Golden Globes speech There won't be an In Memoriam segment at the 2021 Golden Globes — here's why