The marvelous Da’Vine Joy Randolph can now officially call herself an Oscar winner. If you saw her work in “The Holdovers” you know all the awards are well-deserved. This is her breakthrough moment, so we understand that a lot of movie fans may not be familiar with her extraordinary talent. To help you prepare for the superstar she’s destined to become, this is The Evolution of Da’Vine Joy Randolph.
Suggested Reading
2014: “Selfie”
Randolph played scene-stealing assistant Charmonique on this cute ABC comedy. A social media centered take on “My Fair Lady,” it wasn’t long for this world, but it did let us know that Randolph was someone we needed to keep our eyes on. Seriously, she stole every scene.
2016: “This Is Us”
After her memorable role on “Selfie,” Randolph made guest appearances on high-profile series like “This Is Us,” “Veep” and “On Becoming a God in Central Florida.”
2018: “Empire”
Randolph joined the drama in Season 4 as a former inmate who was close with Cookie. She delivered a heartbreaking performance as a woman who’d had her child stolen from her and would do anything to get her back. She and Taraji P. Henson had some of the series’ best scenes.
2019: “Dolemite Is My Name”
Not everyone can hold their own opposite Eddie Murphy, but Randolph has no trouble making Lady Reed stand out next to the legend.
2020: “High Fidelity”
Cherise is the showy role opposite Zoe Kravitz’s more subtle and nuanced Rob. Cherise has opinions about everything and they’re all over the top and hilarious.
2021: “The Last O.G.”
Based on the variety of characters on this list, you can see the full scope of her range. In “The Last O.G.” she plays Tray’s no-nonsense boss and manages to steal scenes from Tracy Morgan without going as over the top as he does.
2021: “Only Murders in the Building”
A common theme in Randolph’s work is being the anchor in a scene as a storm of chaos swirls around her — a supremely underrated talent. Being the straight man opposite Martin Short and Steve Martin is no easy feat.
2022: “The Lost City”
It’s a thankless job being the best friend in a rom-com. You have to be on board with whatever crazy adventure your friend is going on, while simultaneously keeping things somewhat believable. Randolph is endlessly interesting as Beth, the only person in this world who seems to understand what’s going on at any given moment.
2022: “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”
The Golden Globe winner has a long resume of voiceover work, but one of her most hilarious roles is as Mama Luna in the “Puss in Boots” franchise.
2023: “Rustin”
Playing Mahalia Jackson is a huge mountain to climb, one that even Randolph wasn’t sure about. However, her performance in “Rustin” is a beautiful tribute to the legend.
2023: “The Idol”
Not even the superhuman talent of Randolph could save this abomination of a series. But anyone who spent five minutes watching it agreed that Destiny was the only good thing it had going for it.
2023: “The Holdovers”
The way she brings dignity and fullness to Mary’s grief is a masterclass. Randolph isn’t winning all these awards because she’s such a lovely person, which she is. She’s sweeping through awards season because she’s stone-cold brilliant.
2024: Award Winner
It’s been a honor to watch Randolph receive all her well deserved flowers this awards season. It’s always fantastic to see someone who puts in the work get recognized for the exceptional talent. I hope this is the breakthrough moment that vaults her into the A-list where she belongs.
2024: Best Supporting Actress Oscar
Randolph continued her run of beautiful, tear jerking acceptance speeches by telling us about the people who helped her believe in herself and fight for this Oscar winning moment.
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