"I've tried my best" — When Michelle Williams delivered a powerful speech on reproductive rights at the 2020 Golden Globes

The 2020 Golden Globes saw Michelle Williams take home the award for Best Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture for Television for her role in FX's Fosse/Verdon. The event also witnessed her deliver one of the most impactful speeches in the award's history.

A pregnant Williams used her acceptance speech to argue for reproductive rights, stressing the need for a woman's autonomy over her body. Her words at the 2020 Golden Globes deeply resonated with the audience, moving many to tears and sparking widespread conversations. She stated:

“As women and as girls, things can happen to our bodies that are not our choice. I’ve tried my best to live a life of my own making. And I wouldn’t have been able to do this without employing a woman’s right to choose.”

She considered in her speech how her choices let her negotiate personal and professional milestones thanks to her reproductive rights. Her remarks underlined the need for choice and autonomy, motivating women all around to take charge of their destinies.

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Michelle Williams' speech at 2020 Golden Globes: A call for reproductive rights

At the 2020 Golden Globes, Michelle Williams delivered a deeply personal and poignant speech. Having won the award for her performance as Gwen Verdon in Fosse/Verdon, she turned the focus to reproductive rights.

Williams started by appreciating the audience for recognizing her decisions and expressing gratitude for living in a time when such options were possible.

Her words, reflecting her belief in the freedom to decide when and with whom to have children, brought the room to a hush. Cameras captured audience reactions at the 2020 Golden Globes, with many, including actress Busy Philipps, visibly moved. Philipps, a vocal advocate for abortion rights, nodded tearfully in agreement.

Williams' call to action resonated as she urged women to vote in their self-interest, stating,

“Women, 18 to 118, when it is time to vote, please do so in your own self-interest. It's what men have been doing for years.”

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The legacy of Michelle Williams' speech at the 2020 Golden Globes

Williams' advocacy at the 2020 event extended beyond the Golden Globes. In interviews following the event, she shared how her speech at the Emmys, where she addressed gender pay disparity, encouraged her to use her platform further. As per the New York Daily News report dated January 6, 2020, she said:

“...having women come up to me and talk to me about how it affected them or how it helped them or how it changed what they asked for from their bosses, or bosses coming up to me and saying how it changed what they gave to their female employees, it is the greatest professional thing that has ever happened to me.”

According to one X (formerly Twitter) user, her response was comparable to that of Tiffany Haddish, who assisted Williams in presenting the award. As the actress delivered her address, Haddish could be heard shouting, "Preach!"

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The forthcoming 82nd Golden Globes: What to expect

The 82nd Golden Globes will be held live on January 6, 2025. The Beverly Hilton Hotel will host the ceremony at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET. The CBS broadcast and Paramount+ stream are available. As the first solo female host, comedian Nikki Glaser will bring her unique humor to a night of film and television's best.

The organizing body, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), has undergone major changes, expanding its membership to improve diversity.

Emilia Peréz leads with 10 nominations this year, followed by The Bear. The evening will feature Jennifer Coolidge, Dwayne Johnson, and Michelle Yeoh as presenters.

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