Jeffrey Wright and Leslie Uggams at the 35th Annual Palm Springs International Film Awards Jan. 4.Photo:Presley Ann/Getty
Presley Ann/Getty
Jeffrey Wrightis crushing on costarLeslie Uggams— while receiving an award from her.
The Emmy-winning actor accepted thePalm Spring International Film Festival’sCareer Achievement Award from Uggams, the actress playing his mother in the hit filmAmerican Fiction, on Thursday.
“I’ve had a crush on you since the first day I saw you, mother,” Wright, 58, said onstage at the awards gala. “Who did not?”
Wright had admitted toMetroin December and in aW Magazineinterview published Wednesday that Uggams had been one of his childhood crushes. “I told her about it on her last day of filming [American Fiction],” he told the latter outlet.
Onstage in Palm Springs introducing Wright, Uggams acknowledged his admission to the crowd. “Maybe she still has a crush on me,” she joked amid applause. “I may be old, but I ain’t dead.”
(Left to right:) Tracee Ellis Ross and Leslie Uggams in “American Fiction”.Claire Folger
Claire Folger
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“I was asked to write some remarks tonight, but what I was not told was that Leslie Uggams was going to present me this award,” Wright began his acceptance speech.
“There was an actor namedBert Williamsin 1916 who [did] a film calledA Natural Born Gambler,” theWestworldstar continued. “He was a Black man playing in Blackface. That’s not to be feared, that’s the history. That’s not the history of Black folks, that’s American history.
“That’s where the beginning of representation on film begins for someone like me and for many of us in this room. But we now have a new type of freedom, agency and power from the time of Bert Williams — because of people like Leslie Uggams.”
Wright concluded his off-the-cuff remarks: “Without Leslie Uggams, I do not stand here. She has won my freedom for me and I am grateful to Leslie.”
Jeffrey Wright.Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty
Of his Career Achievement Award, Wright joked about winning the honor “at such a young age, having just started last Tuesday. But I am seriously grateful to be included among the number of distinguished artists who have received this prior to me and also among my fellow honorees tonight, who, as you’ve seen, are just magnificent."
Honorees at Thursday’s awards included the cast ofKillers of the Flower Moonand its directorMartin Scorsese,Barbie’sGreta Gerwigand stars of the movie’s soundtrackBillie Eilishand Finneas O’Connell, plusMaestro’sCarey MulliganandThe Holdovers’Paul GiamattiandDa’Vine Joy Randolph.
Wright also shouted out the “tireless wonderful crew” ofAmerican Fictionand “brilliant castmatesTracee Ellis Ross,Sterling K. Brown,Issa Rae, John Ortiz, Myra Lucretia Taylor and, of course, the one and only Leslie Uggams.”
To his writer-director, Wright acknowledged that the role of Monk had been created for him. “Thank you, Cord, for embracing the madness of writing this script with me in mind. And I love you, brother, and I’ll pay for the therapist session for your having my voice in your head.”
Jeffrey wright in “American Fiction”.Claire Folger
He added, “I appreciate not only you giving me this role, but also moreover giving me the opportunity for much needed self-reflection.”
American Fictionis in theaters now.
source: people.com
