Actress Dominique Thorne shined in films such as If Beale Street Could Talk, Judas and the Black Messiah, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – today, she is being honored as a 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards recipient.
Upon receiving her award from Oscar-winning actor Daniel Kaluuya and director Ryan Coogler, Thorne began her acceptance speech by describing her relationship with God, saying: “From the moment I decided to live in the commitment to joy – to peace – you and I became best friends.”
“You began to order my steps so that these inefficiencies defined my actions, and I realized you have plans to prosper me, and not harm me,” she continued. “Plans to give me a hope, and a future.” Throughout her prayer to the most high, Thorne asked God for guidance, and the mercy to point her in the right direction amidst the mistakes and errors she may make in life.
“I come to you and I pray, trusting that you will listen and take control of my life, dear God,” she said. “Continue to order my steps and lead me to where you would have me go; from this moment forward I renew my commitment and ask that you cleanse my heart, refresh my spirit.”
After an emotional ovation from the audience, the 25-year-old actress then expressed her gratitude being honored as one of this year’s BWIH Honorees, and also praised the resilience and power of the Black woman in an environment that is oftentimes difficult to persevere in, and how pivotal ESSENCE has been when it comes to highlighting the beauty of our culture.
“I do know that 25 years has been beyond sufficient time to understand that this world is beyond sufficient time to understand that this world is overly eager to forget, ignore, to overlook, to endanger, to misuse, misunderstand and otherwise brutalize the Black woman,” Thorne emphatically stated. “Yet in that same world, ESSENCE stands, and has stood proud and immovable in its ability to honor our mystique and celebrate our successes.”
The New York native also spoke to the support she’s received throughout her career, specifically thanking people such as Barry Jenkins, Shaka King, and Coogler, who presented her with this prestigious accolade.
Thorne ended her speech with a closing nod to her mentors: “You all have opened the door to a world that I’ve only seen in my dreams. And now that I’m here, I intend to take great care, to continue to learn it, and to ask more questions of it, and to grow it as best as I know how.”