Tessa Thompson woke up at 5:30 a.m. to a ringing phone she rarely leaves on, thinking she had overslept for an appointment.
Instead, the call was to tell her she had just become the first Afro-Latina ever nominated for Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama) at the Golden Globes.
The nomination, for her lead role in the critically acclaimed indie drama “The Listener,” marks a milestone that is both celebratory and sobering.
In an interview with Revolt shortly after the announcement, Thompson admitted the weight of the moment hasn’t fully settled.
“It’s bittersweet,” she said. “I feel obviously so grateful and so happy, and I also can’t believe that there haven’t been any other Afro-Latina women that have been nominated. It kind of makes me upset, to be honest.”
The Golden Globes, now in their 83rd year, have recognized Latinas before—Anya Taylor-Joy, America Ferrera, and Salma Hayek among them—but never an Afro-Latina in the lead actress drama category. Thompson, whose mother is of Mexican and Afro-Panamanian descent and father is African-American, is the first.
Her nomination arrives at a time when Hollywood is under renewed pressure to reflect the full spectrum of Latino identity. Afro-Latinos, estimated to make up roughly a quarter of the U.S. Latino population, remain drastically underrepresented on screen and in major awards contention.
Advocates point out that darker-skinned Latina actresses have historically been pushed toward supporting roles or shut out entirely, while lighter-skinned performers more often land leading parts. Thompson’s breakthrough is being hailed as a crack in that pattern.
Reaction across social media has been emotional. Afro-Latina creators and fans posted videos of themselves crying, texting family group chats, and celebrating a moment many feared would never come.
The 2026 Golden Globe ceremony airs January 5.
Win or lose, Thompson’s name is now permanently etched into the record books—and into the hopes of countless young Afro-Latina actors who, for the first time, can point to a Best Actress nominee who looks like them.
