Da’Vine Joy Randolph wins best supporting actress Oscar for ‘The Holdovers’: ‘Thank you for seeing me’

Da’Vine Joy Randolph won her first-ever Oscar on Sunday for her performance in “The Holdovers,” capping off an impressive sweep through this year’s award season.

“I didn’t think I was supposed to be doing this as a career,” she said, through tears, in her acceptance speech. She went on to thank her mother and the many people who guided her to follow her dream – including her publicist.

“For so long, I’ve always wanted to be different,” she said. “And now I realize I just need to be myself and I thank you. I thank you for seeing me.”

Jamie Lee Curtis, Lupita Nyong’o, Rita Moreno, Regina King and Mary Steenburgen –all previous best supporting actress Oscar winners – appeared on stage to present the award and each delivered a moving speech about one of the current nominees before Randolph was announced as the winner.

Producer Emma Thomas speaks on stage after "Oppenheimer" won the Academy Award for best picture on Sunday, March 10. At front right is her husband, Christopher Nolan, who also won the Oscar for best director.

Emma Stone celebrates with presenters after winning the Oscar for best actress. "This is really overwhelming," said the "Poor Things" star while accepting her award. This is Stone's second Oscar for best actress. She also won in 2017 for "La La Land."

Curtain operators work backstage during the show.

Cillian Murphy celebrates after winning the Oscar for best actor ("Oppenheimer"). "I'm a very proud Irishman standing here tonight," he said.

The late Matthew Perry is seen on screen during the annual In Memoriam segment, which pays tribute to those we have lost over the past year.

Kate McKinnon helps her "Barbie" co-star America Ferrera backstage.

"Barbie" director Greta Gerwig, left, congratulates Billie Eilish after Eilish and her brother, Finneas, won the Oscar for best original song ("What Was I Made For?").

Gosling is joined by "Barbie" co-stars and backup dancers as he performs the Oscar-nominated song "I'm Just Ken."

Danny DeVito, left, presents the Oscar for best visual effects to Takashi Yamazaki and "Godzilla Minus One."

Comic Guillermo Rodriguez raises a margarita and threatens to toast everyone in the audience during the show. He thanked "his wife" Charlize Theron (not his wife), who appeared shocked when he mentioned her.

Robert Downey Jr. poses in the press room with the Oscar he won for best supporting actor. "I'd like to thank my terrible childhood and the Academy," he said in his acceptance speech. "In that order."

Members of the crew watch the show from backstage.

Ukrainian director Mstyslav Chernov accepts the Oscar for best documentary feature film ("20 Days in Mariupol"). "Probably I will be the first director on this stage who will say, 'I wish I never made this film,' " Chernov said. "I wish to be able to exchange this (for) Russia never attacking Ukraine, never occupying our cities."

Jon Batiste performs the Oscar-nominated song "It Never Went Away" from the film "American Symphony."

Gosling and Emily Blunt were in competitive mode while on stage together during the show. They exchanged playful barbs over their their films "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer."

From left, Sam Rockwell, Tim Robbins, Ke Huy Quan, Christoph Waltz and Mahershala Ali present the nominees for best supporting actor.

John Cena and Holly Waddington talk backstage after Cena presented Waddington with the Oscar for best costume design ("Poor Things").

Scott George and The Osage Singers perform "Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)," the Oscar-nominated song from the film "Killers of the Flower Moon."

Cena presents the Oscar for best costume design. During the bit, show host Jimmy Kimmel coaxed Cena out on stage after Cena had second thoughts about streaking across stage. "Costumes are so important," Cena joked before presenting the Oscar to Waddington and "Poor Things."

Cord Jefferson accepts the Oscar for best adapted screenplay ("American Fiction"). "I just feel so much joy being here," said Jefferson, who wrote and directed the film. "I felt so much joy making this movie and I want other people to experience that." He called for more filmmakers to be given opportunities to make movies because "the next Martin Scorsese is out there, the next Greta (Gerwig) is out there."

Eilish and her brother, Finneas, perform their Oscar-nominated song "What Was I Made For?" from the movie "Barbie." It won the Oscar later in the show.

Gosling and "Barbie" co-star Margot Robbie hold hands during the show.

Oscars are lined up backstage during the show.

Justine Triet and Arthur Harari accept the Oscar for best original screenplay ("Anatomy of a Fall").

From left, Brad Booker, Dave Mullins and Sean Lennon celebrate after winning the Oscar for best animated short film ("War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko").

The five nominees for best animated short film are seen behind presenters Chris Hemsworth and Anya Taylor-Joy.

Da'Vine Joy Randolph accepts the Oscar for best supporting actress. "I pray to God that I get to do this more than once," Randolph said in her teary acceptance speech. "I thank you for seeing me."

From left, Mary Steenburgen, Lupita Nyong'o, Jamie Lee Curtis, Rita Moreno, and Regina King present the nominees for best supporting actress.

Kimmel delivers his opening monologue. He pointed out that while the show began an hour earlier this year, folks can't count on it not ending late: "In fact, we are already 5 minutes over and I am not joking."

Members of the Osage Nation pose on the red carpet before the show. Some members of the tribe collaborated with director Martin Scorsese on "Killers of the Flower Moon," a film that recounts a dark and painful chapter of Osage history.

Messi the dog, one of the stars of "Anatomy of a Fall," attends the show.

Gosling poses with fans while walking on the red carpet.

Ariana Grande arrives to the Dolby Theatre. See this year's best red carpet looks.

Film producer Nadim Cheikhrouha wears a red lapel pin on the red carpet. The same pin was also seen on Ramy Youssef, Mark Ruffalo and Billie Eilish. The pins call for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

Randolph poses on the red carpet.

In pictures: The 2024 Academy Awards

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Nyong’o, who spoke about Randolph, mentioned in a sweet detail that Randolph wore her grandmother’s glasses in the Alexander Payne-directed film.

Randolph was nominated in the supporting actress category alongside Emily Blunt for “Oppenheimer,” Danielle Brooks for “The Color Purple,” America Ferrera for “Barbie” and Jodie Foster for “Nyad.”

Randolph’s win on Sunday was as close to a sure bet as one can get.

She’s had a successful award season with continued wins for her breakout role in “The Holdovers,” having previously won a Golden Globe, Critics Choice Award, BAFTA and a SAG Award for her performance in the 2023 dramedy.

In “The Holdovers,” Randolph plays Mary Lamb, a grieving head cook at the New England boarding school where the film is set. She stars alongside Paul Giamatti, who portrays a curmudgeonly prep school professor who’s forced to stay on campus with a handful of students throughout the Christmas break. The film feels all the feels as it explores the power of finding friendship in unlikely places.

“The Holdovers” is nominated for five Oscars on Sunday, including a best actor nod for Giamatti as well as best picture.