All the actors who won first awards after decades-long careers
Proving patience really is a virtue! FEMAIL reveals how ‘comeback kids’ like Michelle Yeoh, 60, and Jennifer Coolidge, 61, are dominating awards season and finally earning recognition after decades-long Hollywood careers
- Awards season kicked off with the Golden Globes on January 10
- It continued with the Critics Choice Awards, which took place last night
- Many stars who have had decades-long careers were honored for the first time
- Actress Jennifer Coolidge won her first award after acting for 30 years
- Michelle Yeoh was finally recognized after appearing in more than 50 roles
- See all the stars who received their first award despite having years of success
Award season is officially upon us – and when it kicked off at the Golden Globes earlier this month, many stars who have had decades-long careers but never won awards before were finally recognized for their work.
Take The White Lotus star Jennifer Coolidge, for example. She’s been acting since 1993 – starring in a slew of big movies like Legally Blonde, American Pie, Best in Show, and A Cinderella Story – but despite her impressive list of roles across her 30-year career, it wasn’t until this year at the Golden Globes – which occurred on January 10 – that she took home her first major award.
In addition, Everything Everywhere All at Once actress Michelle Yeoh won the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the 2023 Golden Globes, and it marked her first accolade, despite appearing in more than 50 titles since she entered the scene in the ’80s.
When awards season kicked off at the Golden Globes earlier this month, many stars who have had decades-long careers but never won awards before were finally recognized for their work
FEMAIL has rounded up all the iconic actors who took home their first award in 2023 so far – from The Mummy legend Brendan Fraser (seen) to Breaking Bad alum Bob Odenkirk
Stars like Jennifer and Michelle, among others, have reigned Hollywood for years – acting in fan favorite movies that grossed millions of dollars and blowing away millions of viewers with their portrayal of beloved characters – but despite becoming well-known and respected thanks to their numerous roles, immense popularity, and hard work, many famous faces have yet to earn awards for their acting – until now, that is.
When the Critics Choice Awards occurred last night, the show continued to award many stars who have had impressive, long-lasting careers but have yet to win any official honors for their work.
With many awards shows still to come – arguably the most esteemed event, the Academy Awards, will take place on March 12, 2023 – the question remains, are other deserving stars who have been in the industry for years finally going to earn their first award?
As the awards season continues, FEMAIL has rounded up all the iconic actors and actresses who took home their first award in 2023 so far – from The Mummy legend Brendan Fraser to Breaking Bad alum Bob Odenkirk.
Brendan Fraser, 54: Won the award for Best Actor at the Critics Choice Awards
Fraser, 54, took home the award for Best Actor at the Critics Choice Awards – marking the first time he won at a major awards show, despite a decades-long career
The actor won for his recent role in Darren Aronofsky’s drama The Whale (seen), in which he played a reclusive English professor who tried to reconnect with his estranged daughter
Fraser has been acting since 1991, when he made his film debut in the flick Dogfight, and he has starred in a slew of big movies and TV shows like The Mummy trilogy (seen) over the years
Fraser, 54, took home the award for Best Actor at the Critics Choice Awards – marking the first time he won a major award, despite a decades-long career.
The actor was awarded for his recent role in Darren Aronofsky’s drama The Whale, in which he played a reclusive English professor who tried to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter.
Fraser has been acting since 1991, when he made his film debut in the flick Dogfight, and he has starred in a slew of big movies and TV shows since then – like Encino Man, School Ties, George of the Jungle, Gods and Monsters, The Quiet American, Crash, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Texas Rising, The Affair, Doom Patrol, and No Sudden Move.
He is also well-known for his role as Rick O’Connell in The Mummy trilogy – which became wildly popular, with the three films grossing more than $1 billion altogether.
Despite his vast career and immense success, Fraser hadn’t received many accolades for his work – until now.
The only award he took home before this was the Screen Actors Guild award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, which he won alongside his Crash costars in 2006.
Bob Odenkirk, 60: Won the award for Best Actor in a Drama Series at the Critics Choice Awards
Odenkirk, 60, was honored for his role in the AMC series Better Call Saul at the Critics Choice Awards last night, winning for Best Actor in a Drama Series
He starred as Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman, a lawyer and former scam artist, in the legal drama show (pictured), which premiered in February 2015 and concluded in August 2022
Odenkirk, 60, was honored for his role in the AMC series Better Call Saul at the Critics Choice Awards, winning for Best Actor in a Drama Series.
Odenkirk began as a writer for Saturday Night Live in 1987. He is also a talented actor, and has appeared in things like The Larry Sanders Show, The Cable Guy, Fargo, Little Women, Spectacular Now, and most arguably, his best known role, Breaking Bad (seen), which inspired the spinoff Better Caul Saul
He starred as Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman, a lawyer and former scam artist, in the legal drama show, which premiered in February 2015 and went on for six seasons before it concluded in August 2022.
Like Fraser, Odenkirk has had a massive career. He began as a writer for Saturday Night Live in 1987, where he worked for four years.
He was also behind shows like Get a Life, The Dennis Miller Show, The Ben Stiller Show, and Mr. Show.
In addition, the star is a talented actor, and has appeared in things like The Larry Sanders Show, The Cable Guy, Fargo, Little Women, Spectacular Now, and most arguably, his best known role, Breaking Bad, which inspired the spinoff Better Caul Saul. He has also branched into directing and producing.
While Odenkirk (seen at the Critics Choice Awards) earned two Emmys early on for his writing on SNL and The Ben Stiller Show – he wasn’t awarded for his work as an actor until recently
While Odenkirk scooped up two Emmy Awards early on in his career for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Program – thanks to his work on SNL and The Ben Stiller Show – he wasn’t awarded for his work as an actor until recent years.
Despite entering the industry in the ’80s, it wasn’t until 2014, when he took home a Screen Actors Guild Award for his performance in Breaking Bad, that he earned his first major accolade
He was nominated for a Golden Globe award for five of Better Call Saul’s six seasons, but has yet to win any. Last night marked his third Critics Choice Award win for the show.
Giancarlo Esposito, 64: Won the award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series at the Critics Choice Awards
Giancarlo Esposito, 64, also took home an award for his part in Better Call Saul, winning Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series at the Critics Choice Awards
He played Gus Fring in the series, the owner of the fast food chain Los Pollos Hermanos, which was used as a front to distribute cocaine to the Mexican cartel. He is seen in the show
He has racked up an impressive list of roles like Once Upon a Time, Dear White People, The Mandalorian (seen), Westworld, Do the Right Thing, Malcom X, and The Usual Suspects
Giancarlo Esposito, 64, also took home an award for his part in Better Call Saul, winning Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series at the Critics Choice Awards.
He played Gus Fring in the series, the owner of the fast food chain Los Pollos Hermanos, which was used as a front to distribute cocaine to the Mexican cartel.
The actor has certainly been around for a long time, starting his career off as a Broadway star in the ’60s and ’70s, before switching to on-screen roles in the ’80s.
He has now racked up an impressive list of acting roles like the NBC series Homicide: Life on the Street, ABC’s Once Upon a Time, Netflix comedy show Dear White People, The Mandalorian, Godfather of Harlem, Westworld, School Daze, Do the Right Thing, Malcom X, The Usual Suspects, Last Holiday, The Jungle Book, and of course, Breaking Bad.
Before last night’s win, his only other recognition was when he took home another Critics Choice Award for his role in Breaking Bad in 2012.
Jennifer Coolidge, 61: Won Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series at the Critics Choice Award and Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series at the Golden Globes
Jennifer Coolidge, 61, took home the award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for The White Lotus at the Critics Choice Awards (left) and at the Golden Globes (right) recently
In the HBO series, Coolidge starred as socialite Tanya McQuoid (seen), who was vacationing at a fancy resort in Italy – where chaos ensued after an unidentified body washed up ashore
Coolidge has been acting since 1993 – when she made her first on-screen appearance in one episode of Seinfeld (pictured) – but it wasn’t until last year that she started taking home awards
Coolidge, 61, is making huge waves in the acting world recently. She took home the award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her work in The White Lotus at the Critics Choice Award last night, as well as the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series at the Golden Globes earlier this month.
Her other big roles include the American Pie film series, Legally Blonde (seen), For Your Consideration, A Cinderella Story, Click, Date Movie, 2 Broke Girls, and The Watcher
In the HBO series, Coolidge starred as socialite Tanya McQuoid, who was vacationing at a fancy resort in Italy with her husband – where chaos ensued after an unidentified body washed up ashore in the idyllic seaside town.
Coolidge has been acting since 1993 – when she made her first on-screen appearance in one episode of Seinfeld – but it wasn’t until last year, at age 60, that she started taking home awards for her work.
Her other big roles include the American Pie film series, Legally Blonde, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, For Your Consideration, A Cinderella Story, Click, Date Movie, The Secret Life of the American teenage, 2 Broke Girls, and The Watcher.
The actress won her first major award in 2022 when she was given an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in White Lotus, followed by her recent wins.
Michelle Yeoh, 60: Won Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes
Michelle Yeoh, 60, won the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes for her role in Everything Everywhere All at Once
She played Evelyn Quan Wang, a laundry mat owner, who was tasked with saving the universe after an interdimensional rupture unraveled reality
Yeoh first started acting in the ’80s in a series of martial arts movies, however, her true breakout came in 1997 when she starred in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies (seen)
Yeoh, 60, won the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the 2023 Golden Globes, thanks to her exceptional performance in the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Since then, she has starred in tons of movies and TV shows, like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Memoirs of a Geisha, Crazy Rich Asians (seen), and Shang-Chi
She played Evelyn Quan Wang, a laundry mat owner, who was tasked with saving the universe after an interdimensional rupture unraveled reality.
Yeoh first started acting in the ’80s in a series of martial arts movies, however, her true Hollywood breakout came in 1997 when she starred in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies.
Since then, she has starred in tons of big movies and TV shows, like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Memoirs of a Geisha, Reign of Assassins, The Lady, Crazy Rich Asians, Last Christmas, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings, Star Trek: Discovery, and The Witcher: Blood Origin.
Despite appearing in more than 50 titles over the years, Yeoh didn’t win any major awards for her work until the Golden Globes.
Ke Huy Quan, 51: Won Best Supporting Actor at the Critics Choice Awards and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture at the Golden Globes
Ke Huy Quan, 51, was also awarded for his role in Everything Everywhere All at Once, earning awards at both the Critics Choice Awards and the Golden Globes
He played Waymond Qang, Evelyn’s husband, in the movie. He is seen second from the left
Quan actually became an actor at the young age of 12, starring as the sidekick in the Harrison Ford-led movie Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (seen)
Ke Huy Quan, 51, was also awarded for his role in Everything Everywhere All at Once. He played Waymond Qang, Evelyn’s husband, which earned him the award for Best Supporting Actor at the Critics Choice Awards and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture at the Golden Globes.
Like his costar Yeoh, Quan has been acting for decades but hadn’t received any major awards for his work until now.
He actually became an actor at the young age of 12, starring as the sidekick in the Harrison Ford-led movie Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
His early acting credits also include The Goonies, Together We Stand, Head of the Class, and Encino Man.
As he entered adulthood, Quan -who had studied Taekwondo throughout his childhood – took a break from acting to focus on choreographing fighting sequences in movies, working on flicks like X-Men, The One, and 2046, to name a few.
He then returned to acting in 2021, when he starred in the Netflix movie Finding ‘Ohana.
Sheryl Lee Ralph, 66: Won Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series at the Critics Choice Awards
Sheryl Lee Ralph, 66, won the award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series at the Critics Choice Awards, thanks to her role in ABC’s Abbott Elementary
She played Barbara Howard, a kindergarten teacher, in the series, which was all about a group of educators at a Philadelphia public school
Ralph started acting in 1977 and has starred in numerous movies and shows. She is also a well-renowned singer and Broadway star, appearing in Dreamgirls (seen) and Wicked over the years
Sheryl Lee Ralph, 66, won the award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series at the Critics Choice Awards, thanks to her role in ABC’s Abbott Elementary.
She played Barbara Howard, a kindergarten teacher, in the series, which was all about a group of educators at a Philadelphia public school.
Ralph started acting back in 1977 – landing her first role in the crime comedy movie A Piece of Action – but despite her impressive career that spans across more than three decades, her award last night was her first major recognition.
The star has received critical acclaim in the past for her roles in The Mighty Quinn, To Sleep with Anger, Mistress, The Distinguished Gentleman, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, It’s a Living, New Attitude, Instant Mom, and Moesha.
She is also a well-renowned singer and Broadway star, appearing in Dreamgirls and Wicked over the years – among others.
Even so, it wasn’t until 2022 that she won her first big award – taking home an Emmy for her role in Abbott Elementary.
Mike White, 52: His show, The White Lotus, won Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television at the Golden Globes
Mike White, 52, who is behind the popular series The White Lotus, has been propelled into the public eye recently thanks to the show’s success
On top of Coolidge’s awards for her part in the series, it also took home the award for Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television at the Golden Globes
White has worked behind-the-scenes on many shows and movies, either serving as a writer or producer on Dawson’s Creek, The Good Girl, School of Rock (seen), and Nacho Libre
White, 52, who is behind the popular series The White Lotus, has been propelled into the public eye recently thanks to the show’s success, but he’s actually had a long and impressive career.
On top of Coolidge’s awards for her part in the series, it also took home the award for Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television at the Golden Globes.
White has worked behind-the-scenes on many shows and movies, either serving as a writer or producer on Dawson’s Creek, The Good Girl, School of Rock, Nacho Libre, Enlightened, The Emoji Movie, and Brad’s Status.
Despite contributing to so many popular titles, it wasn’t until The White Lotus that he started receiving awards.
The show also won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series in 2022, as well as Outstanding Writing For A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie.
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