Zimbabwean born Hollywood star Danai Gurira has won the Best Action Movie Star of 2018 at the recently held, E! People’s Choice Awards show at Barker Hangar Hotel in Santa Monica, California, United States.
Gurira whose role as the fierce and loyal Wakandan soldier Okoye in the 2018 hit movie “Black Panther” has earned her the distinction, as the best beating Chris Hemsworth of Avengers: Infinity Wars, Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool 2) Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther) and Chris Pratt from Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.
Soon after receiving the award, Gurira, spoke about being a woman in a male dominated category; “Thank you for affirming that women and girls when they are given the chance to hang with the boys, can hang with the best of them. Thank you!”
In Black Panther, Gurira (as Okoye) leads the Dora Milaje, a militant order which protects the King of Wakanda, and one of T’Challa’s (Boseman) closest advisers.
The People’s Choice Awards are held to honor popular film, television, music, and podcasts, and those who have made a mark in the industry.
Gurira is not new in television as in 2012, she joined the cast of popular Hollywood series, The Walking Dead as Michonne, a katana-wielding badass with no fear of the undead.
In her first scene, she was introduced alongside two shackled, jawless zombies who served as her bodyguards — the first time a character had used the undead to their advantage.
As time went on, she proved to be one of the smartest, most capable, and most savage characters the show had ever seen.
At the same time, as viewers would later learn, she was a mother in mourning who had lost her child to the apocalypse.
Some of the stars who took home an award include Nicki Minaj, Blake Shelton, Victoria Beckham, Melissa McCarthy and Chadwick Boseman among others.
Below is the full list of winners below:
People’s Champion Award
Bryan Stevenson
Fashion Icon Award
Victoria Beckham
People’s Icon of 2018
Melissa McCarthy
Movie of 2018
Avengers: Infinity War
Comedy Movie of 2018
The Spy Who Dumped Me
Action Movie of 2018
Avengers: Infinity War
Drama Movie of 2018
Fifty Shades Freed
Family Movie of 2018
“Incredibles 2
MALE MOVIE STAR OF 2018
Chadwick Boseman, “Black Panther”
FEMALE MOVIE STAR OF 2018
Scarlett Johansson, “Avengers: Infinity War
DRAMA MOVIE STAR OF 2018
Jamie Dornan, “Fifty Shades Freed
COMEDY MOVIE STAR OF 2018
Melissa McCarthy, “Life of the Party”
ACTION MOVIE STAR OF 2018
Danai Gurira, “Black Panther”
TV SHOW OF 2018
Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments
DRAMA SHOW OF 2018
Riverdale
COMEDY SHOW OF 2018
Orange Is the New Black
REVIVAL SHOW OF 2018
Dynasty
REALITY SHOW OF 2018
Keeping Up With the Kardashians
COMPETITION SHOW OF 2018
The Voice
MALE TV STAR OF 2018
Harry Shum Jr., “Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments”
FEMALE TV STAR OF 2018
Katherine McNamara, “Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments”
DRAMA TV STAR OF 2018
Mariska Hargitay, “Law & Order: SVU
COMEDY TV STAR OF 2018
Jim Parsons, “The Big Bang Theory”
DAYTIME TALK SHOW OF 2018
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
NIGHTTIME TALK SHOW OF 2018
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
COMPETITION CONTESTANT OF 2018
Maddie Poppe, “American Idol”
REALITY TV STAR OF 2018
Khloe Kardashian, “Keeping Up With the Kardashians
BINGEWORTHY SHOW OF 2018
Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments
SCI-FI/FANTASY SHOW OF 2018
“Wynonna Earp”
MALE ARTIST OF 2018
Shawn Mendes
FEMALE ARTIST OF 2018
Nicki Minaj
GROUP OF 2018
BTS
ALBUM OF 2018
Nicki Minaj, “Queen”
SONG OF 2018
BTS, “Idol”
COUNTRY ARTIST OF 2018
Blake Shelton
LATIN ARTIST OF 2018
CNCO
MUSIC VIDEO OF 2018
BTS, “Idol”
CONCERT TOUR OF 2018
Taylor Swift, Reputation Tour
BEAUTY INFLUENCER OF 2018
James Charles
SOCIAL STAR OF 2018
Shane Dawson
ANIMAL STAR OF 2018
Crusoe the Celebrity Dachshund
SOCIAL CELEBRITY OF 2018
BTS
COMEDY ACT OF 2018
Kevin Hart
STYLE STAR OF 2018
Harry Styles
GAME CHANGER OF 2018
Serena Williams
POP PODCAST OF 2018
“Scrubbing in With Becca Tilley & Tanya Rad. The Herald