Gotham Awards 2021: Chadwick Boseman honored by wife, see full list of winners

Chadwick Boseman was honored at the 2021 IFP Gotham Awards, which were held Monday night in New York City.

Variety reports that Boseman was honored throughout the night in acceptance speeches from "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" co-star Viola Davis and director André Holland, who worked with Boseman on the Jackie Robinson biopic "42," among others.

A video tribute also played that highlighted the late "Black Panther" actor's most prolific work.

The most emotional speech, though, came from Boseman's wife, Taylor Simone Ledward, who tearfully accepted the Actor Tribute Award on her husband's behalf.

"As an artist, an actor and a person, Chad made a practice of telling the truth. He is the most honest person I've ever met," Ledward said. "Because he didn't just stop at speaking the truth, he actively searched for it -- in himself, in those around him and in the moment."

"And so, it became how he lived his life -- day in, day out. Imperfect, but determined," she added, saying his mantra allowed him to live his life to the fullest every day and "be totally present in his own life and the lives of the people he became."

"He realized when one is able to recognize that their strength does not come from themself, they rarely mess up," Ledward continued. "That's what he was doing when he was acting. Not merely telling a story or reading lines off a page, but modeling for us a path of true fulfillment."

She ended her speech by saying, "Chad, thank you. I love you. I am so proud of you. Keep shining your light on us."

Boseman died after a silent battle with colon cancer at the age of 43 over the summer.

A recap of the night

Elsewhere at the award show, director Chloé Zhao and her latest film, "Nomadland," won big by snagging the Best Feature trophy for the second time, having won for "The Rider" back in 2018.

"Nomadland," which stars Frances McDormand as Fern, follows the adventures of a woman who lost everything in the recession and chooses to live out of her van and travels through the American West as a true modern-day nomad. The movie also won the Gotham Audience Award.

The ceremony, held at Cipriani Wall Street in New York, was attended by a select few individuals because of the ongoing COVID-19 safety regulations and introduced a hybrid-virtual ceremony to list off the night's winners.

Nicole Beharie earned Best Actress for her role in "Miss Juneteenth" while Riz Ahmed was honored with Best Actor for his role in "Sound of Metal."

In the television categories, "Watchmen" won in the breakthrough series long form category while "I May Destroy You" took home the win in the short form category.

Davis and director Steve McQueen -- in addition to Boseman -- were honored as tribute award recipients.

Here's the complete winners list:

BEST FEATURE
"Nomadland" (Searchlight)

BEST ACTOR
Riz Ahmed, "Sound of Metal" (Amazon)

BEST ACTRESS
Nicole Beharie, "Miss Juneteenth" (Vertical Entertainment)

BEST DOCUMENTARY
"A Thousand Cuts" (PBS/Frontline)

BEST SCREENPLAY (tie)
Radha Blank, "The Forty-Year-Old Version" (Netflix)
Dan Sallitt, "Fourteen" (Grasshopper Film)

BREAKTHROUGH ACTOR
Kingsley Ben-Adir, "One Night in Miami" (Amazon)

GOTHAM AUDIENCE AWARD
"Nomadland" (Searchlight)

BINGHAM RAY BREAKTHROUGH DIRECTOR AWARD
Andrew Patterson -- "The Vast Night" (Amazon)

BREAKTHROUGH SERIES – LONG FORM
"Watchmen" (HBO)

BREAKTHROUGH SERIES – SHORT FORM
"I May Destroy You" (HBO)

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE
"Identifying Features" (Kino Lorber)

ACTRESS TRIBUTE
Viola Davis

ACTOR TRIBUTE
Chadwick Boseman

ENSEMBLE TRIBUTE
The cast of "The Trial of the Chicago 7"

DIRECTOR’S TRIBUTE
Steve McQueen

INDUSTRY TRIBUTE
Ryan Murphy

MADE IN N.Y. AWARD
Jeffrey Wright