Words by Hannah Shaw
After a year of protests and important movements, GQ highlighted the work of Black British stars – from social justice campaigns to random acts of kindness – in this year’s annual GQ Awards.
The 23rd GQ Men of the Year Awards took place at the end of last month, exhibiting some pretty prestigious and high-profile awards for social change. The event was hosted virtually by Jack Whitehall at the Coliseum Theatre (if you can remember what one of those is) and broadcast on British GQ’s YouTube channel, meaning we could all attend the red carpet this year.
Despite the “epic shit-astrophe” that has been 2020, the event captured some of the most inspiring acts of humanity we’ve witnessed over the past 12 months. From Lewis Hamilton’s stand for social change to Lashana Lynch’s breakthrough role in No Time To Die, the contributions of Black British stars proved at the forefront of the annual ceremony.
John Boyega : Icon of the Year
Being awarded ‘Icon of the Year’ would be a monumental achievement in anybody’s life, but unless you’re willing to risk your career for it, you won’t get very close. After his Black Lives Matter rally in Hyde Park this summer and becoming a spokesperson for racial equality everywhere, John Boyega has definitely earned his title. The actor and producer criticised Disney’s Star Wars for racial prejudice (the company left his character, Finn, behind as a distant memory), and has been at the forefront of the #EndSARS campaign to end police brutality in Nigeria. He’s also currently starring in the BBC mini-series, Small Axe, advocating for the Black resilience shown by communities throughout Britain’s troubled history. In his own words, an icon is “a person who is successful, who shares their success, who is inspirational to multiple people” – after his work throughout 2020, he definitely fits that role.
Lewis Hamilton: Game Changer
Few stars have made bigger headlines this year. Whether outpacing his opponents or taking the knee, Lewis Hamilton has cemented his place amongst the greats – and raised awareness about the issues affecting his community, those to which he, himself, has often borne witness.
He told GQ: “My dad always said, ‘Do your talking on the track,’ so I held my tongue, but we suppress a lot of things and all my suppressed emotions came up and I was like, ‘You know what? I have to do something. I cannot stay silent.’ If we all stay silent, it will continue for generations.”
Michaela Coel : Creative Icon
Despite the title of the awards, Men of the Year, the GQ event is an occasion to honour the most celebrated individuals of the year, regardless of gender. After writing, co-directing, acting as executive producer and starring in her televised drama, I May Destroy You, there’s no way you can doubt Michaela’s creativity nor her status as a 2020 icon. Michaela exploited her incredible talents to explore a multitude of 21st century issues, from consent to race, as her character, Arabella, tries to find her feet again after being raped. An inspiration to Black women all over the world, it’s clear that Coel definitely has the ability to destroy any boundaries in her way. Watch out, Michaela Coel is quite literally a force to be reckoned with.
Marcus Rashford : Campaigner
If you haven’t heard about this legendary campaigner-cum-Manchester United striker, you probably live under a rock. Whether it be his learning sign language to participate in World Book Day or his ‘In the Box’ campaign to battle homelessness, Rashford’s work off the pitch has led to some incredible achievements (oh, and he’s only 23). He is perhaps best known for single-handedly taking on the government to help feed children across the country during the pandemic. His free school meals campaign quickly made him a national hero and, of course, there is no better way for GQ to honour his work than by having him make meatballs at his former primary school.
And that’s not all. Since the awards, Rashford is auctioning his personalised football boots to raise money for those in need this Christmas. Is there anything this man can’t do?
Lashana Lynch : Breakthrough Actress
The latest James Bond may have been postponed until next year, but the excitement surrounding the latest instalment of the franchise has hardly died down. The most talked about aspect of the film? Lashana Lynch’s appointment as 007.
Oh, and the conversation surrounding a Black bond? She doesn’t care much: “The fact that you have to celebrate it, like it’s this New Age thing, like black people have just arrived on the planet. That’s what annoys me about the idea of Idris Elba being ‘the black Bond’… For my community, those are really big things, but for the world, I need you to not care about it.”
When the film drops next year, fans will be watching her espionage debut with eagerness and excitement – as will we.
Patrick Hutchinson: Humanitarian
When news of Patrick Hutchinson’s actions during the height of the Black Lives Matter protests broke, people could think of nothing else but the famous quote: “How do we change the world? ‘One act of random of kindness at a time.'” By carrying a counter-protestor away from harm, he set an example to all others.
“It’s easy to sit by and say to any individual to be the bigger person and not to react and not let things escalate, but when you’re on the other end of racism and oppression it’s very difficult,” he said.
Read our profile on Micheal Ward, one of Britain’s most promising young actors.