Charlize Theron, Gabrielle Union, Ryan Reynolds, and John Legend honor Glamour’s Women of the Year

Grammy-nominated sister R&B duo Chloe x Halle hosted the Glamour Women of the Year 30th Anniversary Special, which started streaming Monday night at 7pm EST on all of the magazine’s platforms.

Among the 2020 honorees was Oscar winner Regina King – whose three-decade career was heralded by Charlize Theron, Gabrielle Union, and Holly Robinson Peete during the virtual 45-minute ceremony.

The 45-year-old Oscar winner said she was ‘proud’ to one day screen the 49-year-old triple-threat’s films to ‘my girls’ Jackson, nearly 9; and August, 5.  

‘The change brought to so many stories especially those stories that you don’t hear too often – the stories of black women,’ Charlize explained.

‘She knows who lives in her skin. She knows who she is and it comes through in her work…Regina I am just so happy for you. You’re changing the world. I hope you know that.’

Meanwhile, the 47-year-old L.A.’s Finest producer-star said Regina was ‘teaching a master class of how to, not only survive in this business, but to thrive.

‘She is a once in a lifetime talent,’ Gabrielle explained.  

‘To me the one [role of hers] that stands out the most was the one I needed the most, which was [NBC’s 1985 sitcom] 227. Just playing a normal black teenager when there weren’t normal black teenagers on TV.’

King just executive produced her critically-acclaimed theatrical directorial debut One Night in Miami, which will have a limited US release on December 25 before streaming January 15 on Amazon Prime Video.

The drama – based on Kemp Powers’ 2013 play – tells a fictionalized story of boxer Cassius Clay, civil rights leader Malcolm X, NFL star Jim Brown, and singer Sam Cooke bonding at a Florida hotel in February 1964.

‘What brought me to directing was just the desire to work with the entire crew at a much deeper level,’ the four-time Emmy winner said.   

‘In my heart and mind when I read it, I felt like I was the only director that should – not that could – that should tell Kemp’s story.’

Ryan Reynolds, John Legend, and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker honored the work of NAACP Legal Defense Fund president Sherrilyn Ifill.

‘Racial justice is fundamental to the integrity of democracy. It’s time for the rest of us to take up that work,’ the Canadian 43-year-old action star said.

‘Sherrilyn is funny. Not, like, “funny for the leader of one of the most important organizations ever to fight democracy and advance the cause of civil rights” funny, but, like, “comedy-circuit” funny. Like “stand-up comedian-level” funny. I also know her well enough to know she wishes I hadn’t said that.’ 

The 41-year-old EGOT champ praised the 57-year-old attorney for fighting for the underdog: ‘She inspires people, especially the team she leads at the LDF. She draws the very best talent to work for the cause.’

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez honored Veronica Henry, Navdeep Kaur, R.N.; Meida Sanchez, and Jasmin Moshirpur, M.D. battling COVID-19 at Elmhurst Hospital, which is located in her congressional district – New York’s 14th.

‘The most taxing aspect of that work is not just the physical lack of sleep they went through, it was those experiences that they will live with for the rest of their lives,’ the 31-year-old waitress-turned-congresswoman said.

‘There were people that had to spend their final moments on earth without family, without friends…It took such an immense amount of human compassion, human connection [to do what the Elmhurst Hospital staff did], and that was more than just giving a dose of medicine. We should be honoring them every day.’  

Glamour also bestowed their annual honors on United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

‘When you stand on the side of what’s right, come what may. That was my approach to dealing with [Georgia] Governor Brian Kemp,’ the 50-year-old politician said of the coronavirus.

‘He knew we were all in danger, and he didn’t care. I don’t know how many of these leaders are going to be able to sleep at night knowing they didn’t do all that they could do in the midst of where we are with this pandemic.’