The SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills was filled with pride and tears of joy on Monday night as the American Black Film Festival recognized five actors for their contributions to cinema at the 2025 ABFF Honors.
Captain America: Brave New World star Anthony Mackie commenced the awards presentation portion of the ceremony — hosted by comedian Zainab Johnson — by recalling words of wisdom his Marvel film co-star Giancarlo Esposito — known for early roles in Spike Lee’s School Daze and Do the Right Thing and most recently Breaking Bad, Kaleidoscope and The Gentlemen — imparted to him when he was an aspiring actor.
“He said, ‘Look here, man. You want to be a working actor, you have to work to work on your craft,’” Mackie shared. “’Sometimes that means you won’t get paid. The value is in working on your craft.’”
Esposito, who received the Excellence in the Arts Award, echoed a similar refrain in his acceptance speech. “I feel like the journey for me has been to know me more and who I am, and to learn how to get out of the way,” he told the crowd. “And when I can get out of the way, I realize all I’ve ever wanted was to be committed to something I love to do. And because I love it, I won’t work a day in my life.”
Regina King next presented the Hollywood Legacy Award to 227 costar Marla Gibbs, outlining a list of Gibbs’s lengthy achievements outside of her popular role as Florence Johnston on The Jeffersons.
“In the ‘80s, there were very, very few women of any color or complexion in Hollywood that were doing what Marla was doing,” King began. “She wasn’t just an actress — she was a writer, a producer, a singer; she owned a performing arts academy, Crossroads, where we did the play, 227. She owned a jazz supper club, Marla’s Memory Lane, where world-class musicians came to perform. Let’s be clear, she wasn’t just starring in a hit TV show, she was running the show off-screen, too.”
Gibbs, 93, in accepting the honor, demonstrated the humor she’s been known for throughout her 50-plus-year career after expressing gratitude to ABFF for honoring her while she’s still living. Pointing out her agents, Mike Baldridge and Garry Purdy, who joined her on stage, Gibbs made a hilarious plea to the crowd. “They know that I’m ready to work again,” said Gibbs. “Anybody got any projects?”
Following Gibbs, 2024 Rising Star award recipient Kelvin Harrison Jr. took to the stage to pass the torch to his Genius: MLK and Mufasa: The Lion King co-star Aaron Pierre, who recreated the TikTok-viral dance moves he did in his turn down the spirit tunnel on The Jennifer Hudson Show in December as a live band played the “That’s Mufasa” song created by the talk show’s staff.
Pierre was far more serious in his speech, thanking God for a “new beginning” as he recalled the early struggles that led to becoming the 2025 Rising Star honoree. “Thank you for any and all blessings you give me; yes, even the ones that in the moment I didn’t identify as such. The moments when my bank balance was below zero. The moments when I had to sell my belongings for real cash. The moments when I felt somewhat delusional and questioned whether it was accurate to describe my occupation as that of an actor as I was unemployed and the phone was ringing silent.”
Fighting back tears, the British star — set to play the first Black Green Lantern — then went on to recognize his late grandmother. “In 2022, my family lost a matriarch, my grandmother. My grandmother was born and raised in Jamaica and ventured to London in hopes of discovering opportunities for her children and for her children’s children. I’d like to dedicate this award to my grandmother,” said Pierre. “I love you and I hope you are proud.”
