How about a bright and shining light in a sometimes-dark place — the entertainment industry?

On Sunday, Black Panther’s Letitia Wright won a British Academy of Film and Television Arts award for work in the hit Marvel film. During her acceptance speech, she told the audience how God had pulled her from a “deep depression.”

With her trophy for the Academy’s Rising Star honor sitting on the podium, she shared her personal Christian testimony:

“I identify myself as a child of God, and I can’t get up here without thanking God. A few years ago, I saw myself in a deep state of depression, and I literally wanted to quit acting. The only thing that pretty much pulled me out of that was God, my belief, my faith, my family…”

Letitia said she’s a work in progress, and that God has blessed her:

“So this wasn’t an overnight thing. This wasn’t a click-of-a-finger success, and it’s still a work in progress. I’m still a work in progress. But I want to just thank God, I want to thank my family, I want to thank my team at IAG…everybody at WME. I want to thank everybody that said ‘Yes’ to me. I want to say thank you to everybody that gave me a chance, and just saw my talents — saw what God placed in me, and said ‘Yes.'”

The gracious actress ended with an encouragement to anyone out there who might be struggling:

“I just want to encourage you — anybody that’s going through a hard time, or something in their soul, or that they’ve lost their light — I want to encourage you that God made you, and you’re important. There might be some of you that’s going through depression, that’s going through a bad time, and you’re putting on a smile on your face, and nobody can see that. But you know it, and God knows it. And I just want to encourage you, and I just want to say that God loves you. And just let your light shine.”

The star also talked of her difficult time to Relevant Magazine in June of last year:

“I needed to take a break from acting, because I really idolized it. So I came off from it and I went on a journey to discover my relationship with God, and I became a Christian. It really just gave me so much love and light within myself. I felt secure, like I didn’t need validation from anyone else, or getting a part. My happiness wasn’t dependent on that, it was dependent on my relationship with God. … I’m not perfect. As a Christian, you’re not perfect, you know, but you’re walking everyday and trying to stay connected. I’m really grateful. I’m centered in who I am.”

Despite the silliness and narcissism of Hollywood (here and here), every now and then we see someone make it through, seemingly with their heart and soul in tact. Thanks to Letitia for letting us see her. For another example, see Chris Pratt’s MTV Generation Award acceptance speech (following Letitia’s) below.

-Alex

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