Looks like the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce saved the best for last. On December 16, actor Courtney B. Vance was honored with the 2,831st star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the year’s final ceremony.
Vance, who received the star in the category of television, has had quite the career. The Detroit native first appeared in an episode of ABC’s Thirtysomething in 1989 and has racked up a slew of accolades across various forms of media. His most notable performances include his Tony award-winning turn in Lucky Guy, the holiday classic The Preacher’s Wife, and his heralded portrayal as Johnnie Cochran in The People vs. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story. Currently, he’s taking on the role of Zeus in Disney+’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians, which launched its new season earlier this month.
Alongside his wife Angela Bassett and their children Bronwyn and Slater, Vance’s star-studded supporters included Grotesquerie co-star Niecy Nash-Betts and her wife Jessica. The seats next to them were occupied by Lovecraft Country executive producer Misha Green and co-star Jurnee Smollett.
Following remarks from FX Networks Chairman John Landgraf, Vance’s family took the stage to share heartfelt words. When Slater asked his father how to be so giving, yet still have enough for one’s self, Vance shared a poignant truth.
“‘You have to be like water, son: permeable to everything and everyone before you, but not so fluid that you forget that when it’s time to take solid form, you have it in your capacity,’” Slater Vance recalled. “‘There is a time for everything, and wisdom, which comes from God, is knowing what time it is.’”
“Well, I know what time it is today: it’s time for the giver to receive, and I couldn’t be prouder to witness a man who asks for nothing [to] receive everything,” he added.
Slater’s sister Bronwyn reflected upon her father’s subtle lessons in kindness. “He was a strict father, but a gentle one,” she said. “In elementary school, he’d wake me up by rubbing my back and slowly opening the blinds. When I had bad dreams, he’d come to my room, sit next to me and sing ‘Jesus Loves Me This I Know.’”
“Through moments like these, he taught me that it doesn’t take much to be kind,” Bronwyn said. “Just small gestures, but ones that made you feel deeply loved.”
Rounding out the list of guest speakers was none other than Angela Bassett, who received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2008. Her star sits directly across the street from her husband’s.
“Today’s honor is deeply deserved,” she said in her closing statements. “This star recognizes not only his artistry, but his integrity, his generosity and his grace with which he moves through the world. I am endlessly proud of you, I love you, and I’m grateful that the world now has a star that bears your name.”
Courtney B. Vance’s gratitude was on full display throughout the ceremony, and as the holiday season begins to swell, Vance reminded us about the treasure of life: love.
“I have learned that I am not rich in money or things, I’m rich in the people who surround myself and our family,” the Emmy Award-winning actor said. “I am most grateful for all the people who held my hand and paved the way. I am eternally grateful for the life I’ve been allowed to live for I know I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
