TV star Jonathan Bailey left the world in tears with his heartfelt speech at the 29th Critics’ Choice Awards on Sunday that is now going viral on social media.

This Sunday evening marked the commencement of the 29th Critics’ Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California. From some heartfelt moments to jaw-dropping wins, the awards ceremony was a memorable night. Margot Robbie’s Barbie touched a milestone by bagging 18 nominations, the greatest for any film at the Critics’ Choice Awards ever. However, Fellow Travelers’ star Jonathan Bailey stole hearts with his emotional speech at the ceremony.

A now-viral video of the British actor’s trembling hands during his speech is leaving fans teary-eyed. A user recently shared a brief snippet of Bailey’s acceptance speech after he won Best Supporting Actor in a Limited TV Series at the Critics’ Choice Awards on social media, and a heartfelt caption urging others to treasure Bailey.

Jonathan Bailey was left shaking on stage

Jonathan Bailey, who hails from the United Kingdom, dedicated his Critics’ Choice Award to the entire LGBTQ+ community after he was named the Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series for Fellow Travelers, on Sunday. What followed was a heartwarming homage to the community, his grandmother, and his co-star Matt Bomer.

A fan, @IR0NLANG caught notice of the 35-year-old actor’s shaking hands as he unfolded his speech note on stage. The four-second video presented a zoomed-in cropped video of Bailey’s winning moment. The caption thoughtfully noted,

“jonathan bailey was shaking so hard. protect him at all costs”

 

The Bridgerton star took the auspicious moment to celebrate and acknowledge the hardships and battles individuals from the LGBTQ+ community faced in the ‘80s and 90’s when same-sex relationships were considered a criminal offense. It is precisely what Fellow Travelers is based on, presenting Jonathan Bailey’s Tim Laughlin and Matt Bomer’s Hawkins Fuller deep in love around the 1950s, in Washington D.C.

 

Jonathan Bailey’s eye-opening acceptance speech

Apart from the grand wins, and glamorous celebrities, awards season recalls the magic of love, passion, and the deeper meaning of cinema. Similarly, Bailey rightfully utilized his time on-stage to pay tribute to all those in the past who’ve suffered immensely, to his grandmother who introduced him to the world of films by taking him to theatres at 5, among others. Bailey said in his speech at the 29th Critics Choice Awards,

“So to my Fellow Travelers family, to all the people who lost their lives and loves in the ’80s and ’90s, and to every LGBTQ+ person living in a bigoted community, which still surround us, this is for you…I love you my 93-year-old Nana, who took me to the theatres when I was five and gave me a vocation…“I’m bringing this trophy back to you and a cup of tea on Tuesday.”

Fellow Travelers is rated with a convincing 8.1 on IMDb, which marks the series as a must-watch. The first season of the Ron Nyswaner-led show wrapped up in the eighth episode that aired on December 17, 2023. Fellow Travelers is available to stream on Paramount+, Hulu, Showtime, and Prime Video.