Zoe Saldaña tears up with first Golden Globe win for 'Emilia Pérez': 'My heart is full'

Zoe Saldaña nabbed her first-ever Golden Globe Sunday night.

The actress marked the win for "Emilia Pérez," a musical thriller nominated for several awards, with a tearful speech and a long list of thank yous for costars and family.

"This is a first time for me," the "Avatar" actress said, before shouting out her fellow cast members and nominees, calling herself "blessed to be sharing this moment."

"I'm filled with adrenaline, but my heart is full of gratitude," she told the audience. "Thank you so much to the Golden Globes for celebrating our film and honoring the women of Emilia Pérez. Thank you so much."

"My family, my mom is here, my sister, my husband and my sons I love you, I love you − you guys are everything," Saldaña said, urging the wrap-up music to stop so she could get in her final words.

Saldaña also shouted out director Jaques Audiard, the mastermind behind the Spanish language French film which has proved a massive success for Netflix's original film division.

'Emilia Pérez,' 'The Brutalist,' more: The complete 2025 Golden Globes winners list

"Thank you so much for trusting me to play Rita, you are just a character that I admire so much," she told Audiard. "You created rich and complex characters, and you’re so French and so chic and confident and kind! I love it!"

Saldaña plays Rita, a lawyer enlisted to help Mexican Cartel head Manitas (played by Sofia Gascón) to fake their own death in order to receive gender-affirming care and transition into a woman.

The film follows the ex-drug lord years later, now known as Emilia Pérez as she attempts to reunite with her wife Jessi and their children. Jessi is played by Selena Gomez, a double-nominee whose work in both "Emilia Pérez" and "Only Murders in the Building" was nominated at the ceremony.

Latinas in Hollywood: Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez, Karla Sofía Gascón feted at Netflix event

The movie has already garnered a win this evening, emerging victorious in the best non-English language film category.

Comedian Nikki Glaser is anchoring the show − the first of the cinema awards circuit. Her monologue cracked jokes about Sean "Diddy" Combs and Benny Blanco but steered clear for Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively calling it "a hot-button thing."

Watch Zoe Saldaña's full Golden Globes speech

Zoe Saldaña celebrated by National Hispanic Media Coalition

Brenda Victoria Castillo, President and CEO of the National Hispanic Media Coalition, said in a statement they wanted to "proudly celebrate the Latina excellence" showcased at Sunday night's Golden Globes.

"With recognition across both film and television, Latine entertainers shined brightly, honoring the lasting legacy of our culture and community," the statement read. "We extend our congratulations to Zoe Saldaña on her first Golden Globe win."

They also gave a shoutout to Fernanda Torres for her win for her role in "I'm Still Here," which marked the first Brazilian actress to receive the award for best performance by a female actor in a motion picture or drama.

"Last night was also a celebration of women and sisterhood, and we would like to congratulate Nikki Glaser for becoming the first woman to host the Golden Globes by herself in the show’s 82 years," Castillo continued in the statement. "We would also like to acknowledge those who uplift our community, like Jodi Foster … During the award ceremony, we saw Hollywood's actresses over 50 take center stage, with Demi Moore winning Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy for her role in The Substance and Jean Smart winning Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy for her role in Hacks, showing us that regardless of age, talent has the power to captivate audiences across genres."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Zoe Saldana tearfully nabs first Golden Globe for 'Emilia Perez'