Actor Wunmi Mosaku used the Golden Globes red carpet to announce her second pregnancy, simultaneously calling for greater recognition of the anxieties and vulnerabilities inherent in gestation.
The Sinners star expressed her hope that the profound journey of pregnancy is “truly honoured,” particularly for Black women.
The 39-year-old British-Nigerian actress, who features alongside Michael B Jordan in the action horror, appeared in a custom Matthew Reisman bright yellow gown, cradling her baby bump ahead of Sunday’s award ceremony.
Mosaku spoke to Vogue about her decision to stop trying to conceal her pregnancy, choosing instead to embrace the moment. She explained: “Baby has seen me through ever so carefully, and I want to celebrate how wonderfully we’ve done together to get here as a team, as demanding as it’s been.”
She added that the Yoruba saying, “Iya ni Wura which means ‘mother is golden’,” inspired her choice of the yellow dress for the significant occasion.
The Bafta-winning actress also candidly addressed the struggles of pregnancy, especially for Black women, advocating for less scrutiny around women’s bodies during such a vulnerable period.
“Matrescence is a journey — often a very difficult one. No matter how ‘easy’ a pregnancy may appear, you have no idea what someone has endured to arrive there. The trials. The tears. The tests,” she stated.
She further highlighted the societal lack of gentleness towards pregnant individuals: “We know, in theory, that it isn’t simple — but we don’t practice the gentleness required when speaking about, or to someone who is, or might be, or has been, or is trying to become pregnant.”
Mosaku powerfully articulated the unique fears faced by Black women during pregnancy: “Being pregnant as a black woman, you’re not just worrying about whether your baby will be OK, you’re praying you will be too. Holding joy and fear at the same time is not abstract – it’s rooted in lived experience, medical bias, and real statistics. Black maternal mortality is always on our minds.”
She concluded by emphasising the extreme nature of childbirth: “Pregnancy and labour are among the most extreme and dangerous things a person can naturally endure. I wish we truly honoured that: the vulnerability, the anxiety, the anticipation, the profound transformation in motion. We remember the mothers who were ignored, who had traumatic labours, and the precious lives lost.”
Mosaku is also known for her roles in the hit series Luther with Idris Elba, her Bafta-winning performance as Gloria Taylor in Damilola Our Loved Boy, the 2020 horror film His House, and alongside Tom Hiddleston in Loki.
