Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s Philly Upbringing Will Always Keep Her Grounded

Oscar winning Philadelphia native Da’Vine Joy Randolph keeps her hometown close to her heart, recognizing that her upbringing in the City of Brotherly Love will always keep her grounded.

“You can’t come from Philadelphia and be changed; they won’t let you,” Randolph, 37, told Variety when asked about how her Sunday night Oscar win may have changed her. “There’s a trophy in my house now, but I’m not different.”

She went on, “This will be who I am. The roles will get better, the money will improve, the lines will get better. I hope to make a legacy and leave an imprint with this career. I hope my work will matter, and it will be something that people of all shapes, sizes, colors, creeds and genders can connect to. But me, and the soul of me, won’t change.”

When asked about her upbringing in the city, the multi-award winner gushed with love for the town that raised her, as well as other northeastern cities she deems “unique.”

“It was the best,” she said of coming up in Philly. “It was exactly what I needed. There’s something very unique about Northeast cities and communities, even in a film like The Holdovers. It’s a very distinct culture, behavior, attitude, mannerisms … I love that. They don’t have that anywhere else besides that Northeast pocket. And so whether Boston, New York, Philly, I’m so grateful that I was born and raised and cultivated in a city such as that. I just love the people. They celebrate life and they champion underdogs, and I take great pride in that.”

Randolph won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar Sunday night for her turn as Mary Lamb, a grieving cafeteria manager mourning the loss of her son, in The Holdovers. She also received a Golden Globe, Critics Choice Award, and several other accolades for the role.