On Wednesday evening (2019.11.14), the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) announced that it had chosen Isan Elba as the 2019 Golden Globes Ambassador.
The 16-year-old will take up the role – which involves assisting in distributing the Golden Globe trophies at the ceremony and works in raising awareness of a selected charitable cause- next year when the prestigious Golden Globe Awards will take place on January 6, 2019.
The ambassadorial title which had previously been named Mister or Miss Golden Globe was changed to show a gender-neutral and more inclusive role according to the HFPA president. “Last year, the HFPA renamed the title to represent a more inclusive role that was not only gender-neutral but also spoke to the HFPA’s commitment to philanthropy,” said HFPA president Meher Tatna in a statement. “However, we are continuing to stand by the tradition that the honoree is the daughter or son of a well-known actor.”
In an interview with Variety Magazine, Isan said that her major area of interest will be mental health, especially among African Americans and teens. “I feel honored to hold this title and use this role to not only further educate people on the work of the HFPA, but also shine a light on issues that I care about,” added Isan.
“Mental health, specifically among African Americans and my peers, in particular, is something I really want to be more vocal about. There’s this perceived stigma and I’ve seen friends struggle. We need to empower young people to not be afraid to ask for help.”
Isan is not the first teenager to hold this glamorous role. Previous holders of similar ambassadorial roles include Dwayne Johnson’s daughter, Simone Garcia Johnson, Jamie Foxx’s daughter, Corinne Foxx among celebrities’ daughters.
