Seven-year-old Brooklynn Prince teared up while accepting her Critics’ Choice Award

Last night, seven-year-old Brooklynn Prince took home the top prize in the Best Young Actor/Actress category at the 2018 Critics’ Choice Awards for her work in The Florida Project. She put the audiences on an emotional roller coaster in the film and did the same last night when she accepted her award. Prince teared up through her entire speech even when she implored the rest of the young talent in her category to “go and get ice cream after this.” The audience giggled when she thanked her family and then quickly added: “and my team.” Lol, she’s seven and already an awards show pro.

The whole speech was a much-needed moment of levity, especially now in Hollywood when sexual harassers are winning awards and actresses are being paid dollars to some actors’ millions. However, the young actress ended her speech on a sobering note. “I would like to dedicate this award to all the Moonees out there,” Prince told the audience. “Guys, this is a real problem. You need to go out there and help. Thank you so much.”

The Florida Project tells the story of Moonee (Prince), a six-year-old living in a Florida motel just outside Disney World with her young, destitute mother.

Prince’s plea is a real one and echoes what the film’s director, Sean Baker, told The Hollywood Reporter in October 2017. “Housing is a fundamental human right, and I think the first step toward change is awareness, so if we can get more people to be aware of this national situation. I hope this movie inspires people to get involved — donation, education, support, advocacy.”

Watch Prince’s entire speech below:

Critics’ Choice Awards: I want to cry tears of joy because my old pal @thebrooklynnk from @FloridaProject won!!! pic.twitter.com/OhV01b1Stb

— Scott Feinberg @ TIFF (@ScottFeinberg) January 12, 2018

We’re not crying, you’re crying!