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Senior Arts Reporter

Zimbabwean born Hollywood star Danai Gurira has won the Best Action Movie Star of 2018 at the recently held, E! People’s Choice Awards show at Barker Hangar Hotel in Santa Monica, California, United States.

Gurira whose role as the fierce and loyal Wakandan soldier Okoye in the 2018 hit movie “Black Panther” has earned her the distinction, as the best beating Chris Hemsworth of Avengers: Infinity Wars, Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool 2) Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther) and Chris Pratt from Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.

Soon after receiving the award, Gurira, spoke about being a woman in a male dominated category; “Thank you for affirming that women and girls when they are given the chance to hang with the boys, can hang with the best of them. Thank you!”

In Black Panther, Gurira (as Okoye) leads the Dora Milaje, a militant order which protects the King of Wakanda, and one of T’Challa’s (Boseman) closest advisers.

The People’s Choice Awards are held to honor popular film, television, music, and podcasts, and those who have made a mark in the industry.

Gurira is not new in television as in 2012, she joined the cast of popular Hollywood series, The Walking Dead as Michonne, a katana-wielding badass with no fear of the undead.

In her first scene, she was introduced alongside two shackled, jawless zombies who served as her bodyguards — the first time a character had used the undead to their advantage.

As time went on, she proved to be one of the smartest, most capable, and most savage characters the show had ever seen.

At the same time, as viewers would later learn, she was a mother in mourning who had lost her child to the apocalypse.

Some of the stars who took home an award include Nicki Minaj, Blake Shelton, Victoria Beckham, Melissa McCarthy and Chadwick Boseman among others.

Below is the full list of winners below:

People’s Champion Award
Bryan Stevenson

Fashion Icon Award
Victoria Beckham

People’s Icon of 2018
Melissa McCarthy

Movie of 2018
Avengers: Infinity War

Comedy Movie of 2018
The Spy Who Dumped Me

Action Movie of 2018
Avengers: Infinity War

Drama Movie of 2018
Fifty Shades Freed

Family Movie of 2018
“Incredibles 2

MALE MOVIE STAR OF 2018
Chadwick Boseman, “Black Panther”

FEMALE MOVIE STAR OF 2018
Scarlett Johansson, “Avengers: Infinity War

DRAMA MOVIE STAR OF 2018
Jamie Dornan, “Fifty Shades Freed

COMEDY MOVIE STAR OF 2018
Melissa McCarthy, “Life of the Party”

ACTION MOVIE STAR OF 2018

Danai Gurira, “Black Panther”

TV SHOW OF 2018
Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments

DRAMA SHOW OF 2018
Riverdale

COMEDY SHOW OF 2018
Orange Is the New Black

REVIVAL SHOW OF 2018
Dynasty

REALITY SHOW OF 2018
Keeping Up With the Kardashians

COMPETITION SHOW OF 2018
The Voice

MALE TV STAR OF 2018
Harry Shum Jr., “Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments”

FEMALE TV STAR OF 2018
Katherine McNamara, “Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments”

DRAMA TV STAR OF 2018
Mariska Hargitay, “Law & Order: SVU

COMEDY TV STAR OF 2018
Jim Parsons, “The Big Bang Theory”

DAYTIME TALK SHOW OF 2018
The Ellen DeGeneres Show

NIGHTTIME TALK SHOW OF 2018
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

COMPETITION CONTESTANT OF 2018
Maddie Poppe, “American Idol”

REALITY TV STAR OF 2018
Khloe Kardashian, “Keeping Up With the Kardashians

BINGEWORTHY SHOW OF 2018
Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments

 

SCI-FI/FANTASY SHOW OF 2018
“Wynonna Earp”

MALE ARTIST OF 2018
Shawn Mendes

 

FEMALE ARTIST OF 2018
Nicki Minaj

GROUP OF 2018
BTS

 

ALBUM OF 2018
Nicki Minaj, “Queen”

SONG OF 2018
BTS, “Idol”

COUNTRY ARTIST OF 2018
Blake Shelton

LATIN ARTIST OF 2018
CNCO

MUSIC VIDEO OF 2018
BTS, “Idol”

CONCERT TOUR OF 2018
Taylor Swift, Reputation Tour

 

BEAUTY INFLUENCER OF 2018
James Charles

SOCIAL STAR OF 2018
Shane Dawson

 

ANIMAL STAR OF 2018
Crusoe the Celebrity Dachshund

SOCIAL CELEBRITY OF 2018
BTS

 

COMEDY ACT OF 2018
Kevin Hart

 

STYLE STAR OF 2018
Harry Styles

GAME CHANGER OF 2018
Serena Williams

POP PODCAST OF 2018
“Scrubbing in With Becca Tilley & Tanya Rad