Ving Rhames has weighed in on awards shows after turning down a Golden Globe back in 1998, explaining his viewpoint on the ceremonies. Rhames was previously nominated for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture in 1998, winning for his role as Don King in the TV movie Don King: Only in America. However, despite being a Golden Globe winner, he refused his award, instead giving it to Jack Lemon for his portrayal of Juror No. 8 in the TV remake of 12 Angry Men. It was the first award Rhames had ever won for his acting.

Speaking with ScreenRant, Rhames unpacked his viewpoint on awards shows, explaining how he doesn’t find much importance in the ceremonies. He believes that, when it comes to who wins at big shows like the Oscars, the winners usually aren’t the ones who really deserve the awards. Instead, he thinks of them like a popularity contest. Check out what Rhames had to say below:

My reaction is… it’s fairly political. I don’t really think the actors who deserve to win, I don’t think most of the time, they win. But if you’re popular, you probably have a better chance of winning.

What Rhames’ Viewpoint Says About Movie & TV Award Shows

The Actor Has A Unique Viewpoint On Their Importance

Rhames has been nominated for plenty of other awards across his career, including an Emmy for Don King and multiple awards for the historical drama Rosewood that same year. He later won Supporting Actor of the Year at ShoWest Convention in 2000 and a Special Mention at the Locarno International Film Festival for his role in Baby Boy. His latest nominations came in 2015, where he was put up for Best Actor – Television at the Black Reel Awards and Image Awards for his role as Cecil Price in the TV movie A Day Late and a Dollar Short.

His viewpoint toward award ceremonies as nothing more than popularity contests comes after the 2025 Oscars winners were revealed Sunday night. Many nominees with commendable performances did not win, including Demi Moore for The Substance, who previously starred alongside Rhames in the black comedy Striptease. His viewpoint is that many winners are not who deserve to be onstage, an idea seemingly influenced by his own experiences with awards ceremonies, including some where he himself has won.

Our Take On Rhames’ Viewpoint On Award Ceremonies

His Unique Perspective Comes From Decades Of Experience

While Rhames‘ statement about movie and TV awards seems to downplay the accomplishments of their winners, his viewpoint also comes from decades of experience in an industry where he’s been nominated many times. His different perspective comes from an inside look at the entertainment industry, with experiences that have influenced his viewpoint on what award shows are really like. Even so, the actors nominated are still considered the best in their craft, even if some don’t win when they deserve to.