Let's be real: biographical films are rarely ever just about the history. They’re about the performance, the "vibes," and usually, the hardware at the end of the season. When Lee Daniels dropped The United States vs. Billie Holiday in early 2021, the internet was basically a battlefield. Critics were tearing the script apart for being "unfocused" or "messy," while simultaneously picking up their jaws off the floor because of Andra Day.
Seriously, Day didn't just play Billie Holiday. She seemed to inhabit her ghost.
The conversation around awards won by The United States vs. Billie Holiday is kind of a weird one because it’s a lopsided story. On one hand, you have a movie that struggled with a 55% on Rotten Tomatoes—not exactly "prestige" numbers. On the other, you have a lead performance so undeniable that it forced the biggest award bodies in the world to pay attention. It’s a classic case of the star being bigger than the film itself.
The Big Win: That Golden Globe Moment
If you want to talk about the peak of the film's accolades, you have to start with the 78th Golden Globe Awards. Honestly, most people didn't think Andra Day was going to take it. She was up against some heavy hitters—names like Viola Davis, Frances McDormand, and Carey Mulligan. These aren't just actresses; they're titans.
When Day won Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama, it was a massive "stop what you're doing" moment.
It wasn't just a personal win for her; it was historical. She became only the second Black woman to ever win that specific category. The first? That would be Whoopi Goldberg for The Color Purple all the way back in 1986. Think about that gap. Nearly 35 years. It’s wild that it took a movie about the federal government’s crusade against a jazz singer to finally break that streak.
💡 You might also like: Is Steven Weber Leaving Chicago Med? What Really Happened With Dean Archer
What about the Oscars?
The Academy Awards are the ones everyone remembers, right? This is where things get a bit bittersweet. Andra Day did secure a nomination for Best Actress at the 93rd Academy Awards.
She didn't win.
Frances McDormand ended up taking the statue home for Nomadland. But here’s the thing: just getting the nomination for your first-ever major film role is kind of unheard of. It put Day in a very exclusive club of singers-turned-actresses (think Diana Ross or Bette Midler) who nailed it on their first try. Even though the film didn't sweep the technical categories—no wins for costume design or hair and makeup despite the 1940s aesthetic being gorgeous—the Oscar nod cemented the film’s legacy in the "must-watch" category for acting nerds.
The Grammy Connection and the Music
You can't talk about a Billie Holiday movie without talking about the sound. The soundtrack was basically its own character.
In 2022, the film actually snagged a Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media. Andra Day, Salaam Remi, and Lynn Fainchtein shared that win. It makes sense. Day didn't just lip-sync; she completely transformed her voice to capture that distinct, gravelly, "I’ve seen too much" tone that Holiday was famous for.
📖 Related: Is Heroes and Villains Legit? What You Need to Know Before Buying
Then there was the original song, "Tigress & Tweed."
- Golden Globe Nominee: Best Original Song
- Critics' Choice Nominee: Best Song
- Black Reel Nominee: Best Original Song
The song was written by Day and Raphael Saadiq. It was meant to be a modern answer to "Strange Fruit," and while it didn't win the big trophies, it was everywhere during the 2021 circuit.
Breaking Down the Full List of Wins
It’s easy to focus on the "Big Three" (Oscars, Globes, Grammys), but the film picked up quite a bit of steam in other circles that value cultural impact over box office numbers.
The Wins That Mattered:
- BET Awards: Andra Day won Best Actress.
- African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA): Day took home Best Actress here too.
- Black Reel Awards: Outstanding Breakthrough Performance (Female) for Andra Day.
- Palm Springs International Film Festival: Breakthrough Performance Award.
- AARP Movies for Grownups Awards: Best Movie for Grownups (yep, that’s a real thing, and it’s actually a pretty big deal for adult dramas).
- Women Film Critics Circle: The Karen Morley Award, which is given to films that highlight women's place in history or society.
Why Didn't It Win More?
If the acting was so good, why wasn't the movie a total sweep?
👉 See also: Jack Blocker American Idol Journey: What Most People Get Wrong
Basically, critics were divided on Lee Daniels' directing style. Some found the "interview" framing device—where Billie is being interviewed by a fictional journalist—a bit clunky. There were also some heavy-duty jazz historians who weren't thrilled with how the movie played with the facts.
For instance, the movie leans hard into the idea that the Federal Bureau of Narcotics went after Billie specifically to stop her from singing "Strange Fruit." While the government definitely targeted her, many historians argue it was more about the general "War on Drugs" and her addiction than a specific conspiracy to silence one song. That kind of "Hollywood-izing" of history often rubs certain award voters the wrong way.
Why It Still Matters in 2026
Looking back at the awards won by The United States vs. Billie Holiday, the sheer volume of "Breakthrough" awards tells the real story. This movie wasn't meant to be a perfect historical documentary. It was a vehicle for a once-in-a-generation performance.
It also forced a lot of people to look up the real Harry Anslinger and the actual history of how the FBN treated Black musicians. If an award-winning movie makes you go down a Wikipedia rabbit hole at 2 AM to learn about civil rights, it’s probably done its job.
Actionable Takeaways for Movie Buffs
If you’re catching up on this era of cinema, here is how to actually digest the film’s impact:
- Watch it for the Performance, Not the History: Treat it as an "inspired by" story. If you go in expecting a 1:1 documentary, you’ll be annoyed by the creative liberties.
- Listen to the Soundtrack First: Andra Day’s "Tigress & Tweed" is a masterclass in vocal production. Listening to it before watching the movie helps you appreciate the physical toll the role took on her voice.
- Compare it to "Lady Sings the Blues": If you really want to see how the "Billie Holiday Biopic" has evolved, watch the 1972 Diana Ross version. Both actresses won Golden Globes for the same role, which is a rare feat in Hollywood history.
- Research the FBN: Look into the real-life Harry Anslinger. The film portrays him as a villain, and frankly, the historical record doesn't do much to make him look better.
The legacy of this film isn't found in a trophy case full of Best Picture awards. It’s found in the fact that Andra Day's performance is still the gold standard for how to play a musical icon without turning them into a caricature.
To get the full picture of the 2021 awards season, you should look at the AAFCA winners list from that year. It provides a much clearer view of how Black critics viewed the film's importance compared to the more mainstream (and often less diverse) Academy voters.