After Oprah Winfrey's powerful acceptance speech at the Golden Globes on Sunday, celebrities are calling for the self-made billionaire to run for U.S. president in 2020. Those supporters include civil rights activist Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson Sr., Seth Meyers, Sarah Silverman and Winfrey's longtime partner Stedman Graham.
Award show host Seth Meyers first planted the seed for speculation during his opening monologue when he teased how reverse psychology could get Winfrey to run for president.
"In 2011, I told some jokes about our current president at the White House correspondents' dinner, jokes about how he was unqualified to be president," the NBC late-night host said. "And some have said that night convinced him to run. And if that's true, I would just like to say Oprah you will never be president."
Further speculation over Winfrey's potential presidential bid spread immediately after her acceptance speech for the 2018 Golden Globes' Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement.
Although Winfrey has denied any plans for a presidential bid, Bloomberg reports, Graham told the Los Angeles Times that it's truly the public's decision.
"It's up to the people," he told the newspaper on Sunday when asked about a presidential run. "She would absolutely do it."
Meryl Streep, the acclaimed actress and last year's winner of the Globes' award told the Washington Post that Winfrey "launched a rocket" Sunday evening.
"I want her to run for president," Streep said. "I don't think she had any intention [of declaring]. But now she doesn't have a choice."
Streep went on to call Winfrey's speech "a barnburner."
"She runs a major company. She could lead the country. Instead of leading the country down," Streep added.
Winfrey began the speech by reflecting on her own life and career, discussed the importance of being the first black woman to win the prestigious award and closed it by addressing the progress the media industry still needs to make.
"I want all the girls watching here and now to know that a new day is on the horizon," Winfrey said, referring to Hollywood's ongoing conversation against sexual harassment. "And when that new day finally dawns, it will be because of a lot of magnificent women, many of whom are right here in this room tonight, and some pretty phenomenal men, fighting hard to make sure that they become the leaders who take us to the time when nobody ever has to say, 'Me too' again."
Here are some of the celebrities calling for Winfrey to run for U.S. president in 2020:
Civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr.:
Television host Joy-Ann Reid:
Country singer Billy Gilman:
Singer, actress and model Janelle Monáe:
Bestselling author Roxane Gay:
Comedian and night-show host Larry Wilmore:
Actress and comedian Sarah Silverman:
Actor and producer John Stamos:
Actor and singer Leslie Odom Jr.:
Film exec Franklin Leonard:
In October last year, Winfrey said she had never considered the possibility of running for president. On "CBS This Morning," she shut down her longtime friend Gayle King's question about a potential vice president shortlist.
"There will be no running for office of any kind for me," Winfrey told King. Still, CNN reported on Monday that Winfrey is "actively thinking" about running for president, according to two close friends of hers.
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