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In a night of many firsts, Halle Berry made history in 2002 when she won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of a struggling woman who falls in love with her husband's prison guard. Twenty-three years have passed since then, and yet no other Black woman has gone on to win the coveted award.
She was not just the first Black woman but the first woman of color to win the award at the then 74th Academy Award. In 2023, Michelle Yeoh became only the second woman of color to win the award for her role in the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once.
In the 97-year Oscar history, only ten black women have won an acting Academy Award, with all of them except Berry winning in the Supporting Actress category. In the past 23 years since her win, six Black women have been nominated for the award, yet none have won.
Halle Berry voices her frustration at being the only Black woman to win the Leading Actress at the Oscars
Over the years, actress Halle Berry has repeatedly voiced her disappointment at being the only Black woman to win the Academy Award for Leading Actress. In a recent appearance on Trevor Noah's "What's Now?" podcast, Berry expressed the ongoing difficulties Black women in the film industry still go through.
"Being born a Black woman, I feel like I have always felt like I sat at the bottom of society. White man, Black man, white woman, Black woman. So I've always felt at the bottom, never feeling like I was defeated because I was at the bottom, never feeling like I couldn't dream big because I was at the bottom, never feeling like I wasn't worthy or capable because I was at the bottom. But I always have known that I'm going to have to work 10 times harder than everybody else to get anywhere."
On that historic night, Halle Berry had tough competition from Nicole Kidman, Sissy Spacek, Judi Dench, and Renée Zellweger. When her name was announced, Berry was visibly stunned as she made her way to the stage. In her heartfelt and powerful speech, she dedicated the award to trailblazing Black actresses like Dorothy Dandridge and Angela Bassett.
That night was special for another reason, as both Halle Berry and Denzel Washington won the award for their respective leading role, making 2002 the first and the only year in Oscar history where both lead acting categories were won by a person of color.
Apart from Halle Berry, let us take a look at the other Black women who have won an Oscar.
List of Black actresses who have won an Oscar
Hattie McDaniel
Hattie McDaniel made Oscar history back in 1940 when she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the historical movie Gone with the Wind.
Whoopi Goldberg
Fifty years later, it was Whoopi Goldberg who became the second Black woman to win the Best Supporting Actress for her role as a psychic in the movie Ghost.
Jennifer Hudson
In 2006, Jennifer Hudson became the third Black woman to win an Oscar. Her brilliant portrayal as Effie White, a singer in an R&B group navigating the challenges of fame in the 60's and 70's n the in the 60's and 70's, earned her the prestigious award.
Mo'Nique
Mo'Nique became the fourth Black woman to win the Oscar in 2009. The actor-comedian was literally unrecognizable as she transformed herself to play the role of an abusive mother in the movie Precious.
Octavia Spencer
She is someone who has consistently delivered outstanding performances. Spencer finally won the Academy Award in 2011 for her role in the award-winning movie, The Help.
Lupita Nyong'o
In 2013, Lupita Nyong'o won Best Supporting Actress for her heart-wrenching portrayal of Patesy in 12 Years as a Slave, a movie that went on to receive multiple awards that night.
Viola Davis
A name that needs no introduction, Viola Davis received her first Oscar for the role in the movie Fences. She won over tough competition from Nicole Kidman, Naomi Harris, Octavia Spencer, and Michelle Williams.
Regina King
In 2018, Regina King, a powerhouse actor in her own right, won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her poignant portrayal of a mother caught up in difficult circumstances in If Beale Street Could Talk.
Ariana DeBose
On another night of many firsts, in 2021, Ariana DeBose became the ninth Black woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress. But it was not just that. She also became the first openly queer woman of color to achieve this massive feat.
Da'Vine Joy Randolph
Randolph's win came as no surprise, as she had already swept every major award that year. In 2023, she became the tenth Black woman to win an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her portrayal of an overworked cafeteria worker in the movie The Holdovers.
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This year, the race to the Oscars has been particularly competitive. We have to wait and see if another Black actress will finally join Halle Berry as the second Black woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress. The Oscars will premiere on Sunday, March 2, with Conan O'Brien hosting the awards for the first time.
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