As a film enthusiast with over two decades of experience under my belt, I must say that Halle Berry continues to be an unparalleled force in Hollywood. Her exceptional talent and resilience are evident in every performance she delivers, particularly her iconic role in “Monster’s Ball” which solidified her place in cinematic history.
It’s been over 20 years since Halle Berry made history by becoming the first Black woman to win the Oscar for Best Actress at the Academy Awards. However, no other Black actress has managed to repeat this feat since then, a situation that Berry expressed her disappointment about, referring to it as something she’s “still ‘eternally miffed’ by.” In 2002, Berry won this prestigious award for her remarkable performance in Marc Foster’s movie, “Monster’s Ball,” where she portrayed a mother grappling with multiple hardships, including the loss of her son, her husband’s execution, and financial struggles. Eventually, she finds solace in the arms of Billy Bob Thornton, but later learns about his link to her family.
During an extensive interview with Marie Claire, Berry reflected on her life and career. The topic of her 2002 Oscar win came up, and she noted that since then, no other Black woman has won the prestigious award. This is a fact that deeply saddens the 58-year-old actress.
Year after year, I remain deeply disappointed that a Black woman hasn’t followed in my footsteps to win the Best Actress Oscar, and this persists rather than abating. It’s not due to a lack of worthy candidates.
Following Berry’s groundbreaking victory, six exceptional black actresses have been nominated for the Best Actress Oscar, each of whom truly deserved to win the award. Berry herself highlights Andra Day in ‘The United States vs. Billie Holliday’, as well as Gabourey Sidibe who was up for the award in 2009 for ‘Precious’, although she lost that year to Sandra Bullock for her work in ‘The Blind Side’. Additionally, Viola Davis has been nominated twice – firstly for ‘The Help’ in 2011 and again for ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ in 2021. However, on both occasions, she lost to Meryl Streep and Frances McDormand respectively.
Prior to Berry’s victory in 2002, only six Black women had previously been nominated for Best Actress at the Oscars, which means that throughout its 96-year history, a grand total of 13 Black actresses have been recognized. This number appears significantly disproportionate given the immense acting talent that Hollywood has nurtured over time, including stars like Alfre Woodard, Pam Grier, and Danielle Deadwyler.
2024 Has Been the Year of Halle Berry
Following the triumph of Netflix’s “The Union” co-starring Mark Wahlberg, Berry will next be seen in Alexandre Aja’s survival-horror film “Never Let Go”, set for release next month. In this chilling tale, Berry portrays a mother of two young boys who must defend her family against a vicious spirit determined to annihilate them. As a mother herself to two children, she found the role particularly fitting due to over a decade’s worth of acting experience under her belt. In an interview with Will Sayre from MovieWeb (seen above), Berry shared:
“Conjuring up a mother is not hard to do, and I bring a lot of my own feelings about motherhood to these mother roles. I’m a fierce protector of my children, and I get to sort of use that in this film.”
Regarding awards and honors, it would’ve been pleasant to become the first Black woman to win Best Actress. However, as she expressed in Marie Claire, “Given the choice between receiving awards or a powerful, thriving career as a Black woman, I’d choose the empowering, successful career over an award every time.
Currently, you have the chance to watch Halle Berry in “The Union,” which is available for streaming on Netflix. Additionally, starting September 20th, you can catch her in the North American premiere of “Never Let Go” when it hits theaters, courtesy of Lionsgate.
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2024-09-11 20:31