Halle Berry Heartbroken as She Remains the Only Black Woman to Win Best Actress Oscar After Over 20 Years
Halle Berry made history at the Academy Awards in 2002 by becoming the first Black woman to win the prestigious Best Actress Oscar for her powerful performance in Monster’s Ball. Now, more than two decades later, Berry has expressed her deep disappointment that no other Black woman has followed in her footsteps.
In a recent interview with Marie Claire, Berry opened up about her frustration: “It saddens and frustrates me that, year after year, no other Black woman has been celebrated in the same way.” Since Berry’s groundbreaking win, only one other woman of color, Michelle Yeoh, has claimed the award, receiving it for her role in Everything Everywhere All at Once last year.
While Berry takes pride in paving the way for women of color in Hollywood, she can’t help but feel regret that more Black actresses haven’t been honored at the Oscars. “I had hoped to see more women of color, especially Black women, receive the recognition they deserve. But why hasn’t that happened? I truly don’t have an answer,” she admitted.
Berry went on to highlight several actresses she believes deserved the Best Actress Oscar, including Andra Day for The United States vs. Billie Holiday (2021), Cynthia Erivo in Harriet (2019), and Ruth Negga in Loving (2016). For Berry, these performances prove that Hollywood is rich with talent, but recognition remains elusive for Black women.
In 2017, Berry took a strong stance during the #OscarsSoWhite movement, speaking at the Cannes Lions festival about how it inspired her to pursue directing and producing, with the goal of creating more opportunities for people of color. “I want to change the system from within and open more doors for people who look like me in the film industry,” she passionately stated.
The lingering question remains: When will talented Black actresses finally receive the recognition they deserve at the Oscars?
