Halle Berry is speaking candidly about being the first—and still the only—Black woman to win the Oscar for Best Actress in the nearly 100-year history of the Academy Awards.
In the Apple TV+ documentary Number One on the Call Sheet, Berry reflects on her 2002 win for Monster’s Ball and what has transpired since.
Despite her achievement, no other Black actress has taken home the award since then.”It’s made me ask myself, did it really matter?” Berry says.
“Did it actually change anything for women of color? For my sisters? For our journey?”
The documentary includes a montage showing Black actresses losing to their white counterparts at the Oscars.
In total, 13 Black actresses have been nominated for Best Actress, with Cynthia Erivo being the most recent, earning two nominations, including one this year for Wicked, though she lost to Anora star Mikey Madison.
Viola Davis has also been nominated twice, contributing to a total of 15 nominations for Black actresses overall.Berry recalls being hopeful about a Black actress finally winning in 2021.
“A few years ago, I was sitting at the table with Andra Day, and Viola Davis was across the room. They were both nominated for incredible performances—Day for The United States vs. Billie Holiday and Davis for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom—and I felt absolutely certain one of them was going to win,” she says.
“For equally different and beautiful reasons, both deserved it, and I thought for sure one of them would take it home.
“However, Frances McDormand won her third Oscar for Nomadland instead.
“The system’s not really designed for us, so we have to stop longing for something that’s not meant for us,” Berry reflects.
“At the end of the day, it’s about how we touch people’s lives, and that’s what art is really for.”
The documentary also features Taraji P. Henson and Whoopi Goldberg, who both express disbelief at the lack of Black Best Actress winners.
“Wait a minute, none of us were good enough?” Goldberg asks. “Nobody? Out of all of us, nobody? What are we missing here? This is a conversation people have every year.”
Goldberg is one of 10 Black women to have won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
Olekanma Favour is a resourceful, self-motivated, and result-driven writer with a passion for crafting compelling narratives and insightful content. She loves tackling complex topics and weaving engaging stories.
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