Halle Berry Reflects on Being the Only Black Best Actress Oscar Winner: “Did It Really Change Anything for Women of Color?”

In the Apple TV+ documentary Number One on the Telephone Call Sheet, Berry assesses what has actually happened because she won the Oscar in 2002, for her function in Beast’s Round. In that time, nothing else Black actress has taken home the honor.

“A couple of years ago, I was at the table with Andra Day, and I was across the space from Viola Davis, and they were both chosen for excellent performances [Day for The United States vs. Billie Hoilday and Davis for Ma Rainey’s Black Base], and I really felt one hundred percent sure that this was the year among them was gon na win this honor,” she states, adding: “For just as various and attractive factors, they both deserved it, and I believed for sure.”

That just– I don’t know what to do with that. Since what are you claiming to me?”

The documentary shows a mosaic of Black actresses losing out to white ladies at the Oscars. Generally, 15 Black starlets have been nominated for the honor, including, most just recently, Cynthia Erivo, who’s been nominated twice. This year, Erivo was nominated for her role in Worthless however lost to Anora celebrity Mikey Madison.

“The system is not truly made for us, and so we have to quit fancying that which is except us,” Berry includes. “Because at the end of the day, it’s ‘How do we touch the lives of individuals?’ and that essentially is what art is for.”

The docudrama reveals a mosaic of Black starlets shedding out to white women at the Oscars. On the whole, 15 Black actresses have actually been nominated for the honor, consisting of, most just recently, Cynthia Erivo, that’s been nominated twice., and I really felt 100 percent sure that this was the year one of them was gon na stroll away with this honor,” she states, including: “For equally various and lovely factors, they both deserved it, and I thought for certain.”