Besides the 22 Black actors who have won Academy Awards (some nominated more than once), the following Black performers have been nominated as actors. 2017 Denzel Washington for Roman J. Israel, Esq.
Around 60 African-Americans have won Oscars in different categories, in addition to the addition of special prizes also distributed at the ceremony, like those for lifetime achievement.
While Hollywood continues to make thoughtful (or forceful) shifts toward inclusion, Oscar history still shows only four Black lead actor winners. In addition to Poitier and Washington, the others are Jamie Foxx for “Ray” (2004) and Forest Whitaker for “The Last King of Scotland” (2006).
Carter, who became the first Black woman to have won two Oscars (this time for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”); “All Quiet on the Western Front,” which won several awards in the first half of the show, including for best international feature, production design and cinematography; and Sarah Polley, who won the best ...
Who was the first black man actor to win an Oscar?
For his role as Homer Smith, the lead in James Poe's film Lilies of the Field, Sidney Poitier became the first Black actor to win an Oscar in a lead role. It was a landmark victory for Poitier, who had gained a reputation as the pre-eminent example of an African American leading actor.
Black Excellist: 17 Black Oscar Winners (Actors & Actresses)
Who is the youngest Black Oscar winner?
Cuba Gooding Jr. Youngest African-American male actor to win an Academy Award (age 29). First Black actor born in Africa (specifically in Benin) to receive an Academy Award nomination. Oldest African-American actor to win an Academy Award (age 67).
Sidney Poitier, who portrayed Homer Smith in 1963 Lillies of the Field won an Oscar for his role. Poitier won the prestigious award for “Best Actor” and became the first black actor to win in the category. After McDaniel, Poitier was the second black actor to win an Academy Award.
To date, no black filmmaker has won the prize. In 1991—not even 30 years ago—John Singleton became the first-ever African American to be nominated by the Academy for Best Director for his work on the seminal South Central, LA drama Boyz N the Hood.
Lionel Richie won an Oscar in 1985 for the song “Say You, Say Me” from the movie White Nights. The one and only Prince was the first Black winner of Best Original Song Score (which is different from Best Original Score category) for Purple Rain; this category was retired afterwards.
Daniel Day-Lewis became the first and currently only man to win three best actor Oscars, while Frances McDormand became only the second woman and third of her counterparts overall to achieve the same. Finally, Walter Brennan won his three supporting actor Oscars every other year between 1937 and 1941.
Decades after Sidney's historic win, in the year 2002, Denzel Washington became the second black actor to win the Oscar trophy in the Best Actor category, for his role as corrupt detective Alonzo Harris in the crime thriller 'Training Day'.
Viola Davis makes Oscars history as the most-nominated Black actress ever. The Ma Rainey's Black Bottom star is also the only Black woman with two Best Actress nominations.
Who is the only woman of color to win an Oscar for Best Actress?
Halle Berry remains the only Black woman to win an Academy Award for best actress. In 2001, Halle Berry became the first African American to win an Academy Award for best actress for "Monster's Ball."
Nina Mae McKinney: Hollywood's First Black Movie Star opens with the premiere of a 35mm restoration print of King Vidor's all-Black musical Hallelujah!, her feature debut from 1929, in which she starred as a wisecracking Jazz Age flapper who gets caught in a deadly love triangle.
When was the last time a black woman won an Oscar?
Halle Berry was the first, and so far only, Black Best Actress thanks to “Monster's Ball” (2001). The acting category with the most Black winners is Best Supporting Actress, with nine including recent champ Ariana DeBose for “West Side Story” (2021).
The record for most wins is four, held by Katharine Hepburn. Frances McDormand has won three times, and twelve other actresses have won the award twice. Meryl Streep has received the most nominations in the category—seventeen—and has won twice.
In contrast “Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book” won for jazz performance. That year, Count Basie became the first Black man to win a Grammy, also taking home two awards, for best jazz group performance and best performance by a dance band.
She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance of a struggling widow in the romantic drama Monster's Ball (2001), becoming the first (and to date only) African-American woman and (for 21 years, the only) woman of color to have won the award.
Who was the second male actor to refuse a Best Actor Oscar?
(NEXSTAR) – The Academy Award is generally regarded as one of the highest honors that an actor can receive — the keyword being “generally.” In the history of the Oscars, however, there have only been three people who refused their awards: actors George C. Scott and Marlon Brando, and screenwriter Dudley Nichols.
Stepin Fetchit was the stage name of American comedian and film actor Lincoln Theodore Monroe Andrew Perry. Perry parlayed the Fetchit persona into a successful film career, eventually becoming a millionaire, the first black actor in history to do so. He was also the first black actor to receive a screen credit.
