Black Actresses and The 'Oscar Curse' | Dear Oscar Pt 2/2 

Not true……diversity is very much being pushed. I act and I’m getting roles in plays and union jobs. (Film and tv I. The future I hope ) , diversity is super being pushed. In fact now a days you’re likely to get chosen over your white, equally talented counterpart because you’re black or brown.

@@samiam5434 I’m specifically talking about the lack of diversity in the Oscar’s. But in general, I agree, things have changed but as a Latina woman, there are still so many microaggressions that POC go through despite all of the progress

@@samiam5434 please stop lying cause that is not true. A black our brown women will never get chosen over an equally talented white women just because they are brown and black. You're absolutely delusional

Smh

You said it best 👌

ME TOO!

Well to be fair holly hunter gave an equal masterclass performance in the piano I feel holly and angels should’ve tied together that year

Ok I guess it was because Angela showed the Academy a black woman can save herself

@@Kevin-rg3yc but Angela actually embodied her role. For many years, people often mistaken Angela for Tina because it was that good. I’m not familiar with the person you named, but that would be interesting.

Me too

tbh robbed of a win for us, that performance was mind bogglingly good

I really thought she would be the second black actress to win in the best actress category for that movie…

I disagree US is mediocre

@@glenwarne7518 it’s not about the movie it’s about the performance. Meryl won for her performance in The Iron Lady a movie that had middling reviews at best from critics and audiences. Lupita’s work and choices as an actress in Us were perfection. Unique, bold and interesting she led that film with finesse.

@Salsal two points can be true definitely the Oscars hate horror movies and I know for a fact that was a contributing factor however there’s also a history of the Oscars rarely giving awards to actresses of color for performances and movies that were/are subversive to racial, ethnic and gender stereotypical roles/films you can look at majority of the black, Latina, Asian and mixed race women who won acting Oscars and it all in m roles/movies that fit into Hollywood stereotypes against women of color, there’s actually a rarity that a actress of color to win an Oscar for playing in a film that was completely anti-stereotype or used those stereotypes to be more subversive and add more depth, complexity and multi-layers and especially for in diverse/unconventional genre-based films

LOVE HER.

Yes she is. I am rooting for Viola Davis👏🏾‼️

Es así...

If she doesn't, ill never respect any Oscar win....

I hope so she deserved it for Ma Rainey but she was passed over for the dowdy looking overrated Frances Mc Dormand who already has 2 Oscar's welcome to Hollywood!!!!

and then she is going to get to that point where we are "she is everywhere" until we zone out of her...too famous

@Jon Cerda Completely agree....and even the whole movie was such a wonderful experience

Then won for Ghost though

Oprah and Margaret Avery both lost Best Supporting Actress

Makes me angry till today. But then again those who are in charge of the Oscars don't care about anybody but white folka

@@joshuamcdowell9745 sometimes the Oscars really don't know what a masterpiece of a performance is. Talent at its best. They just give it to who they love

I heard hee say recently in a podcast that she hasn't auditioned for anything since that Oscar so I bet that's better than most get

I have been following Octavia's career long before she broke through to become a household name with The Help. Her range is phenomenal.

Octavia has a best supporting actress award that's it she's been nominated again but I do see more in her future. She's great

I'm just frustrated bc she won her Oscar for a mamie role in a white savior movie. She continued her success in "The Shape of Water", but by playing the 'sassy black woman' trope and as a janitor no less! She's typecast in the worst way. How do we let this fly? Are there no other roles for bbw? When black characters aren't getting saved by white folk, they're used as one-dimensional "magical negroes" or "mamies" that rescue or teach the white protagonist to evolve. They're never given the same story arc, usually any "growth" they might have is reduced to a single sentence on the script. If there's any artists that have a wealth of pain to tap into for creative film work, it's black women, so idk why these actresses aren't given meatier roles that they could bite into without reducing themselves to caricatures.

P.S. I'm not completely jaded, bc not all hope is lost. By far, one of my favorite Oscar wins was for Mahershala Ali in "Moonlight". Yes, on the surface it might seem like his character was played as another "drug-dealing gang-banger" trope, but the role was written in an elegantly multidimensional way. Unlike the same trope played by Denzel as Alonzo in "Training Day", the character of Juan in "Moonlight" was of a father figure who took an outcast into his home. His emotional resonance for the audience was forged when he had to grapple with the dichotomy of his street work, which conflicted with the responsibility he took on as a surrogate father to the main character Chiron. He further broke stereotypes by being compassionate to a gay young boy, despite the socio-cultural barriers of homosexuality that weigh heavy in the black community, especially amongst men. The film explored the many intersectional margins of black identity so beautifully well. And above all the "wokeness" (that troglodytes will accuse of such a movie), it is undeniably and unashamedly full of heart. The story alone outweighs any underlying political messages that could be gleaned. My tears still well up just remembering some scenes. If you haven't watched the movie yet, I highly recommend it.

Tbh this is a major factor! Hollywood roles are still so awfully white-centered!

I wholeheartedly agree!

Yep which is why some black folks in entertainment are forced to create their own platforms and write roles that they can occupy this was the thinking behind "I May Destroy You" by Michaela Coel.

I agree 💯

100%

And he did it all himself.

He's getting some backlash now..he's career will recover people will forget

Please, his career will be fine. People are being dramatic. Cancel culture has never worked. This one moment won't erase everything he has done for the past 30 years.

@@johnfd0210 and yet white actors and directors can rape and molest as many people as they want and not get the same amount of treatment. Will's career will be fine

THIS . Hugh . I am under the impression that Will wasn’t aware (until now ) the responsibility and the weight of his legacy play on black people who aspire to become a mainstream actors one day .I know it sounds like a stretch bc Will Smith is human and the fate of black actors who strive to be mainstream doesn’t revolve only on him . However , the reality is that Smith is the only black actor (beside Denzel even tough I feel like Michael B Jordan can be there one day but I might be wrong ) with the luxury of consistently getting the main role in every single movie his in (especially in blockbusters) , in addition of bringing big $$ in the boxe office and making some people to see the movie just bc he’s in . Other black actors either star in blockbusters that are hit in the box office but always get supporting characters roles (that are often very stereotyped let’s be real ..even tough it’s changing) or star in not so mainstream stuffs or star in movies that are more suited for black entertainment. Now that he tarnished his reputation with this stupid slap you would think that Hollywood (who’s mostly white) will not be more reluctant trusting a black man having the main roles in mainstream cinema like blockbusters movies ? If find this pretty upsetting and unfortunate .

I agree, but these awards influence how much these actors get paid and promoted.

FINALLY!!!!! Somebody has articulated this perfectly! Thank you Ms. Howard👍🏾

People need validation it’s not human to expect the bare minimum

Agree, Glenn Close, Amy Adams, Johnny Depp, Tom Cruise... There's a lot of great actors and actresses without an Oscar.

Most Definitely

Taraji

True

Ikr😍😍🙌

yessssssss!!!!!

She was nominated for Supporting for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button in 2009 though.

For you maybe because you’re a casual viewer. The Oscars are for those of us who are cinephiles.

It is already irrelevant for normal people. But for actors, winning the Oscars is big deal especially for major studio executives would notice your name.

@@guardianofthegalaxy2051 It isn’t irrelevant for “normal people” (whatever this means). Just say you don’t understand or aren’t interested in the Oscars.

@Demiere Lee nah I love cinema. I have a film degree. I think award shows are silly. They were meant to be a for ratings for networks, but people have other things to watch on Sunday night now. Green Book winning was embarrassing.

@@malcolmxpanther You think that was the only thing that ever won that was suspect? If that was point you would need to go back decades and still you would see suspect wins

That's very true

I do too. Her monologue in “Fences” was riveting.🫶🏽🏆👏🏾

Hmm I respectfully disagree, La La Land had a lot of momentum that year and almost got every award it was nominated for

Yes indeed. Didn't address this topic but it's also worth considering. Halle Berry is indeed mixed race and light skinned and colorism definitely could have played a role in her win.

@@the_groove I think less in her wnning but in her getting cast in the first place for that particular role. Lighter skins get more opportunities.

Also the subject matter of the role she won for. Monsters Ball has a long and fairly explicit sex scene between her and a racist, out of shape older white man - it was a degrading role and certainly not as amazing as Whoopi or Angela’s performances that they were nominated for

She's biracial, she's not black. So I don't know if we can say a black woman has ever won in the best actress category.

Halle is also biracial so as far as I’m concerned we still don’t have a black Best Actress winner. We should have five: Diana, Whoopi, Angela, Viola (for Fences), and Andra.

and the amazing Ruth Negga in Passing who got Globes, SAG and BAFTA nominations but no Oscar!!!!

@@pb.j.1753 I’m still pissed Judi dench got that slot over her like seriously??

TESSA AND RUTH WERE HIGH WAY ROBBERY!!!

It really grinds my gears. Tessa Thompson was right there.

Respect was not a good movie though. I am not suprised Jennifer wasn't nominated. I think her performance was excellent but was not enough to save how poorly made it was..

And of course Halle Berry is biracial/half white. No coincidence, sadly.

@@digitalbritt2k Her stunning looks and slender body was all taken into consideration.

The role that HB played was degrading. Take that into consideration.

@@WonderGeeWoman well she signed up for it, she knew what it was about.

@@neslynfrederic659 yea, I hope she did.

Ikr🥺🤧I’m rlly into the film industry, I wanna bring my ideas to help my ppl and I to prosper in the future 🥰

And the sadder part is that this comment will be made on a social media platform in 2042.

There are also many white actresses that are not "classically beautiful enough" to lead a romance film. Don't even get me started on the "too dark" thing. Black people discriminate against darker skinned blacks, too. Do you forget all of those light skinned Cosby kids? Do you forget how the dark skinned sister was considered the less desirable one in 'Coming to America'? How often do you see a dark skinned black girl in rapper's videos? I could go on...

@@mrtony80 your point?

@@clartblart3266 I think I made my point.

@@mrtony80 but this video and comment is about black actresses, so?

Gee.... It's not like Latinos haven't been making themselves famous and known all over the world by their own merits....

@@alejandromolinac I'm talking about the Oscars sweetie

Will Smith became the first Black man to win Best Actor for King Richard while Halle Berry is still the only Black woman to win Best Actress

@@joshuamcdowell9745 Halle Barry ain't even black

@@joshuamcdowell9745 Will is not the first black man.

@@wrestlinganime4life288 She’s a mixed raced black who looks fully black. People who highlight otherwise are just splitting hairs at this point.

@@3boodae749 she doesn't look black at all, she's mixed period. Seriously why do you want her to be "black"?,, she's not.

As well as Jennifer Hudson for Best Supporting.

I’ve heard about it but my mom won’t let me watch it because she said it’s to real.

I was shock at that film herd the sex scene was real

And slamming Oprah

Now She has Netflix Special and is starring in a movie produced by Lee Daniels. She's back!

Is that the same year as Lady Gaga as Ally in A Star is Born? I'm sorry but Jessica should have won.

I agree

Right??! Denzel has had many amazing roles...and only got best actor for being a corrupt cop/thug🙄🙄

Regina king’s character was not “bad”

Honestly: That Oscar should have gone to Carey Mulligan for her amazing performance in Promising young Woman. Ma Rainey (...) was not and is not even close to Violas best performance. For me it´s either the first season of HTGAWM or The Help

@@LouiseAndersen1991 In my opinion, Vanessa Kirby's performance was very powerful, she put our hearts in our mouths the whole movie.

Exactly.

Preach

As I said in a previous comment , I can understand why people say that biracial aren't black bc bi racial people can sometimes have only a very small percentage of African American blood . However, “bi racial “ is not a race imo. People who are half Asian /half Latino are biracial , people who're half Caucasian / half south Asian (like from India) are biracial and so on so forth so as people who are half white / half black . Plus, being bi racial doesn't necessarily means light skinned there are people who are bi racial (with one parent black the other parent white) who turn out to be dark skinned (very rare but possible ) . We’re gonna say that they’re not black ?.So if people like Obama , Kamala Harris or Halley Berry are not white not black what are they then ? Even tough I CERTAINLY acknowledge their privilege comparing to their dark skinned counter parts , biracials don't have it easy neither in the industry simply bc of the color of their skin. I am not hating , I am just curious and asking a question maybe someone can clear my head about that .

Facts!

I am considered black by society and I'm off mixed race

@@aquarianprince1984 Ok?

Exactly every time they use@ black women” they use mix/biracial women like people are not going to pick up on that

She perceives herself as black because she knew that's how ppl would see her. But I agree.

Yep. I love how I've seen some people say that Zendaya will be the next "black woman" to win an Oscar for lead actress someday and I'm like...??? She's also half white. Sooo... A whole 20+ years after Halle won for lead actress, another biracial might win? Where's the progress? lol.

@@digitalbritt2k I feel you. Its the 1 drop rule. It was made the oppress the biracial children during Jim Crow. Even though Halle is half white, white Hollywood would never accept her as a white woman (especially not the way we accept her as a a black woman). So she has to get it where she fits in. Not her fault 😭 we all subjected to the same racism/colorism when it comes to white ppl.

@@digitalbritt2k sick of her and she’s mediocre but she’s w friendly. 😒

@@user-fq3rl9lx5h Obviously she and other biracial people who look like her are not perceived as black but as biracial. Otherwise they would not be so well received by white and even black people. A black man has not been the president nor has a black woman won the best actress award and that is simply because they are BLACK. Not half but authentically black. If Halle Berry was Black she would not have received that Oscar. Call a spade a spade.

Yeah, I have no doubt, that both Octavia and Viola will win Oscars for leading performances some day. I personally really like Octavia Spencer, as she has recently become one of my favorite actress - and that is saying something

There needs to be more black directors and screen writers and producers, otherwise the wealthy old white women and men and their offspring continue to have control. That’s how it works. It gets better and less racist with every generation I’m sure but it would be much faster if black people started creating their own opportunities. They really don’t need these old white turds 😂

@@LouiseAndersen1991 Well, the other month I heard her say that she hasn't auditioned for anything since that Oscar win so I bet she isn't as cursed as some former winners from the 90s and 2000s

Whopper Jr

*Whoopi… Not Whopper🤦🏾‍♂️‼️

This has nothing to do with race but with Hollywood moves. I adore Woopie in the Color Purple and like you , think she deserved it. But Hollywood has this thing about passing a winner because the other one has a larger trajectory and is probably old, so it’s almost like an honorary award. Here are other examples: Denzel Washington for Training Day instead of Malcom X. DIanne Keaton for Annie Hall instead of Looking for Mr Goodbar; Rene Zellweger for Cold Mountain instead of Chicago, and of course Leo Di Caprio only after he was almost eaten by a bear. The biggest Hollywood blunder? Paltrow for Shakespeare in Love instead of Cate Blanchett.

The Academy might give it to Fantasia for The Color Purple musical adaptation in 2024. It would be a full circle moment. The Color Purple musical adaptation is getting a few nominations.

@@joshuamcdowell9745 I wish y’all would quit making Fantasia happen as an actress. She isn’t an actress. The Color Purple will undoubtedly earn acting nods, but none of them will be for Fantasia. She could get a songwriting nod if she writes a new song for the film.

Let them act well first and give a performance WORTH nominating. Don't give them a nomination or win just because they're Black

@@OscarMPG1 no shit sherlock

Liza was okay Diana was phenomenal. Her performance is still praised. Nobody talks Liza.

she is black

@@chay2033 you answered your own question, the people you listed are biracial. which just means they aren't black and aren't white, but both. no one implied that skin color or ethnicity had to do anything with it. For example I'm the same color as Viola Davis but because my family is all mixed, I have proximity to different races that majority of people my color probably wouldn't have.

Disagree. Her having sex with Billy Bob Thornton on screen helped her career…

@@chay2033 but you just said they don't have it as bad as their melanin rich skin tone counterparts because they don't have as much melanin so they are more closer to the people who came from Caucus Mountains and took over the planet. We get it.

I’m not biracial, I’m mixed. I haven’t seen any dark skinned biracial people but there is a difference between skin tone and ethnicity/race. “Black” people come in all shades and groups like native and indigenous can be just as dark as black people but they are a different ethnicity. So if by black you mean skin tone then yeah they probably have “black” people that are half white. But that would be basing it solely off their appearance and not the fact that they only have one black parent.

I agree. These awards are still part popularity contests (among the Academy members). Geraldine Page was well loved and highly respected on Broadway and in Hollywood, and Whoopi Goldberg was not that well known at the time. (Another example, actually in reverse, would by Judy Garland, who was most deserving for A STAR IS BORN, but she was disliked by many in Hollywood because of her unprofessional behavior and erratic private life).

Great narrative! I completely agree with you, in fact I would love to see more black supernatural shows or movies in the future. I’m rlly into acting and I hope I can bring ideas for my black ppl to prosper in the future.

She should've been nominated for her role in Hidden Figures.

True.

Yes!!!! Montenegro easily gave the best performance in that category. People say that it’s an injustice that Cate Blanchett lost to Paltrow, but those people must have not seen Central Station.

@@larrydirtybird cate Blanchett was incredible and front runner for the Oscar that year.

@@rics1883 , she was indeed incredible in Elizabeth but but in Central Station, Fernanda Montenegro, in my opinion, gave an even more impressive performance. It’s actually one of the best performances in cinema history. Just my opinion, of course.

@@larrydirtybird Yeah Fernanda was incredible too no doubt

there is a video on Be kind rewind that breaks down how Harvey Wenstein bought that award and best picture of the year

They completely snubbed her

I don’t think she was nominated for best actress in a leading role

No she shouldn’t. That movie wasn’t that good

@@alphacharm The Eyes of Tammy Faye was even worse yet Jessica won. Jennifer gave a better performance IMO

@@gospelemerole8999 I believe you.

“People need to recognize they give the award to black men not women.” And this right here, says it all👏🏾. Thank you!

diversity @oscars in general is just sad.

Don’t Asian actors have their own multi billion dollar bollyweird entertainment industry which was started before helliweird?

Tbh Blacks have it worse than Asians I mean the last two years of the Academy has seen Asians being showered with a lot of Oscars.

@@tilatsiddiqui3969 Bollywood is an Indian industry and considering business it doesn't make much bank

@@tilatsiddiqui3969 Having control of your own Industry is Key.

And we also have to add her to this list since Ariana is Afro-Latina. Yes, she’s mixed-race like Halle, but she made history that night💯

@@JulianSteve yes! afro-latinas need recognition aswell, and i never knew halle was mixed 😮 learn something new everyday

Fernanda Montenegro should have won best actress for Central station. But due to that monster Harvey Weinstein campaigning a mediocre film like Shakespeare in Love took home best picture along with best actress. Gwyneth Paltrow did not deserve to win. Cate Blanchett was my second choice after Fernanda Montenegro.

Don’t forget there are black Latinas, Latin is just a demographic not a race.

@@candice44441 yes ofc , my dads side of the family are all afro latinos!

Thank you very much!

Yep, and for 94 years they claimed the other actress just did a better job, and deserve the win. All of it is subjective. In my opinion, the proof is in how well the movie stands the test of time. They know deep down those movies s*ck as*, and proof is how much those movies are remembered decades later.

Didn’t the evil helliweird satanick masonick entertainment industry worlock sellout Hudson a gender inverted male masquerading who has been deliberately deceiving the public by masquerading as a female entertainer, sacrifice his entire close family for fame and fortune, allegedly ?

I agree, she's a fenomenal singer and actress

They exist already, you know, NAACP... BET...

@@serenakengne5835 Yes but our people do not rate them at highly as the white award shows.

@@aidedbuffalo3257 And who's fault is that? 🤔

You missed it. The performance was mentioned, but unfairly mischaracterized as just a singer who end up on welfare. That's not Effie's story. But, to be fair, the role didn't have to be written that way.

@@js7dragon oh, ok. Thanks for clarifying that.

​@@js7dragon Jennifer Hudson character in Dreamgirls is based on Florence Ballard from the Supremes. Florence Ballard did end up on Welfare.

Thats not really an unpopular opinion. She was always known for her beauty, which clouded peoples perception of her talent. It was kinda like the Academy just said "we're coming up on the heels of 75 years of non white woman winning, lets make it Halle since shes mixed" I dont thats a coincidence....Whoopie should've won for The Color Purple, followed by Angela in Whats Love Got to Do with It. People may hate it now, but Viola should've won for The Help and Lupita should've won for Us. If the Academy wasnt so scared to award full black women, we'd have about 4-5 winners by now.

She was sexualized that's why. She got naked and stimulated sex on a man. Hollywood is filled with perverts. No doubt she deserved the nomination but that sex scene got all the talk back in the day.

They were thinking about that sex scene