Overview

• Halle Berry remains the only Black woman to have won the Best Actress Oscar, nearly 23 years after her historic 2002 victory for 'Monster's Ball.'
• Cynthia Erivo became the first woman of color to receive multiple nominations in the category, but lost this year to Mikey Madison for 'Anora.'
• Berry and other prominent figures, including Taraji P. Henson and Whoopi Goldberg, emphasize that systemic biases continue to limit recognition for Black actresses in leading roles.
• Berry questions whether her win led to meaningful change and urges Black actresses to focus on the impact of their art rather than seeking validation from awards systems.
• The disparity in recognition persists, with Black actresses more frequently awarded in supporting categories, as highlighted in the Apple TV+ documentary 'Number One on the Call Sheet.'