Halle Berry reflects on being the first and only Black woman to win the Oscar for Best Actress in the Apple TV+ documentary Number One on the Call Sheet.Â
Berry’s win for her role in Monster’s Ball in 2002 has not been followed by another Black actress taking home the award.
“It’s forced me to ask myself, did it matter?” Berry asks. “Did it really change anything for women of color? For my sisters? For our journey?”
The documentary highlights the lack of representation, showcasing a montage of Black actresses losing out to white women at the Oscars. Despite 15 Black actresses being nominated, none have won besides Berry.
Berry recalls thinking that 2021 would be the year a Black actress would win, with Andra Day and Viola Davis both nominated for stellar performances. However, Frances McDormand took home her third Oscar for Nomadland.
“The system is not really designed for us, and so we have to stop coveting that which is not for us,” Berry adds. “Because at the end of the day, it’s ‘How do we touch the lives of people?’ and that fundamentally is what art is for.”
Taraji P. Henson and Whoopi Goldberg also express their incredulity over the lack of Black Best Actress Oscar winners in the documentary.
“Wait a minute, none of us were good enough?” Goldberg asks. “Nobody? In all of these people, nobody?’ … What are we missing here? This is a conversation people have every year.”
Henson suggests that the industry may not see Black women as leads, instead awarding them supporting actress awards.
“I don’t think the industry really sees us as leads, you know?” she says. “They give us supporting [actress awards] like they give out candy canes. That just — I don’t know what to do with that. Because what are you saying to me?”
