20 Devastating Oscars Moments Hidden In Plain Sight
9. Halle Berry Becomes First Black Best Actress Winner (And Is STILL The Only One)
The 2002 Oscars was a history-making night for one reason above all others - Halle Berry became the first Black woman in history to win the Best Actress Oscar, when she received the gong for her sublime performance in Monster's Ball.
It's sad enough that it took 74 (!) Oscar ceremonies for a Black actress to win Best Actress, and while it left many hopeful that Berry's win would blaze a trail for many more to follow, the more devastating truth is that she remains the single outlier 24 years later.
With the Oscars' 100th edition fast approaching in 2028, it's looking quite probable that Berry will be the only Black Best Actress winner in an entire century's worth of ceremonies, which is obviously ridiculous.
There are a few hugely acclaimed nominees who arguably should've won over the years, namely Whoopi Goldberg (The Color Purple), Tina Turner (What's Love Got to Do with It), Gabourey Sidibe (Precious), ans Viola Davis (The Help), to name just a few.
In 2016 Berry herself spoke out about the lack of Black Best Actress winners to follow her, saying, "To sit here almost 15 years later, and knowing that another woman of colour has not walked through that door, is heartbreaking."