Iconic American actress, Halle Berry, is opening up about being the first -and only – black woman to have won the Oscars for Best Actress in its nearly 100 years of existence.
Berry shared her thoughts in the Apple TV+ documentary ‘Number One Call On the Sheet’, which explores the experiences of black actors in Hollywood.
She reflected on her own win, asking if it truly made a difference for women of color.
She also advised her fellow actresses to stop coveting the award but instead, focus on touching people’s lives.
According to Berry, “It’s forced me to ask myself, did it matter? Did it really change anything for women of color? For my sisters? For our journey?”
“The system is not really designed for us and so we have to stop coveting that which is not for us. Because at the end of the day, it’s how do we touch the lives of people and that is fundamentally what art is for.”
Berry expressed her heartbreak that no other black woman has won the award since her victory in 2002 for her role in ‘Monster’s Ball’.
Despite her achievements, including a Primetime Emmy award and a Golden Globe, Berry’s words highlight the ongoing struggle for representation and recognition in Hollywood.
The statistics are telling: since the Academy Awards began in 1929, only 13 black actresses have been nominated for Best Actress, with none securing the award aside from Berry.
