Halle Berry reflects on being the only Black Woman to win best actress Oscar: "I'm still saddened by It"

Halle Berry continues to express her disappointment with the lack of progress in diversity at the Academy Awards. She remains the only Black woman to have won the Best Actress Oscar, a milestone she achieved in 2002 for her performance in Monster’s Ball. Over 20 years later, no other Black woman has received this honor, which Berry finds deeply disheartening. In a recent interview with Marie Claire, she shared her frustration, saying, "I'm still eternally miffed that no Black woman has come behind me for that Best Actress Oscar, and I’m continually saddened by that year after year."Berry made it clear that this isn’t due to a lack of deserving performances. She cited several examples of Black actresses who she believes should have won, including Andra Day for her role in The United States vs. Billie Holiday and Viola Davis for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. These performances were critically acclaimed and even earned Oscar nominations, yet the coveted award slipped out of reach. In previous conversations with Variety, Berry also mentioned Cynthia Erivo’s portrayal in Harriet and Ruth Negga’s role in Loving as performances that were equally deserving of the top honor.Reflecting on her win, Berry explained that she initially believed her Oscar victory would open doors for more Black women in the future. "The morning after, I thought, ‘Wow, I was chosen to open a door.’" However, she now questions whether it was a truly significant moment for others or just for herself. "I wanted to believe it was so much bigger than me," she said. "It felt so much bigger because I knew others should have been there before me and they weren’t."Despite her historic win, Berry revealed that her career did not dramatically change afterward. "Just because I won an award doesn’t mean that, magically, the next day, there was a place for me," she shared, highlighting that even after breaking barriers, there was still a lack of roles for women of color. The actress remains hopeful for more recognition and opportunities for Black women in Hollywood but continues to feel disappointment at the slow pace of change.Berry’s reflections underscore the ongoing struggle for diversity in the film industry, even after what seemed like a groundbreaking moment.