More than 20 years after her historic Oscar win, Halle Berry is questioning whether it actually made a difference.
In Apple TV+’s new documentary Number One on the Call Sheet, Berry, who is the first and still only Black woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress, opens up about the emotional weight of that milestone and the lack of progress since.
A Historic Win, But No Real Change?
Berry took home the Oscar in 2002 for Monster’s Ball, a moment that was widely celebrated at the time. But now, she reflects on the years that followed and asks the hard question: “Did it matter?”
“Did it really change anything for women of color? For my sisters? For our journey?” she asks in the documentary.
In nearly a century of Oscar history, only 15 Black actresses have ever been nominated for Best Actress, and none have won since Berry. The documentary highlights this stark reality with a montage of Black actresses losing to white counterparts.
Hopes That Were Crushed
Berry recalls the 2021 Oscars as a year she felt hopeful. With Viola Davis (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) and Andra Day (The United States vs. Billie Holiday) both nominated for powerful lead performances, Berry was convinced change was near.
“I felt 100 percent sure that this was the year one of them was gonna walk away with this award,” Berry says.
Instead, Frances McDormand took home her third Best Actress Oscar for Nomadland.
“The System Is Not really Designed For Us”
Berry doesn’t hold back in her assessment of Hollywood’s power structures.
“The system is not really designed for us,” she says. “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 fundamentally is what art is for.”
Other Voices Join In
The documentary also features Taraji P. Henson and Whoopi Goldberg, who express their own frustration with the lack of recognition for Black women in lead roles.
Goldberg, who is one of the few Black women to win Best Supporting Actress, questions the repeated snubs:
“Wait a minute, none of us were good enough? Nobody? … What are we missing here?”
Henson adds:
“I don’t think the industry really sees us as leads, you know? They give us supporting [actress awards] like they give out candy canes.”
The documentary underscores a conversation that has simmered for years. While Black actresses have made undeniable contributions to cinema, Hollywood’s highest honor has yet to reflect that reality.
