*Halle Berry is reflecting on her groundbreaking Oscar win in 2002, now viewing it as a rare exception rather than a moment of lasting change.
As the only Black woman to have ever won the Academy Award for Best Actress, Berry acknowledges that progress for women of color in Hollywood remains painfully slow. In the new Apple TV+ documentary “Number One on the Call Sheet,” Berry, alongside Taraji P. Henson and Whoopi Goldberg, addresses the industry’s ongoing diversity struggles. As The Guardian reports, she questions the impact of her win, noting, “… did it matter? Did it really change anything for women of colour? For my sisters? For our journey?”
Despite her initial optimism that other Black actresses would follow in her footsteps, Berry has come to a stark realization. Even in 2021, when both Andra Day (The United States vs. Billie Holiday) and Viola Davis (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) were nominated, she believed the moment for change had arrived.
“I felt 100% sure that this was the year one of them was gonna walk away with this award,” she says, adding: “For equally different and beautiful reasons, they both deserved it, and I thought for sure,” she says.
However, when Frances McDormand took home the trophy for “Nomadland,” Berry saw a pattern repeating itself.
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“The system is not really designed for us, and so we have to stop coveting that which is not for us,” she asserts. “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.”
Henson echoes the sentiment, highlighting the disparity in how Black women are recognized.
“I don’t think the industry really sees us as leads, you know?” she says in the documentary. “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?”
“Number One on the Call Sheet: Black Leading Men in Hollywood,” directed by Reginald Hudlin, features some of Hollywood’s most celebrated Black male actors, including Denzel Washington, Will Smith, Morgan Freeman, Idris Elba, and Michael B. Jordan. With personal insights from these industry legends, the documentary delves into the evolution of Black male leads in film, the obstacles they’ve overcome, and the blueprint for sustained success. The film also includes commentary from key industry figures such as Reuben Cannon, Nina Shaw, and Quentin Tarantino.
The companion documentary, “Number One on the Call Sheet: Black Leading Women in Hollywood,” is directed by Shola Lynch and features icons such as Angela Bassett, Viola Davis, Whoopi Goldberg, and Octavia Spencer. These women, along with contributors like Gabrielle Union, and Tessa Thompson, share their experiences of breaking barriers, creating opportunities, and redefining Hollywood’s traditional narratives about Black women. Watch the trailer below.
“Number One on the Call Sheet” is now available to stream on Apple TV+.
READ MORE FROM EURWEB.COM: Halle Berry Opens Up About Misdiagnosis with Herpes and Perimenopause Journey
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