Halle Berry has grown weary of her solitary standing in the annals of the Oscars. In 2002, she etched her name into history as the pioneering Black woman to claim the Best Leading Actress Oscar at the Academy Awards for her riveting performance in "Monster's Ball." Over two decades have elapsed, yet Berry, still the lone African American actress to secure this prestigious honor, finds herself in a poignant solitude.
During a recent installment of Trevor Noah's "What Now?" podcast, Berry revealed that even at the time of her triumph, she was acutely aware that her victory transcended her individual achievements. While numerous Black actresses have garnered Oscars for Best Supporting Actress over the years, this year presents "Wicked" sensation Cynthia Erivo with an opportunity to follow in Berry's footsteps and become the second Black performer to win in the leading role category.
Berry harbors deep hope for this milestone to be realized. "I sincerely wish that this year, someone joins me on that pedestal. This year, I fervently desire it to happen. The weight of occupying this space alone has worn me down," she confided to Noah. "This year, I harbor genuine hope." Should it not materialize, however, the "X-Men" veteran remains steadfast in her belief that she was "divinely selected in that defining moment to serve as a beacon of endless possibilities, and I believe I have fulfilled that role with distinction."
Berry's Oscar win remains etched as one of the most unforgettable chapters in the Oscars' storied history. Relive the poignant elegance of her groundbreaking acceptance speech below:
“Oh my God. Oh my God. I’m sorry. This moment is so much bigger than me. This moment is for Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, Diahann Carroll. It’s for the women that stand beside me – Jada Pinkett, Angela Bassett, Vivica Fox. And it’s for every nameless, faceless woman of color that now has a chance because this door tonight has been opened. Thank you. I’m so honored. I’m so honored. And I thank the Academy for choosing me to be the vessel for which His blessing might flow.
I want to thank my manager, Vincent Cirrincione. He’s been with me for twelve long years and you fought every fight, and you loved me when I’ve been up but, more importantly, you’ve loved me when I’ve been down. You have been a manager, a friend and the only father I’ve ever known. Really. And I love you very much. I want to thank my mom who has given me the strength to fight every single day to be who I want to be and to give me the courage to dream, that this dream might be happening and possible for me. I love you, Mom, so much. Thank you, my husband, who is just a joy of my life. And India, thank you for giving me peace because only with the peace that you’ve brought me have I been allowed to go to places that I never even knew I could go. Thank you. I love you and India with all my heart.
I want to thank Lionsgate. Thank you, Mike Paseornek, Tom Ortenberg, for making sure everybody knew about this little tiny movie. Thank you for believing in me. Our director Marc Forster, you’re a genius. You’re a genius. This moviemaking experience was magical for me because of you. You believed in me, you trusted me and you gently guided me to very scary places. I thank you. I want to thank Ivana Chubbuck, I could have never figured out who the heck this lady was without you. I love you. Thank you. I want to thank Lee Daniels, our producer. Thank you for giving me this chance, for believing that I could do it. And now, tonight, I have this. Thank you.
I want to thank my agents – CAA, Josh Lieberman especially. I have to thank my agents. Kevin Huvane, thank you. Thank you for never kicking me out and sending me somewhere else. Thank you. Um… I, I, I, who else? I have so many people that I know I need to thank. My lawyers! Neil Meyer, thank you. Okay, wait a minute. I got to take… 74 years here! I got to take this time! I got to thank my lawyer Neil Meyer for making this deal. Doug Stone. I need to thank lastly – and not least – I have to thank Spike Lee for putting me in my very first film and believing in me. Oprah Winfrey, for being the best role model any girl can have. Joel Silver, thank you. And thank you to Warren Beatty. Thank you so much for being my mentors and believing in me. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”
