Beyond the Oscar Win

Hollywood icon Halle Berry, now 58, is speaking candidly about her historic 2002 Oscar win for Monster’s Ball — the only time in nearly a century that a Black woman has claimed the Best Actress award. Despite the groundbreaking moment, Berry now sees it as an exception rather than progress, urging Black actresses to stop placing so much value on an accolade that she believes was "never designed" for them.

Berry, a longtime trailblazer for women of color in the film industry, revisits her Oscar journey in the upcoming documentary Number One on the Call Sheet. She questions whether her victory truly sparked lasting change, asking, “Did it really make a difference for my sisters, for women of color in Hollywood? Did it move the needle?”

The film also revisits the 2021 Academy Awards, where both Andra Day (The United States vs. Billie Holiday) and Viola Davis (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) were strong contenders for Best Actress. Berry recalls feeling certain that history would finally repeat itself. “I was 100% sure one of them would take it home. They both earned it in their own powerful and unique ways,” she says. However, when Frances McDormand won for Nomadland, Berry’s optimism dimmed.

She now challenges the very system that has long overlooked Black women in leading roles: “Hollywood isn’t built for us, so why keep chasing validation from an institution that doesn’t recognize our worth? At the end of the day, real impact comes from touching lives, and that’s what true artistry is about.”

The documentary also features perspectives from fellow industry legends Taraji P. Henson and Whoopi Goldberg. Goldberg, who won Best Supporting Actress for Ghost in 1990, voices her frustration over the continued lack of Black women recognized in the Best Actress category. “Are you telling me none of us have been good enough? Not a single one? What’s missing here?”

Henson echoes this sentiment, pointing out the disparity in recognition. b

With powerful voices like Berry, Goldberg, and Henson shining a light on this ongoing issue, Number One on the Call Sheet is set to spark vital conversations about representation, recognition, and the real meaning of success in Hollywood.