History was made at the 74th Academy Award ceremony on Sunday night when two black actors took home the best leading performer awards for the first time since the Academy was founded in 1928.
Halle Berry won for her role as a death row widow in the crime drama Monster’s Ball, to become the first black actress ever to win the statuette. And Denzel Washington, who has been beaten out of the award twice before, took home his gong for an against-type role as a malevolent LA cop in Training Day.
An overwhelmed Halle won a standing ovation as she rose to collect her award. “This moment is so much bigger than me,” she said. “I am so honoured.”
Denzel, who won a best supporting actor award for Glory in 1989, paid tribute to Sidney Poitier, the only previous best actor Oscar winner. “I’ll always be chasing you,” he said looking at Sidney, who raised his own honorary Oscar – given earlier in the evening – aloft.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
