Every Actor of Color Who Has Won an Oscar in the Show’s 88-Year History
WireImage1/23When the Oscar 2016 nominations were announced, it ignited a discussion regarding the lack of diversity seen in the pool of nominees — not just this year, but historically. Some took issue with the most recent snubs, including Will Smith's role in Concussion, Michael B. Jordan in Creed, and Idris Elba in Beasts of No Nation, but there were also folks making big picture statistical realizations, such as the fact that 9 of the 10 black women who have ever been nominated for Best Actress earned their nods by playing poor and/or homeless roles. Historically, there haven’t been an abundance of minority actors and actresses rewarded with wins for their performances, but let's take a look at those who have:
CBS via Getty Images2/23Hattie McDaniel
For her performance as Mammy in Gone with the Wind, Hattie McDaniel became not only the first black woman to win an Oscar, but the first black person to win an Academy Award, period.
Getty Images3/23Rita Moreno
Moreno became the first Puerto Rican to be nominated and win for Best Supporting Actress for her role in 1961’s West Side Story.
Getty Images4/23Miyoshi Umeki
Umeki played Katsumi Kelly in the 1957 film Sayonara, and was awarded Best Supporting Actress. She was the first Asian woman to win the award.
WireImage5/23Whoopi Goldberg
In 1985, Whoopi was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role for playing Celie Johnson in The Color Purple. Five years later, she won Best Actress in a Supporting Role as Oda Mae Brown in Ghost. (She and Viola Davis share the title of most nominated African-American actress, at two nominations each.)
AFP/Getty Images6/23Halle Berry
Halle Berry played Leticia Musgrove in 2001’s Monster’s Ball, becoming the first, and (so far) only African-American woman to win Best Actress in a Leading Role. (The fact that Denzel Washington won Best Actor that year made it the first time two black performers shared leading role awards at the same ceremony.)
Getty Images7/23Mo'Nique
Mo’Nique won Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her portrayal of Mary Lee Johnston in the 2009 film Precious. (Gabourey Sidibe, who played the main character, Claireece “Precious” Jones, was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role.)
Getty Images8/23Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer played Effie White in the 2006 film Dreamgirls, winning Best Actress in a Supporting Role. At 25 years old, Hudson’s win made her the youngest black actor (male or female) to win an Academy Award.
Getty Images9/23Octavia Spencer
In 2011, Octavia played Minny Jackson in The Help, earning her a Best Actress in a Supporting Role win. (Viola Davis also starred in this film as Aibileen Clark, and was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role.)
FilmMagic10/23Lupita Nyong'o
Playing Patsey in 12 Years a Slave, Nyong’o won the award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. She was the first African actress to be nominated, and win in any category.
Getty Images11/23Sidney Poitier
In 1958, Poitier was the first African-American actor to be nominated for Best Actor for his role of Noah Cullen in The Defiant Ones. He didn’t win for that performance, but he would become the first African-American to win in 1963, as Homer Smith in Lillies of the Field.
ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images12/23Haing S. Ngor
In 1984, Haing became the first and only Asian actor to ever win a Best Supporting role, for his performance as Dith Pran in The Killing Fields.
NY Daily News via Getty Images13/23José Ferrer
In 1948, Ferrer was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance in Joan of Arc. He didn’t win an award until two years later, for Cyrano de Bergerac, becoming the first Latino actor to win — and be nominated more than once. (Two years later he was nominated again, this time for Best Actor for his role in Moulin Rouge, but didn’t win the award.)
Getty Images14/23Anthony Quinn
Latino actor Anthony Quinn won his first Academy Award as Best Supporting Actor in 1952, for his role in Viva Zapata!
WireImage15/23Ben Kingsley
In 1982, Kingsley became the first actor of South Asian descent to win Best Actor. Kingsley won for his role in Gandhi, and would be nominated again 21 years later for his role in House of Sand and Frog.
Getty Images16/23Louis Gossett, Jr.
Gossett Jr.’s performance as Gunnery Seargeant Emil Foley in An Officer and a Gentleman won Best Actor in a Supporting Role. This victory in 1982 made him the first black actor to win the award.
WireImage17/23Benicio del Toro
Del Toro has been nominated twice for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, for 2003’s 21 Grams, and in 2000, for his role in Traffic. His win for the latter was the first and only time an actor has won an Academy Award for a Spanish-speaking role.
AFP/Getty Images18/23Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Playing Rod Tidwell in the 1996 film Jerry Maguire, Cuba Gooding Jr. earned an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. He was the youngest black man to win this award.
AFP/Getty Images19/23Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington has been nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role three times; for Malcolm X, Flight, and Training Day. His only victory was for the latter, but he’s also been nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role twice: once for Cry Freedom, and for Glory, which he won.
WireImage20/23Jamie Foxx
In 2004, Jamie Foxx was nominated for Best Actor in two categories. His Supporting Actor performance as Max in Collateral didn’t win, but he did win an award for his leading role as Ray Charles in Ray. Foxx was also the first black actor to have two acting nominations in the same year.
BLOOMBERG NEWS21/23Forest Whitaker
In 2006, Forest Whitaker’s performance as Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland won him a Best Actor in a Leading Role award.
Getty Images22/23Morgan Freeman
Freeman won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar in 2005 for his role in Million Dollar Baby, becoming the oldest black actor to win the award. Freeman has been nominated three additional times for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performances in Driving Miss Daisy, The Shawshank Redemption, and Invictus. He also has an additional Best Supporting Actor nomination for his performance in Street Smart.
