The nominations for the 2024 Oscars were announced on Tuesday by actors Zazie Beetz and Jack Quaid, live from the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Los Angeles. Some Black actors made history — Sterling K. Brown, Jeffrey Wright, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo and Da’Vine Joy Randolph earned nominations for the first time this year.
Only about 22 Oscars have been handed out to Black actors and actresses ever since the Academy Awards began in 1929. Hattie McDaniel was the first African American to win an Oscar, and the first Black actress to win Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Gone with the Wind” (1939).
Sidney Poitier became the first Black man to win Best Actor in 1963 for his role in “Lilies of the Field”. There have been multiple wins for Denzel Washington, Mahershala Ali and Anthony Quinn, with Halle Berry being the first, and so far only Black Best Actress following her role in “Monster’s Ball” (2001).
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Over the years, there have been concerns about the lineup of nominated actors and actresses as white actors have dominated the categories and Black actors remain relegated to the background. Analysts say major wins by Black performers or performers of color in recent times may be bringing some changes, as seen in this year’s list of nominations.
The 96th annual Academy Awards will be live on ABC on March 10. The full list of Black nominees is below:
Jeffrey Wright – Best Actor “American Fiction”
Colman Domingo – Best Actor “Rustin”
Danielle Brooks – Best Supporting Actress “The Color Purple”
Sterling K. Brown – Best Supporting Actor “American Fiction”
Adapted Screenplay – “American Fiction”
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Best Supporting Actress “The Holdovers”
African filmmakers Moses Bwayo and Christopher Sharp also scored a nomination for Best Documentary Feature for “Bobi Wine: The People’s President.”
