There was a time when people used to differentiate among people based on the color of their skin. Fair-skinned people were given priority in every field. But now as the world is growing, urbanization is expanding. The world is more open to diversity. Black people are leaving a mark in every industry including the film industry. The black women have become an integral part of Hollywood movies. Here we will discuss some of the most popular and incredible black actresses in Hollywood.
Top Black Actresses in Hollywood
1. Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi has an incredible acting talent. She is known for her uniqueness. Whoopi was born on November 13, 1955. Her first big movie was The Color Purple in 1985. It was a critically acclaimed movie. She got her first Oscar nomination for this movie. Later in 1990, she became the first blockbuster hit The Ghost. She became famous all over the globe. Her performance in The Ghost movie made her win her first Oscar. Her career eloped after this hit. She gave another smashing hit Sister Act in 1992. Later she did comedy movies which worked well commercially. By this time she has become a household name in America.
2. Angela Bassett
Angela has a captivating personality. She did some phenomenal Television shows. She was born on August 16, 1958, in New York, USA. She graduated in African American studies and post-graduation in Arts from Yale University in 1980. Her husband influenced her to do acting. He was a graduate of Drama School at Yale. Her early appearances were in small roles in shows like The Cosby Show and Spenser:(For Hire) in 1984. Later in 1990, she had her breakthrough performances in Television Shows. In 1993 Bassett gave a mind-blowing performance as Tina Turner in a TV show called What’s Love Got To Do With It. This character made her win a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress and a BAFTA Nomination.
3. Taraji P. Henson
Traji is an American actress and singer. She is known for her guest appearances on Television shows. She had her first breakthrough performance in 2001 in the movie Bbay Boy. Taraji received her first Screen Actors Guild award in 2005 for her role as a prostitute in Hustle and Flow. She won her first BAFTA award in 2008 for her role in The Curious Case for the supportive role. She was a versatile actor. She did distinct roles in her career. She also did an action comedy movie in 2010. Her marvellous work can be seen in the Oscar-nominated film, Hidden Figures.
4. Alfre Woodard
She has given many great performances as an actor. Woodard was born on November 8., 1952 in Tulsa, USA. She started acting as a theatre artist. She gave several powerful performances in movies like Grand Canyon, Crooklyn, 12 Years A Slave, Junaita and many more. She did dignified roles and won many awards. She had four Emmy awards, one Golden Globe Award, and three Star Guild Awards. Woodard was also included in the list of greatest actors of the 21st Century in The New York Times. She is a board member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Her role in NBS dramas has earned her several Emmy wards. Being an actor she is also a social activist and has various NGOs that help people suffering from AIDS and hit by the pandemic.
5. Diahann Carroll
A multitalented woman, she is an actor, singer and activist. Carroll was born on July 17, 1935, in New York USA. She started her career with a show DuMont Television Network program at the age of 18. Her debut in Hollywood movies was as a supporting role in Carmen Jones. She did a romantic comedy-drama that made her win an Academy Award for Best Actress. Carroll is a record breaker she is the first black actress to perform a non-stereotypical role in American Television Series Julia. Also, she is the first black actress who won the Tony Award For Best Actress In a Musical for her role in No Strings. The great actress died due to Breast cancer in 2019.
6. Halle Berry
A popular figure in Hollywood. Halle Berry was born on August 14, 1966, in Ohio USA. She began her career as a model and participated in various beauty pageants. Her career started with a role in the comedy Boomerang in 1992. Halle is the only black actress with an Academy Award in the Best Actress category. She was also part of the list of the highest-paid actress in Hollywood in 2000. She has a charming personality and is even more charming in her 50s.
7. Octavia Spencer
An American actress was born on May 25, 1970, in Montgomery, USA. Spencer’s debut drama was A Time To Kill. then she did a few side roles in movies. This drama earned her identity as an actress in 2011 for the role of a maid in The Help. This drama-led Spencer won an Academy Award for best supporting actress. This was the turning point in her career as she did many movies that made her win several other awards. Recently she was nominated for the Prime Time Emmy Award for Best Actress for her role in a Netflix miniseries.
8. Viola Davis
The only Black Actress who has won the Triple Crown of Acting. Viola was born on August 11, 1965, in South Carolina, USA. She started her career with small roles in movies and television shows. She earned her first Prime Time Emmy Award in the category of best actress for her powerful performance in the Drama series, ABC. Viola has some big blockbuster movies on her bucket list such as The Woman King, Suicide Squad and DC Extended Universe.
Along with her husband she owns a production house JuVee Productions. She is also a human rights activist and works for the upliftment of the black community. Davis was one of the 100 most influential people in the world twice.
9. Lashana Lynch
A British actress was born on November 27, 1987 in London. She attended the Arts School of Drama in London. Her debut film was in 2012 Fast Girls. She did many BBC television films like Silent Witness and Death In Paradise. Later in 2016, Lynch got her first role in the American period drama series Still Star Crossed. In 2019 she got a role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Captain Marvel. She has won various awards for her work in dramas and movies.
10. Keke Palmer
A multitalented American actress who is a singer and a host also. Palmer was born on August 26, 1993, in Illinois, USA. She was a child artist. her debut movie was Barber Shop 2: Back in Business in 2004. Palmer later performed in television shows. She earned recognition for her role in the drama film Akeelah and The Bee in 2006. Down the lane, she performed in various movies such as The Longshots, Jump In!, and many more. Palmer gave many power pack performances in many movies in recent years. One of her performances in the series Turnt Up earned her Prime Time Emmy Award. Times magazine added her name to the most influential people in the world.
