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Where would we be without the Black women of Hollywood? While the movie industry has been painfully slow to expand its attention beyond the lives and experiences of white people, these Black superstars have made a name for themselves against societal odds, delivering some of the most memorable performances of all time in these iconic films.
Related story 14 Celebrity Women of Color Share the First Movie & TV Characters Who Made Them Feel SeenIn the coming years, we can only hope that Black women’s opportunities in Hollywood continue to grow. In honor of Black History Month, we’re looking back at the most iconic Black female roles of all time — and hoping this list will double by 2030.
With the Oscars taking place this same month, there’s continued tension around the Academy’s failure to nominate nonwhite artists. This tension has been growing for years and gets more active every year as the Academy fails to learn from its oversights. In 2016, Whoopi Goldberg was already sick and tired of having the same conversation: “We have this conversation every year, and it pisses me off,” she said on The View. “There’s not a lot of support for little companies that make movies that may be more diverse than anything else, but you can’t b*tch about it just at Oscar time… I am mad! So don’t be surprised.”
Goldberg is right — if we want to see real change, we have to actively support the people and companies that fund diverse projects and turn away from those who don’t. And if you need any further inspiration to fight for Black female representation in film, look no further. Scroll on for the most stunning performances by Black women to ever grace our screens.
A version of this article was originally published in February 2020.
Precious in ‘Precious’
Making her acting debut in 2009, Gabrielle Sidibe’s role as Precious in Precious gave voice to young women who grew up in abusive households in which they were also neglected. Her emotional performance was so staggering, it earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Patsey in ’12 Years a Slave’
Lupita Nyong’o’s debut performance as Patsey in 12 Years a Slave earned her an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress and launched her into superstardom. Her raw portrayal as an enslaved mistress on a cotton plantation brought justice to the real Patsey, whose story was originally told in Soloman Northup’s 1853 memoir, which was adapted into the 2013 movie.
Rachel Marron in ‘The Bodyguard’
Already a beloved talent across the globe at the time she portrayed Rachel Marron in The Bodyguard, Whitney Houston’s performance was nothing short of breathtaking in the 1992 romantic drama. Aside from delivering a stunning emotional performance, Houston sang her goosebump-inducing rendition of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” for the first time in the film, instantly making her cover a smash hit.
Watch 'The Bodyguard' on Amazon Prime Video$3.99
on Amazon.comBillie Holiday in ‘Lady Sings the Blues’
Music icon Diana Ross plays fellow music icon Billie Holiday in this 1972 biographical drama. Stunningly portraying Holiday’s tumultuous relationships and battle with drug addiction as she rose to fame, Ross received a ‘Best Actress’ Academy Award nomination for the role.
'Lady Sings the Blues'$4.15$14.9972% Off
on Amazon.comShuri in ‘Black Panther’
Black Panther gave us so many previously unseen Black action hero characters, but Letitia Wright’s Shuri remains one of the most beloved. Shuri is a princess of Wakanda, and a tech genius who designs wartime equipment for brother T’Challa. Her combination of killer smarts, quick wit, and fearlessness inspired us all.
'Black Panther'$3.99
on Amazon.comCarmen Jones in ‘Carmen Jones’
There’s absolutely no doubt that Dorothy Dandridge commands the screen as Carmen Jones in the 1954 movie Carmen Jones. With her performance, Dandridge became the first African American to earn the Oscar nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role.
Years later, Halle Berry played Dorothy Dandridge in the 1999 HBO TV movie Introducing Dorothy Dandridge. Just a few short years after, Halle Berry won the Oscar for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, becoming the first Black woman to win the Oscar statuette.
Watch 'Carmen Jones' on Amazon Prime Video$3.99
Sharon Rivers in ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’
Barry Jenkin’s 2018 lyrical masterpiece If Beale Street Could Talk brings the words of James Baldwin’s beloved novel to life. As Sharon Rivers, Regina King embodies the pain, heartbreak, and love of motherhood. Her performance earned her the 2019 Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, and every part of her portrayal is breathtaking.
Watch 'If Beale Street Could Talk' on Hulu$Free Trial
Leticia Musgrove in ‘Monster’s Ball’
In Monster’s Ball, Halle Berry plays Letitia Musgrove, whose relationship with a hardened prison guard (Billy Bob Thornton) recently struck by tragedy forces him to reflect on the choices he’s made and the people he hurt. Berry’s performance as mom Letitia earned her a Best Actress Oscar in 2002, making history as the first Black woman to snag the win — and nearly 20 years later, she’s still the only Black woman to have that accomplishment to her name, a disgrace she details here.
Watch 'Monster's Ball' on Hulu$5.99 (after 30-day free trial)
Sofia in ‘The Color Purple’
Before she built the Oprah Winfrey empire, she once deigned to act in Steven Spielberg movies, like 1985’s The Color Purple. Winfrey plays Sofia, a strong-willed woman who rebuffs her husband’s numerous attempts to break her will, and ends up in prison after an altercation with the town’s mayor. Winfrey was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Academy Awards for her powerful performance.
'The Color Purple'$3.99
on Amazon.comFoxy Brown in ‘Foxy Brown’
Back in 1974, the idea of a female action hero was little more than a fantasy — until Pam Grier’s Foxy Brown burst on to the scene. When Foxy Brown’s boyfriend is murdered, she sets off on a mission to avenge his death. Foxy didn’t just show us that women could be action stars: She showed us they don’t have to downplay their feminity and style to do it.
'Foxy Brown'$3.99
on Amazon.comTina Turner in ‘What’s Love Got to Do With It’
Angela Bassett plays Tina Turner in this 1993 biopic directed by Brian Gibson, and her moving performance earned her an Oscar nomination (co-star Laurence Fishburne was nominated too).
'What's Love Got to Do With It?'$3.99
on Amazon.comNola Darling in ‘She’s Gotta Have It’
Spike Lee’s first feature film She’s Gotta Have It was notable for many reasons — and a big one is Tracy Camilla Johns’ performance as Nola Darling. Johns’ performance as a Black woman juggling multiple sexual partners was revolutionary, and the issues of sexual liberation and gender equality raised by the film resonate heavily today.
Watch on Netflix.
Effie White in ‘Dreamgirls’
Jennifer Hudson’s Oscar-winning performance as singer Effie White in Dreamgirls was dazzling: Her voice alone lit up the film and took it to another level. Hudson managed the impossible feat of outshining Beyoncé on stage as Effie, the powerhouse voice who’s sidelined from her role in the group for not having the right “look.” If you only have five minutes, just watch Hudson since “And I’m Telling You.” Goosebumps every time.
'Dreamgirls'$3.99
on Amazon.comDeloris Van Cartier in ‘Sister Act’
When singer Deloris Van Cartier, played by Whoopi Goldberg, sees her boyfriend commit murder, she’s put in the witness protection program and given the new identity of Sister Mary Clarence. But Deloris doesn’t adapt to the life of a nun so easily, and ends up shaking up the lives of her fellow nuns in a major way. This movie was a box office smash — and an easy reminder of why Whoopi Goldberg makes everything better.
'Sister Act'$3.99
on Amazon.comRuth Younger in ‘A Raisin In the Sun’
Based on the 1959 play by Lorraine Hansberry, A Raisin in the Sun (the 1961 version) was revolutionary for its socially conscious depiction of an African-American family struggling to provide for the future. Expecting a $10,000 life insurance payment, the Younger family weighs their options for how to best use the money to improve their situation — and Ruby Dee, as wife and mother Ruth Younger, gives a particularly phenomenal performance.
'A Raisin in the Sun'$3.99
on Amazon.comCleo in ‘Set It Off’
This movie’s star power made it hard to pick just one role, but in the end, Queen Latifah’s Cleo was such a breakthrough for Black lesbian representation that we had to include it. Co-starring alongside Jada Pinkett Smith, Vivica A. Fox, and Kimberly Elise, Latifah gave the performance of her life as unapologetically butch bank robber Cleo — though again, the power of this ensemble, with all women trying to make ends meet in a racist, sexist world really can’t be overstated.
'Set It Off'$3.99
on Amazon.comMammy in ‘Gone With The Wind’
With her performance as Mammy in Gone with the Wind, Hattie McDaniel won an Academy Award for Best Actress — and became the first African-American to win an Oscar in any category. In 1940, the hotel where the Academy Awards were held was still segregated, and they called in a “special favor” for McDaniel to attend. While the Mammy character has aged poorly for how it perpetuates stereotypes, McDaniel’s refusal to play her character quietly or obediently struck a chord with viewers everywhere.
'Gone With the Wind'$3.99
on Amazon.comKatherine Johnson in ‘Hidden Figures’
In 2016’s Hidden Figures, Taraji P. Henson played Katherine Johnson, the NASA employee whose calculations allowed the first successful US crewed spaceflights. Henson’s performance combined Johnson’s quiet confidence and determination with incredible smarts and dedication to a unified goal — even as the racism and sexism of the time worked to block her efforts at every turn.
'Hidden Figures'$3.99
on Amazon.com
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