Octavia Spencer Wins Best Supporting Actress Oscar
LOS ANGELES — Octavia Spencer is on the ride of her life after picking up Golden Globe and SAGMA, BAFTA and an NAACP award, she can now add Oscar winner to that list as he won for Best Supporting Actress for her outstanding performance in “The Help.”
“Oh, thank you,” a tearful Spencer said as many in the audience gave her a much deserved standing ovation. She expressed gratitude to her family, her colleagues from “The Help” and her native “state of Alabama” as she received the best supporting actress trophy.
The actress played sassy maid Minny Jackson in the movie, which depicted Southern life as the 1960s civil rights movement unfolded. The film is based on Kathryn Stockett’s best-selling novel “The Help,” and the author drew on her friendship with Spencer in creating Minny.
The two were introduced by a mutual pal, “The Help” writer-director Tate Taylor.
After the show, Spencer said her plans included “a quarter of a glass of Champagne” and celebrating with her cast mates.
“I’m just going to live in this moment because it’s never happened, and Lord knows it may never happen again,” she said.
Spencer saluted her co-stars, including fellow nominees Viola Davis and Jessica Chastain, and the working relationship they shared: “We just left our egos at the door and worked together as one beautiful unit. … It was an award-winning cast,” she said.
Here is a full list of all of the African American Oscar winners in the 84 year Academy Awards history:
1940- Hattie McDaniel- Gone with the Wind- First Black Actor Male or Female to win Academy Award
1982- Louis Gossett, Jr.- An Officer and A Gentleman- Won for Best Supporter Actor (First Black Actor to win Best Supporting Actor)1963- Sidney Poitier- Lilies of the Field- Won for Best Actor
1989- Denzel Washington- Glory- Won for Best Supporting Actor
1991- Whoopi Goldberg- Ghost- Won for Best Supporting Actress (First Black Actress to receive two Oscar nominations and second Black Actress to win Best Supporting Actress Award since Hattie McDaniel in 1940)
1996- Cuba Gooding, Jr.- Jerry Maguire- Won for Best Supporting Actor
2002- Denzel Washington- Training Day- Won for Best Actor (Only Black Actor to have two Oscars)
2002- Halle Berry- Monster’s Ball- Won for Best Actress
2004- Jamie Foxx- Ray- Won for Best Actor
2004- Morgan Freeman- Million Dollar Baby- Won for Best Supporting Actor (Oldest Black Actor to receive Academy Award at 67)
2006- Forest Whitaker- The Last King of Scotland- Won for Best Actor
2006- Jennifer Hudson- Dreamgirls- Won for Best Supporting Actress (Youngest Black Actress to receive Academy Award at 25 years old and first Black Actor or Actress to receive Academy Award for debut performance)
2009- Mo’Nique- Precious- Won for Best Supporting Actress
2011- Octavia Spencer- The Help- Won for Best Supporting Actress
This means that in the 84 year of Academy awards, African Americans only received a total of 13 awards for Best Actor/Actress or Best Supporting Actor/Actress.
Do you think African American get snubbed at the Oscars or do we not get enough quality roles?
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