It's funny how things work out isn't it? Between the poise and presence of Sidney Poitier, the emotional response of Halle Berry and the measured response of Denzel Washington, that one phrase resonates.
Two in one night.
Two in one night as both Berry and Washington took home Oscars Sunday. Never mind the politics of the Academy Awards, this is where the question begs to be asked. How does this affect Hollywood?
Or better yet, does this affect Hollywood?
According to some, we now have our O.J. prize. We have our two in one night - an actor who, if not the finest actor of our generation, is certainly near the top and an actress who has worked her way up the ranks to (nearly?) leading lady.
The roles for which the won are rubbing some people the wrong way. "A whore and a lowlife" is how I heard one person describe it. Negative images. Two in one night.
Does this affect Hollywood? As the racial demographics of this country continue to morph into one more colorful, will the roles change?
As the percentages of ethnicity change, what does the future bode for the quality of characters for non-whites? How long before we see a Latino, Asian or other "minority" holding up the statuette?
Berry talked about how the moment was "bigger than" her. She mentioned people who came before her and actresses working alongside her still searching for quality roles.
"This moment is for every nameless, faceless woman of color that now has a chance because the door tonight has been opened," Berry said.
Is there reason to take issue with the portrayal that Halle "opened" the door? Because her role wasn't a strong woman, does that lessen her on-screen presence? Because Washington wasn't a virtuous man does that mean he didn't command Oscar attention in a non-Oscar film?
When I think of Berry still having to open doors and the intrinsic negativity of the two Oscar-winning roles I think of the roles originally available to black actors: the "Stepin Fetchits," the "Mantans," the maids, butlers and house servants.
I think of how those roles were the only way work was offered and how today you typically have the criminal black/Latino, the martial artist Asian and/or the terrorist Middle Eastern. And I know the door still can be wider, both on screen and behind the scenes.
I hope being able to say "starring Academy Award-winner" Denzel Washington (twice) or Halle Berry will push people to create and award better roles to a deserving mix of actors.
It took 74 years for the first black woman to be awarded a Best Actress award, and this is only the second leading-actor Oscar for black men. I hope it won't be another near-century before more diverse roles and more diverse winners grace the screen and stage.
Will this mark a new beginning with Hollywood in regard to quality roles and diversity?
"I'm rooting for both Washington and Berry. ... I want to see them win, because I want the whole issue of black or white success at the Oscars to become moot - or at least recede to the lesser significance it should have," said Michael Wilmington, of the Chicago Tribune.
Until the color issue recedes, we'll keep on watching the roles and their quality. We'll continue waiting for more nights like Sunday, when two actors were honored for bringing everything they could to a role, and excelling as characters that otherwise may be buried as typically negative.
On that night, those actors were honored. And there were two.
Write to Aric at ariclewis@hotmail.com
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