You’re at your friend’s 2025 Oscar party, cocktail in hand and ready to see who’s slaying the red carpet. The ceremony begins, the first award is called, and your friends start tossing out Black Oscar facts like they’re gold statues. You don’t want to be the only one with nothing to say. So here are some major facts you need to know about the Oscars’ Black actor history–and who may join their ranks at this year’s 97th Academy Awards.
First Black Actor to Win an Oscar: Hattie McDaniel
In 1940, McDaniel, who played Mammy in Gone With the Wind, became the first African American performer nominated for an Oscar. She would go on to win the Best Supporting Actress statue. While she called the win “one of the happiest moments of my life,” the esteemed performer had to accept her award from a segregated table in the back of the room.
Several other Black actresses have followed in McDaniel’s footsteps with wins for Actress in a Supporting Role. That includes Whoopi Goldberg for Ghost (1990), Jennifer Hudson for Dreamgirls (2006), Mo’Nique for Precious (2009), Octavia Spencer for The Help (2011), Lupita Nyong’o for 12 Years a Slave (2013), Viola Davis for Fences (2013), Regina King for If Beale Street Could Talk (2018), Ariana DeBose for West Side Story (2021) and Da’Vine Joy Randolph for The Holdovers (2023).
First Black Man to win Actor in a Supporting Role: Louis Gossett Jr.
Call him sir! Gossett Jr. won the award in 1982 for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in An Officer and a Gentleman. Others who have won in the category include Denzel Washington for Glory (1989), Cuba Gooding Jr. for Jerry Maguire (1997), Morgan Freeman for Million Dollar Baby (2005), Mahershala Ali for Moonlight (2017) and Green Book (2019) and Daniel Kaluuya for Judas and the Black Messiah (2021).
First Black Actors to Win in Leading Role Categories: Sidney Poitier and Halle Berry
One of the most legendary actors of his generation, Sidney Poitier took home the Actor in a Leading Role statue for his work in Lilies of the Field (1963). Almost 40 years passed before another Black actor won in a leading category. Halle Berry accepted the honor of Actress in a Leading Role for her work in Monster’s Ball in 2001. Denzel Washington, Jamie Foxx and Will Smith have also copped the lead actor statue, while Berry remains the only Black female to have won in the leading actress category.
Actor with the Most Wins in the Acting Categories: Denzel Washington and Mahershala Ali
It’s a tie for Washington, who earned his second Oscar, this one for his leading role in Training Day (2001), and Ali, who has two Oscars in the supporting actor category.
Who’s Up this Year?
We’ve got three Black actors nominated across three categories. Colman Domingo could join a prestigious roster of actors if he wins Actor in a Leading Role for his nuanced work in Sing Sing. Zoe Saldaña could become the second Afro-Latina Actress in a Supporting Role winner for her work in Emilia Pérez (she is highly favored to win). Our 2024 EBONY Power 100 cover star Cynthia Erivo could become the second Black woman with an Actress in a Leading Role win for her work in Wicked.
Also keep an eye on 2024 EBONY Power 100 awardee Paul Tazewell. Nominated for Best Costume Design for Wicked, taking home the statue would make him the first African American male winner in the category.
The 97th Academy Awards airs live on Sunday, March 2, at 7 p.m. on ABC and Hulu.
