ACADEMY AWARDS
When women made history at the Oscars
With the Oscars just around the corner, here are the top 5 most notable Oscars moments that highlight female achievements.
Buffy Sainte-Marie
Buffy Sainte-Marie is an Indigenous Canadian-American songwriter and performer. In 1983, Sainte-Marie won an Oscar at the 55th Oscars awards show for writing the song ‘Up Where We Belong’ from the movie ‘An Officer and a Gentleman’.
Sainte-Marie shared the Best Original Song award with Will Jennings and Jack Nitzsche, her co-writers on the track. She officially became the first Indigenous person to win an Oscar.
Halle Berry
In 2001, Halle Berry won her Academy Award under the Best Actress category for her moving performance as Leticia Musgrove in ‘Monster Ball’.
Her win marks the first and only time a Black woman has won the Best Actress category to date.
“It’s for the women that stand beside me, Jada Pinkett, Angela Bassett, Vivica Fox,” the actress said in her Oscars acceptance speech.
She continued, “and it’s for every nameless, faceless woman of color that now has a chance because this door tonight has been opened. Thank you. I’m so honored.”
Brenda Chapman
Brenda Chapman co-directed the 2012 animated film ‘Brave’ with Mark Andrews and Steve Purcell. She went on to win an Oscar for Best Animated Feature, sharing the award with Mark Andrews.
Chapman shared some touching details on the story behind the animated film’s main character, Merida.
“I’d like to give a shout-out to my wonderful, strong, beautiful daughter Emma, who inspired ‘Brave’ into being,” the director shared in her acceptance speech.
Jamika Wilson and Mia Neal
Makeup artist Jamika Wilson and hair stylist Mia Neal worked together on the film ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’. The two accepted the Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling for the film at the 2021 Oscars awards ceremony.
Wilson and Neal’s win made history, marking the first time Black women won in the Best Makeup and Hairstyling category. They shared the award with makeup artist Sergio Lopez-Rivera.
“I stand here as Jamika and I break this glass ceiling with so much excitement for the future,” Neal commented on their Oscar achievement. “I know one day it won’t be unusual or groundbreaking — it will just be normal.”
Chloé Zhao
Director Chloé Zhao made history quite recently, winning the Academy Award for Best Director for her film ‘Nomadland’ in 2021. The film also won in two other categories: Best Picture and Best Actress (Frances McDormand).
Upon her win, Zhao became the second woman in Oscars history and first woman of color to win Best Director.