Angela Bassett (Photo credit: Bang Media)
The 95th edition of the annual Academy Awards was short on Black nominees, high on extravagant couture, and deep on disappointment.
The movie industry’s most prestigious award program was also vast in the platform the industry to give Ruth Carter her deserved flowers. Already a legend in the movie costume design genre, Ruth etched her name into the history books on three different fronts with her win on Sunday. Being voted the best costume designer for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Carter became the first Black woman to win two Oscars and the first designer to win for her designs on both an original film and its sequel.
Let’s gooooo!!!!
Congratulations #RuthCarter!!! 💪🏾🙌🏾💯✨
Ruth Carter Becomes First Black Woman to Win Two Oscars – @Variety#Oscars#AcademyAwards
#2023#HERstory https://t.co/FfUEhydgC8
— Shyla La’Sha (@1Shyla) March 13, 2023
Last and not least, Carter became just the fifth Black person to win more than one competitive Academy Award. Denzel Washington is the most well-known Black actor to win two Oscars, one for “Glory” and “Training Day.” However, Willie D. Burton, Russell Williams II, and Mahershala Ali also won multiple Oscars.
Now, for the disappointment at the Academy Awards. Actually, the exasperation happened before the 2023 Oscars even aired as Viola Davis‘ historic epic, “The Woman King,” failed to garner a single nomination, and she was disrespected by one of the anonymous voters who, in no certain terms, told her and director Gina Prince-Bythewood to calm down.
Feelings were deflated when Yale University-educated Angela Bassett lost to another longtime actor Jamie Lee Curtis, who took home the golden trophy for best supporting actress for her dynamic performance in “Everything Everywhere All At Once.”
It was beautiful, however, when “Creed III” star Michael B. Jordan shouted “Hi auntie” to Bassett after her loss. “Auntie” refers to his memorable line as Erik Killmonger introducing himself to Bassett’s Queen Ramonda in the first “Black Panther” film. “Creed III” co-star Jonathan Majors quickly followed up, saying, “We love you,” before the two men went on to announce the winner of achievement in cinematography.
It must be noted that Bassett, who was also nominated for the best actress Oscar back in 1993 for her riveting portrayal of Tina Turner in “What’s Love Got To Do With It?,” won the red carpet with her form-fitting purple gown to exemplify the royalty Black people have viewed her as since she came into our lives in the classic 1991 film, “Boys N the Hood.”
Angela Bassett reveals what’s in her #Oscars bag: “I have some Halls cough drops… a little fragrance. You know these bags are so small you can’t bring much. And my daughter’s holding my phone.” https://t.co/vBDJNHijqQ pic.twitter.com/IWuaABDn5x
— Variety (@Variety) March 12, 2023
America’s darling, Rihanna, who set the world on fire when she outperformed the Super Bowl, numbers-wise, just last month in suburban Pheonix, ripped it with her rousing performance of the “Black Panther” tribute song to Chadwick Boseman.
Bad Girl RiRi stood in place onstage at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday as she belted out “Lift Me Up,” which was nominated for best original song and unfortunately lost to “Naatu Naatu” from the film “RRR.”
Rihanna’s Lift Me Up Performance At The #Oscar ✨🎶 #Rihanna pic.twitter.com/qqLF2ffxo6
— RIHVERSE✨ (@Rihversee) March 13, 2023
Black Panther actress Danai Gurira introduced the performance and spoke about Boseman. She also called Rihanna “royalty in her own right.”
Full list of all the winners can be found here: “2023 Oscar Winners revealed“
