Making it in Hollywood is hard enough, but these actors and actresses had to overcome an additional set of obstacles just because of the color of their skin. It's a situation nobody should have deal with, and thankfully these days such instances are few and far between. Here are some of the most notable, award-winning entertainers of our time.
Halle Berry
You already know this A-list bombshell from the X-Men series and Die Another Day, but did you know that Halle Berry was also the first African American to win the Oscar for Best Actress? She won the award in 2002 for her starring role as Leticia in the tumultuous drama Monster's Ball.
Denzel Washington
The same year that Halle Berry scored her Oscar, Denzel won the award for his role as rogue cop Alonzo in the action flick Training Day. Not only was he the first African American to win the award since Sidney Poitier, 2002 marked the first year that two African Americans won Oscars at the same time.
Bill Cosby
He started out with a stand-up act, and today Bill Cosby is most widely known for The Cosby Show and his affinity for pudding. When he starred with Robert Culp on the TV show I Spy, he was one of the very few African Americans on prime-time. Before he played Cliff Huxtable, he appeared on the educational show The Electric Company and in the film Mother, Juggs and Speed alongside Sidney Poitier.
Halle BerryYou already know this A-list bombshell from the X-Men series and Die Another Day, but did you know that Halle Berry was also the first African American to win the Oscar for Best Actress? She won the award in 2002 for her starring role as Leticia in the tumultuous drama Monster's Ball.
Denzel WashingtonThe same year that Halle Berry scored her Oscar, Denzel won the award for his role as rogue cop Alonzo in the action flick Training Day. Not only was he the first African American to win the award since Sidney Poitier, 2002 marked the first year that two African Americans won Oscars at the same time.
Bill CosbyHe started out with a stand-up act, and today Bill Cosby is most widely known for The Cosby Show and his affinity for pudding. When he starred with Robert Culp on the TV show I Spy, he was one of the very few African Americans on prime-time. Before he played Cliff Huxtable, he appeared on the educational show The Electric Company and in the film Mother, Juggs and Speed alongside Sidney Poitier.
