Black actors have long occupied an important place in contemporary cinema. The times of racial intolerance are long gone, and today they, along with everyone else, are fighting for the most prestigious film awards in the world. We will talk about the best of them in this article.
Morgan Freeman
The standard among black actors is Morgan Freeman. He became famous thanks to the characteristic calm voice and skill of the narrator, which he repeatedly demonstrated in many paintings. He was repeatedly nominated for the Academy Award and Golden Globe. The actor has one Oscar figurine for Best Supporting Actor in Clint Eastwood’s sports drama “Million Dollar Baby”. In 1990, he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in Bruce Beresford's drama comedy Chauffeur Miss Daisy.
Most viewers know him from Frank Darabont’s drama Escape from the Shawshank, David Fincher’s thriller The Seven, Paul McGuigan’s action movie The Lucky Number of Slevin, and Rob Reiner’s tragicomedy, “Hasn't Played in the Box” yet.
Freeman tried himself as a director. In 1993, he directed the drama "Bof!" This is a political detective, the action of which takes place in one of the South African cities. The main character is a black policeman who is faced with a difficult choice. Riots begin in the city due to the unjustified aggressiveness of a white officer. The key character has to decide which side to take: to support his son, who is an ardent supporter of the struggle against apartheid, or to choose a job in whose importance and justice he believes?
Denzel Washington
Another black Hollywood actor is Denzel Washington. On the big screen, he made his debut in 1974 in the detective Michael Winner's "Thirst for Death." The picture is devoted to rampant crime in New York in the 70s.
Washington received its first Oscar nomination in 1988. In the biographical drama of Richard Attenborough's "Cry of Freedom", he played the role of Steve Biko. This is a real-life fighter for the rights of black people. The film takes place in the 1970s in the Republic of South Africa. The film details the struggle against the ruling regime pursuing an aggressive policy of racial segregation. Moreover, almost the entire tape was shot in Zimbabwe.
That year he did not get the prize. The statuette was awarded to Sean Connery for his role in the crime drama "The Untouchables" by Brian de Palma . Washington received its first Oscar in 1990 for the image of Private Trip in the historical military drama Edward Zwick's Glory. In 2000, a black actor won the Golden Globe and Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival for his role as boxer Rubin Carter in Norman Jewison’s sports drama Hurricane.
Samuel Leroy Jackson
Among black male actors, one of the leaders in the number of movie roles is Samuel Leroy Jackson. On his account more than 120 films. In the movie, he first played back in 1972. It was a little-known tape "Together forever." Universal recognition for the black actor came in 1991 after Spike Lee's drama "Tropical Fever." Jackson became considered a superstar by playing in Quentin Tarantino's black comedy Pulp Fiction. For this work he received the BAFTA Award and the Independent Spirit Award.
Jackson has since regularly collaborated with Tarantino. Played in his paintings "Django Unchained", "Jackie Brown", "The Disgusting Eight."
Lawrence Fishborn
The list of black actors who have earned fame and recognition includes Lawrence Fishborn. In the history of world cinema, he left his name, playing in the film adaptation of the Shakespearean drama "Othello" in 1995. Most viewers remembered his name after filming in the sci-fi action movie Wachowski brothers "The Matrix". For his role in this iconic film, he received the MTV Award for Best Fight.
In 1994, Fishbourne was only once nominated for an Oscar for creating the image of American blues musician Ike Turner in the film What Love Can Do. As a result, the prize went to Tom Hanks for the legal drama Philadelphia. His career also has many roles in the theater.
Wing rams
Among the black actors in Hollywood (men), Wing Rhames plays a prominent role. He began his career with Broadway productions. In the mid-80s he came to television. His first notable work was the role of the father of writer James Baldwin, which he performed in the autobiographical drama "Go, Broadcast from the Mountain." Rames often starred in Vietnamese Westerns. He played in the dramatic mystical thriller Adrian Lyne "Jacob's Ladder."
Glory to him, like Jackson, came after "Pulp Fiction" by Quentin Tarantino. Perhaps the most noticeable main role of Reims is Luther Stickell in the series Missionary Impossible. In total, the actor has more than a hundred roles in the movie. Actively working so far. In 2017, starred in Lawrence Cher's comedy "Who's Our Dad, Man?" and the fantastic action movie James Gunn "Guardians of the Galaxy."
Eddie Murphy
Not a single selection of photos of black actors goes without mentioning Eddie Murphy. He reached the peak of his popularity in the 80s. His first major success on the big screen was the comedy action movie by Martin Brest, The Beverly Hills Police Officer. Universal love was brought to him by roles in the comedy of John Landis "Swap", the comedy melodrama of Tom Shediac "The Nutty Professor", the comedy of Betty Thomas "Doctor Dolittle", the fantastic action movie of Ron Underwood "The Adventures of Pluto Nash", the dramatic musical Bill Condon, "Dream Girls" Rob Minkoff’s Family Comedy Fantasy Haunted Mansion.
Perhaps this is the most famous black American comedian. In addition to success, there were many failures in his career. The actor has been nominated for the Golden Raspberry Award many times. Even became its owner. For example, in 2008, he received an award for the worst male role in the comedy melodrama of Brian Robinsk's “Tricks of the Norbit”. And in 2010, he won the Golden Raspberry Award in the nomination “The Worst Actor of the Decade” for a series of unsuccessful works.
Will Smith
Another successful black actor is Will Smith. He was twice nominated for an Oscar twice in his career. In 2002, Smith claimed the statuette for best actor in Michael Mann’s biographical sports drama, dedicated to boxer Cassius Clay. But the victory that year went to Denzel Washington for the dramatic thriller Antoine Fukua "Training Day."
In 2007, Smith once again claimed the Oscar for his work in the drama Gabriele Muccino's "Pursuit of Happiness." But even that time the reward went not to him. Forest Whitaker won the title role in Kevin MacDonald’s historical drama, The Last King of Scotland. Will Smith won popular love after the release of the screens of the fantastic comedy thriller Barry Sonnefeld's "Men in Black". And then the second part of this film. Since then, many have known him as the agent of James Darrell Edwards.