“Why Halle have to let a white man pop her to get an Oscar?/Why Denzel have to be crooked before he took it?” Those catchy questions were once posed by Jadakiss in reference to the seedy roles both Halle Berry and Denzel Washington took to score Academy Awards. As many people grow increasingly baffled with voter’s decision not to honor any of the actors in the Martin Luther King, Jr. biopic Selma, the “Why” record still holds as much weight as it first did with its release.
There’s Oscar snubs. And then there’s Oscar snubs because, well…you’ll see in the gallery below.
Photo: MovieClips
Denzel Washington in Philadelphia (1993)
Tom Hanks did the damn thing but it was Washington’s resolute portrayal as his lawyer that really embodied the film’s theme.
Photo: MovieClips
Halle Berry in Losing Isaiah (1995)
Berry convincingly tackled the rock bottom and recovery aftermath in one of her earliest roles.
Photo: MovieClips
Samuel L. Jackson in Jungle Fever (1991)
Gator had the world at his disposal and shamelessly smoked it all.
Photo: MovieClips
Ruby Dee in Jungle Fever (1991)
And his on-screen mother knew how to channel the appropriate emotions.
Photo: WENN
Jamie Foxx in DJango Unchained (2012)
What Christoph Waltz had that Jamie didn’t is beyond anyone besides pundits in the Academy.
Photo: DreamWorks
Eddie Murphy in Dreamgirls (2006)
It’s rare Eddie Murphy gets to step outside of his comedic typecast but his Oscar nomination proved he nailed it this time around.
Photo: WENN
Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
The only sane mind in Shawshank State Penitentiary was Red. He deserved better at the Oscars.
Photo: Buena Vista Pictures
Angela Bassett in What’s Love Got To Do With It (1993)
Bassett revitalized Tina Turner’s career more so than her classic catalog.
Photo: United Artists
Sidney Poitier for In the Heat of the Night (1967)
Did voters write Poitier off after he earned his first Oscar? The world may never know.
Photo: WENN
Michael Clarke Duncan in The Green Mile (1999)
Although he wasn’t given much to work with character-wise, MCD stole the show in this strange but engaging prison drama.
Photo: WENN
Oprah Winfrey in The Color Purple (1985)
Portraying a powerful Black woman in any setting is a feat in itself. To do so in the period set for The Color Purple was remarkable.
Photo: Paramount Pictures
Mykelti Williamson in Forrest Gump (1994)
In just his short segment in the epic movie, the Bubba Blue would go on to be nearly as popular as his best friend. There’s a reason for that.
Photo: Buena Vista Pictures
Laurence Fishburne in What’s Love Got To Do With It (1993)
Fishburne jumped outside of himself to capture the alleged traits of Big Bad Ike Turner.
Photo: Warner Bros
Denzel Washington in Malcolm X
Arguably his finest performance on screen.
Photo: Micheaux Book & Film Company
Sylvia Landry in Within Our Gates (1920)
One of the first films to tackle racism in America. And it was silent.
Photo: Miramax Films
Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction (1994)
Ezekiel 25:17. That’s a badass motherf****r.
Photo: WENN
Do The Right Thing (1989)
Hell pick somebody–anybody that helped make this riveting film still very relevant to this days. Much more relevant than the years Best Picture winner which was Driving Miss Daisy.
Biggest Oscar Snubs Of All Time For Black Characters
