Entertainment
Oscars 2021: Viola Davis is officially the most-nominated Black woman in history
Viola Davis continues to pave the way for Black actress as she has now received the most nominations for an African-American woman.
The 55-year-old star received her fourth career acting nomination for her lead role in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom during Monday’s announcement by Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra.
Her best actress nod also makes her the only Black woman to have two nominations in that category under her belt.
The How To Get Away With Murder actress has previously been nominated for her roles in Doubt and The Help.
She famously bagged a win in 2017 for her performance Fences alongside Denzel Washington.
Viola was previously tied with her longtime friend Octavia Spencer, who has three nominations for her work in Hidden Figures, The Shape of Water, and a win for The Help.
Elsewhere, Whoopi Goldberg is the only other Black actress with more than one Oscar nomination for acting.
She landed nominations for her performances in The Color Purple and Ghost – which won the Academy Award in 1991.
The Oscars 2021 nomination was one of the Academy Awards’ most diverse yet with Chloe Zhao, Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, and Leslie Odom Jr also among those to receive top nods.
Elsewhere, Chadwick Boseman earned a posthumous best actor nomination for his stunning performance alongside Viola in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
The Oscars will take place in multiple locations, including its usual home at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
The 93rd Academy Awards is due to take place on April 25, 2021.
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