Best Actress 2001: Made The AMPAS FEEL Good

That dress was sick

Halle Berry made history in 2001 as the first black actress to become Best Actress.  In the tradition of Jodie Foster and Hilary Swank before her, Berry got ugly for her role.  Not physically necessarily, because she totally looked hot, but more symbolically, as she unknowingly sleeps with a man who executed her husband (irony!) and treats her son like shit.  That year, the two Golden Globe winners were Sissy Spacek in the drama category for In the Bedroom, and Nicole Kidman for the Moulin Rouge!  They both were also starring in Best Picture nominees in films that didn't do too badly at the box-office.  Kidman was having a banner year professionally (perhaps an ominous sign for Jennifer Lawrence this year?).  Having a personal setback with just divorcing her husband Tom Cruise of a decade, she had headlined two international hits, which weren't exactly garden-variety movies.  Rouge! helped usher in a new wave of big Hollywood musicals and Kidman also carried the supernatural thriller The Others, coproduced by Cruise.  Spacek, already a winner from decades ago, gave a nuanced performance as mother and wife wrestling with loss and morality.  But, it would be Berry, armed with little more than a SAG win, who would come from behind and take home the little golden guy.  The AMPAS could now sleep soundly at night knowing they wouldn't have to nominate a black woman for another ten years in the leading category.  Besides, everyone in the category already had an Oscar or would eventually get one in the next couple of years, so it all worked out in the end.  I guess.  But, if it were me, I would take five lead black actress nominations over one win any day, as it would mean there were quality projects being produced in larger numbers for an underserved demographic.  But, that's just me.

The Nominated:
-Halle Berry, Monster's Ball: SAG, Phoenix, NBR, Berlin winner; GG Drama, Satellite, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Southeastern (2nd), AFI, London (3rd), BAFTA nominee (Budget: $4M, Domestic: $31.3M, Worldwide: $44.9M; 85% RT)

-Nicole Kidman, Moulin Rouge!: GG Comedy, Satellite, AFT, London winner; Dallas-Fort Worth (3rd), Broadcast (3rd) nominee ($50M, $57.4, $179.2M; 76% RT)

-Sissy Spacek, In the Bedroom: GG Drama, Satellite, LA, New York, Vancouver, Dallas-Fort Worth, Florida, Southeastern, Sundance, Broadcast, ISA, AFI winner; SAG, Chicago, National Society (2nd), Online, Chlotrudis, BAFTA nominee ($1.7M, $35.9M, $43.4M; 93% RT)

-Renée Zellweger, Bridget Jones's Diary: SAG, GG Comedy, Satellite, Dallas-Fort Worth, Broadcast (2nd), BAFTA, Empire nominee ($25M, $71.5M, $281.9M; 81% RT)

-Judi Dench, Iris: BAFTA winner; SAG, GG Drama, Satellite, Phoenix nominee ($5.6M, $10.6M; 79% RT)

The Also Nominated (for supporting):
-Jennifer Connelly, A Beautiful Mind: SAG (lead), Empire nominee; GG (supporting), Kansas City, Broadcast, Phoenix, Southeastern, Satellite, AFI, Online, BAFTA winner; SAG (supporting), Chicago, Dallas-Forth Worth (2nd), Las Vegas nominee ($58M, $170.7M, $313.5M; 78% RT)

The Also-Rans:
-Naomi Watts, Mulholland Dr.: Chicago, National Society, Online, Chlotrudis winner; LA (2nd), New York (2nd), Boston (2nd), AFI nominee; San Diego (supporting), Las Vegas winner ($7.2M, $20.1M; 82% RT)

-Tilda Swinton, The Deep End: Boston, Las Vegas winner; GG Drama, Satellite, New York (3rd), Chicago, Toronto (3rd), Phoenix, Dallas-Fort Worth, Online, Chlotrudis, ISA nominee ($3M, $8.8M, $10M; 82% RT)

-Thora Birch, Ghost World: Seattle, San Diego, Toronto winner; GG Comedy, Satellite, Chicago, Vancouver, Online nominee ($7M, $6.2M, $8.8M; 92% RT)

-Audrey Tautou, Amélie: Satellite, Phoenix, Vancouver, Empire, BAFTA nominee ($10M, $33.2M, $140.7M; 90% RT)

The Rest of the Competition:
-Nicole Kidman, The Others: Kansas City, London winner; GG Drama, Satellite, Phoenix, Online, Empire, BAFTA nominee ($17M, $96.5M, $210M; 84% RT)

-Reese Witherspoon, Legally Blonde: GG Comedy, Satellite nominee ($18M, $96.5M, $141.8M; 68% RT)

-Charlotte Rampling, Under the Sand: Chlotrudis, National Society (3rd) nominee ($1.5M, $6.5M; 94% RT)

-Cate Blanchett, Charlotte Gray: Satellite, San Diego (2nd), Las Vegas (2nd) ($0.7M; 32% RT)

-Maggie Cheung, In the Mood for Love: Chlotrudis nominee ($2.7M, $12.9M; 88% RT)

-Cate Blanchett, Bandits: Florida (supporting) winner; SAG (supporting) nominee; GG Comedy (lead), AFI, nominee ($75M, $41.6M, $67.6M; 65% RT)

-Stockard Channing, The Business of Strangers: London winner; AFI nominee ($1.M, $1.3M; 80% RT)