Investigation Blog Post 12

Introduction: For this weeks blog post to start off Black History Month I decided to do the evolution of black actors in films. In earlier films black actors are mostly given roles as someone who works for the white protagonists or very small other minor roles. One of the most notable moments in film, of this example, would be Gone With the Wind with Hattie McDaniel where she won her an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, and was the first African American actress to win an Academy Award. There is so many black actors that made history regardless of how the black entertainment industry was treated. Here are some of the many amazing actors that made history within film and for the world.

Inspiration: Here is the article I found for this information.

• Cicely Tyson- The first Black person to star in a prime-time drama in the ’60s, Tyson has made history numerous times with her acting performances and her ability to break records and pave the way for Black women in entertainment. In 2018, she also became the first Black actress to receive an honorary Academy Award, and was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2020.

• Angela Bassett- She is well known for her role portraying Tina Turner in the emotional classic “What’s Love Got to Do With It.” Since then, she’s appeared and starred in countless films representing Black culture, such as “Waiting to Exhale” and “Black Panther.” Bassett has also portrayed some of the most iconic women in history, including Rosa Parks, Katherine Jackson, Coretta Scott King, and Betty Shabazz.

• Sidney Poitier- One of the most prominent names to have paved the way for all Black actors in Hollywood, he has been continually honored for his endeavors throughout his career as an actor, director, and author. Known as the Godfather to Black Hollywood, Poitier broke color barriers in the United States and became the first Black actor to win an Academy Award for best actor in “Lilies of the Field” in 1964.

• Chadwick Boseman- Of course I had to put the amazing Chadwick Boseman on this list. He did a lot for Black history with his dynamic portrayals of African American figures throughout his tragically short acting career. He has portrayed historical figures such as Jackie Robinson in “42,” James Brown in “Get Up,” and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in “Marshall.” Boseman became a household name when he starred as the Black Panther as a part of the Marvel Universe, in the film “Black Panther,” which became the ninth-highest-grossing film of all time at $1.3 billion. In August 2020, on the day Major League Baseball was celebrating Jackie Robinson Day, and unfortunately Boseman died of cancer at 43.

• Ethel Waters- began her career in the 1920s, singing the blues in the midst of the Great Migration. She became the first Black woman to integrate into Broadway and was well known to play by her own rules. Waters was the first Black person to star in her own television series, “The Ethel Waters Show” on NBC in 1939, and the first to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy in 1962 for her appearance on “Route 66.” Three of the songs she recorded in her singing career—”Dinah,” “Stormy Weather,” and “Am I Blue?”—are in the Grammy Hall of Fame.

• Will Smith- started as rapper The Fresh Prince in 1985, starred in his own television show “The Fresh Prince of Bel-air,” and has appeared in blockbuster films for the past 25 years. “The most bankable star worldwide,” according to Forbes, Smith is the only actor to have eight consecutive films gross over $100 million at the box office. He received Oscar nominations for best actor for his role as Muhammad Ali in “Ali” in 2001, and as a stockbroker in “The Pursuit of Happyness” in 2006. He also has shown relevance to today’s culture as a contributor to YouTube and TikTok.

I mostly put black women on this list since I think it was the most difficult for women in the entertainment industry. I wish there was more films with more interracial casts and not still only mostly white cast. There is progress being made still and as the years go by more and more interictal casts are more prominent than it was before when films really started. I also found another article about the separation and uniqueness of how films used to be; https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/18/movies/hollywood-separate-and-unequal.html

Brainstorming/Experimentation: Looking at these amazing actors and what they've accomplished have definitely inspired me. Whenever I create films I want to include everyone that I can. The thing that I find about old films and even films today is that a majority of people are picked due to looks and not necessary talent. I would make sure to pick talented people and not by the way of how attractive they are or not. I wanted to create this blog post because I love to see how we've evolved, especially in film. Its really incredible to see what these actors have done and so many other black creators. This month especially is a great time to show appreciation for the black community and by helping and saying how grateful you are for black creators can really make this month better.

Reflection: Overall I thought it was amazing to look at black actresses and seeing how far more films are more relaxed and welcome to all people to work and help in the entertainment industry. All of these actors and more have made history and contributed to help the black entertainment industry to rise and help more actors in the world. This month is the month to acknowledge these amazing people and everyone in the black community. I am excited to see these black creatures in films and more people acknowledging how we are evolving and helping to make the world better. I think that films with black creators and actors really helps to show history that people don't acknowledge as much or haven't heard about as much.

Work Log: Editing the film