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Monday, February 27, 2012

Viola Davis Was Robbed But She Will Win an Oscar One Day

All day I have been hearing how Viola Davis was robbed  for her Best Actress role in the "The Help" , when Meryl Streep swooped in and won for her role in "The Iron Lady."

Well, to be honest, Davis was robbed.

It had to be tough for Davis, who won basically won every award leading up the Oscars and to lose, (imagine how Glenn Close feels after being nomianted six times?)

But as I noted my predictions last week, I think that some of the Oscar voters suddenly realized that Meryl Street hasn't won an Oscar since Sophie's Choice in 1983.

In recent years, Streep has had a re-emergence as one of the top female actors in Hollywood.

In fact, Streep could have possibly won several Oscars for her work in "Mamma"  Mia, "Doubt", "Julia & Julia" and especially "The Devil Wears Prada," where should have garnered her third Oscar.

But the Oscar voters being the pretentious voters they are, made Streep wait.

So they finally awarded Streep her third Oscar for a role that most critics will say was very good but not her greatest work.

For Viola Davis, her day will come sooner rather than later.

What's been lost in Davis' march to the Oscars was that this was the second time she earned an Oscar nomination, (Davis earned a supporting nod for her role in the film "Doubt" with Streep.)  That's rarity for a black actress in Hollywood, especially since its so hard to find a good role for African Americans in general(Whoopi Goldberg is the only multiple Oscar nominee for black actresses) .

My thinking is that the Oscar voters felt that Davis is so talented that she will have another shot for an Oscar.

As flawed as this thinking is (Angela Bassett never got an  Oscar shot after "What's Love Got To Do With it" the same goes for Alfre Woodward), this scenario happened to both Al Pacino and Denzil Washington.

Pacino was probably crushed when didn't win for "Serpico", "Dogs Day Afternoon and "Godfather" films, while Washington probably felt the same pain when he lost for "The Hurricane"  and "Malcolm X").

Yet, when they both won Oscars for roles that were good, but not their greatest work (Washington for "Training Day" and Pacino for "Scent of Woman," (which bested Washington's Malcolm X)).

As bias as Hollywood when it comes to minority roles, Viola Davis talent is too great not to get another shot to win.

Personally, I would rather see her win an Academy Award for role where she is not playing a maid ("The Help") or an urban mom ("Doubt"). 

I know these roles are and has been part of lives of African American women, but wouldn't it be great if she won an Oscar for playing women like Maya Angelou, Zora Neale Hurston, Myrlie Evers Williams Madame C.J. Walker, Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama and/or  role fictional multi-layred woman of substance that breaks the mold of the maid or the urban mom.

Viola Davis will win her Oscar and when she does it will create a new path for African American actresses for years to come and become the Meryl Streep for her generation.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't have a problem with Viola playing a maid. I do have a problem with them giving out make-up Oscars. Meryl Streep has 2 Oscars. This wasn't a Susan Lucci moment. Viola deserved better.

Anonymous said...

Meryl Streep won the oscar because she was simply better and has been for 30 years.

Anonymous said...

VIOLA WAS ROBBED............YOU KNOW THEY DON"T BELIEVE IN HANDING OUT THAT TROPHY TO EVER BLACK PERSON,IT'S HARD FOR A BLACK PERSON TO EVEN GET NOMINATED FOR THAT RACIST AWARDS CEREMONY!

WE ALL KNOW THATS THE TRUHT.