Volume 18 No 18 April 2002
Science & Technology

74th
Making of History
"A Beautiful Mind" may have won the best picture award, but the whole town is talking about two other victories and how Oscar history was made in a matter of minutes.
For the first time in Oscar's 74 years, two black performers walked off with awards on Sunday for best actor and best actress: Denzel Washington for "Training Day" and Halle Berry for "Monster's Ball." The victories, accompanied by a powerful, emotion-filled speech by Berry, brought the Oscar audience of industry movers and shakers at the Kodak Theater to their feet. With tears streaming down her face and gasping for breath, Berry dedicated her award to all the African-American women who had struggled before her to make their way in Hollywood. "This moment is so much bigger than me. It's for every nameless, faceless woman of colour that now has a chance because this door tonight has been opened", she said. "I am so honoured, I'm so honoured and I thank the Academy for choosing me to be the vessel from which this blessing might flow," When asked backstage if Hollywood was colourblind, Berry said, "I hope this means they won't see our colour. That's what makes us so unique… I just hope we be judged on our work, and not our skin." Washington, who earned the best actor Oscar playing a corrupt cop in "Training Day," added backstage, "There's been a lot of talk about race… this is an award to an actor."
The other big winner at 74th Annual Academy Awards was "A Beautiful Mind", which earned four Oscars for best adapted screenplay for Akiva Goldsman, best supporting actress for Jennifer Connelly, best director for Ron Howard and the night's top honour, best motion picture.
But this Oscar ceremony will be one that goes down in the history books as a breakthrough for black actors because of Berry's and Washington's victories. The awards to Washington and Berry shattered a glass ceiling in an industry where blacks often get short shrift and few dramatic Oscar-eligible roles.
Washington was only the second black man to claim the best actor Oscar. Sidney Poitier was the first with 1963's "Lilies of the Field." Poitier was on hand to accept an honorary Oscar for his more than 50 years in the movies, and he sought to downplay the notion of a "breakthrough."
"To speak of Hollywood as if there has not been change is unfair. You can question the pace of it. You can question how long it will last. But you ought to…take note of the fact there has been change."
Still, the night was easily and winningly stolen by Berry, who took a big risk in her role as a down-and-out waitress who falls in love with a white racist in "Monster's Ball." Berry, 33, dedicated her award to all the African-American women who had struggled before her to make their way in Hollywood. She mentioned her heroine Dorothy Dandridge, the first and, until Berry, the only black woman to be nominated for a best actress award. Berry had won an Emmy for a television film based on her life.
Washington, 47, was a sentimental favourite, having lost two years ago
for "The Hurricane," and for other past performances, such as his portrayal of slain Black Muslim leader Malcolm X. In his acceptance speech, Washington looked to where Poitier was sitting and said, "I'll always be chasing you Sidney. I'll always be following in your footsteps."
While the symbolism of Berry's and Washington's victory will certainly win headlines, Oscar, of course had other awards and favourite sons to honour. And while some rules were broken Oscar night, others remained intact.

Howard was one of the night's sentimental favourites. He gained early stardom playing Opie Taylor on the 1960s. TV comedy "The Andy Griffith Show" and affable teen-ager Richie Cunningham a decade later on "Happy Days."

Howard thanked the real life subject of "Beautiful Mind," Nobel Prize winner John Nash, who was in the audience with his wife, Alicia, "for sharing your important story with us." But the director made no mention of the negative campaign waged against the film in recent weeks. Allegations had surfaced that he and partner Brain Grazer, had omitted aspects of

Nash's life they found too unsavory to depict on screen. The film had been mired in controversy over its failure to include references to Nash's alleged homosexuality and past anti-Semitic comments. Nash denied he was homosexual and said the anti-Semitic remarks were made when he was severely ill.
Highlights
When singer Rufus Wainwright saw where he was sitting for dinner at the Elton John Aids Foundation Oscar party he thought he'd been banished to a bad table. "We sat down and nobody was there", he said, "Then Bob Dylan sat down." The two, both smokers, quickly drew the attention of security in the trendy but smoke-free Moomba's restaurant. "We made a pact to light up and then we were whisked away," Wainwright said. The pair ended up in an enclosed private smoking area. The highlight of the party for John was watching Ryan Adams talk with Dylan, who won an Oscar last year for best song. "It was sweet seeing the old and the new together," he.
Halle Berry wasn't the only one to break down in tears during her Oscar acceptance speech. Oprah Winfrey, who was watching the Academy Awards ceremony from the Vanity Fair party at Morton's restaurant, stood and placed her hand over her heart when Berry's name was announced for best actress. When the winner cited Winfrey as a role model, the talk-show host broke down and cried. She also received hugs of support from Diane Sawyer and Diana Ross. Two others cited by Berry, actress Angela Bassett and actor Warren Beatty were watching the speech from the Vanity Fair party. Bassett received hugs all around while people came up to slap Beatty on the back.
For retired supermodel Beverly Johnson, it was just as much work keeping up with this week's whirlwind of Oscar parties as it used to be getting ready for the runway. "All week I've been going to parties… This is just the first stop tonight," she said at Elton John's soiree. "I've been waxed, flaxed and pulled," Johnson said. "I forgot how difficult it is."
Actor Joe Pantoliano was openly cheering for writer-director Christopher Nolan for a best original screenplay Oscar for "Memento." Nolan lost out to Julian Fellowes, who won for "Gosford Park." "When we made this nobody wanted to buy it, nobody wanted to show it," said Pantoliano, one of the stars of the offbeat film about a man struggling with short term memory loss. "I think they thought the American public just wouldn't get it," Pantoliano said. "A hundred and fifty million dollars later, here we are." Pantoliano, who will be starring in the upcoming Marvel Comics movie "Daredevil," joked that he was taking lessons by talking with reporters at Elton John's Oscar party. He'll pay a journalist in the movie, and already he's developed his professional quirks. "I'm a pad and paper kind of guy," he said. "I don't like those little recorders."
The Back Street Boys Kevin Richardson reached out and touched someone. Richardson was handed a cell phone inside the Elton John AIDS Foundation party by Van Cleef and Arpel gemnologist Wael el Saadi and asked to say hello to el Saadi's cousins in Houston, Texas. He happily obliged. One of them, Ruba Afifi, said afterward she couldn't recall what she said to him. "I think I told him I loved him, like five times," the 16-year-old said by phone. Richardson told the girls he and the band will be going into the studio soon to work on a new album. He also told her he appreciated her comments. "I was like really freaked". Afifi said.