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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (March 26, 2003)
(Eije Jlartlanò Obstruer P age Ä 8 M a rc h 2 6 . 2 0 0 3 Focus OSCAR MOMENTS Minority Presence Low at Oscars Actress Queen Latifah celebrates her win as part of the ensemble cast o f “Chicago" at the Screen Actors Guild awards in Los Angeles on March 9. (AP photo) Actor Adrien Brody surprises presenter Halle Berry with a kiss after he won the Oscar for best actor for his work In The Pianist at the 75th annual Academy Awards Sunday in Los Angeles. (AP photo) (AP) — A year after two black nominees won the lead-acting prizes for the first time, white per formers swept in the best actor categories at Sunday’s Academy Awards. Just two minority nominees - Mexico native Salma Hayek for best actress in "Frida" and black performer Queen Latifah for supporting actress in “Chicago” - were considered serious contenders against the white front-runners (Nicole Kidman o f “The Hours” and Renee Zellweger o f “Chicago” for lead actress, and Catherine Zeta-Jones o f“Chi- cago” for supporting actress). Yet some find it encouraging that at least a couple nonwhite actors managed to score nomina tions from an academy whose early years were virtually devoid ofminority membershipand which even in the past decade has had years without a single nonwhite acting nominee. “I try to look at it as, last year was a big year and that meant a lot, and it may take a few years before we real ly see the fruits o f what happened last year. It doesn’t happen overnight,” said Halle Berry, Advertise in lik Portland Observer eall 503.388.0033 or email: adsirtjpoiilandobservcr.com who won the best-actress Oscar last year for “M onster’s Ball.” Last year, Denzel Washington won the best- actor prize for “Training Day,” and Will Smith o f “Ali” was also nominated in that category. The only other time three blacks were nominated in the lead categories was 1972. Paul Winfield was up for best actor for “Sounder,” and Cicely Tyson It You can (count) minority actors on your fingers without taking your shoes off. -three-tlme Oscar nominee Morgan Freeman Jk o f “Sounder” and Diana Ross o f “Lady Sings the Blues” competed for best actress. All three lost. Advocates ofgreater diversity in film were thrilled over Berry and Washington’s wins, considering only six black actors - or 2.2 percent o f the 278 winners - had received acting Oscars at the previ- ous 73 O scar shows. Critics complain that the 5,800-member acad emy remains disproportionately white. Others say the real problem is Hollywood at large, which offers too few Oscar-caliber films and roles for minorities. “You can (count) minority actors on your fin gers without taking your shoes off,” said three time O scar nominee Morgan Freeman. "So how can you expect to have one or two (minority nominees) in every mix? You ju st can’t.” Advocates say more minorities must follow the lead o f Washington, whose star power helped smooth the way for his directing debut, last year’s “Antwone Fisher,” based on the true story o f a troubled black sailor. “Until we get our own people writing screen plays for ourselves and getting money to produce our own films, it’ll just be, 'I f there happens to be a part they want to give us, fine,” ’ said Mayme Agnew Clayton, founder o f the African-American Cinema Society. “ Until then, w e’re just kind o f at the mercy o f Hollywood." Bosko VIP Lounge Party Bosko, one of the Northwest's most talented musicians, will showcase his skills on Thursday, March 27 with Cool Nutz, Maniac Lok, Brotha Luv, The Reparations and DJ Chill at The Red Sea, 318 S. IV. 3rd Ave. Bosko has produced songs for Tyrese, E-40, Limp Bizkit, Jimmy Cozier, Tupac and the Outlaws, Junior Mafia, The Luniz and many other groups. The show starts at 9 p.m. with $10 admission for those 21 and older. Will Smith decided not to make his fourth appear ance as an Oscar pre senter. R E N N IE H A R R IS * F A C IN G M E K K A War Keeps Smith From Oscars (A P) — Will Sm ith skipped the A cadem y A w ards in light o f the U .S.-led assault on Iraq. The “Men in Black” star, was scheduled to be a presen ter at S unday’s O scars. His publicist, Stan R osenfield, said he d id n ’t intend the w ithdraw al as a pro test o ver the m ilitary action. “N ot in any w ay, shape or //><’ fv h r \nntidl E B O N Y F A S H IO N F A I R CANNON'S nrc.H 7//.» ç SIMPLY, _ = = RIB EXPRESS = - LjpeetaciiUi/ (FORMERL YCHUCK HINTON'S) Sponsored by The Links, Inc. Benefit Of LINKS EDUCATIONAL/ SCHOLARSHIP FUND w h ite A P R IL 1 0 - 1 2 Portland, OR Friday, April 18, 2003 8 :00 p .m . On Stop Ricard Shop U15 NE Killingsworth 503 714 7435 Rtfltclloni Conto I loofcl 444 NE Klllingiworth m»ie<42 Tontoloyon Ooilpnon Salon 5401 NE Cullty 8tvd SM-714-0717 (I ih hides I yr. subs« riplion Io I-BONY or 6 month subs« riplion Io IHM u i ul.isliionl.or« «wo 8:00pm R eal H ickory S moked B ar -B-Q • Sandwiches • Salads • Chicken • Pork Ribs • Beef Ribs P o r tla n d s t a t e u n iv e r s ity HOURS: TICKETS: $12 Students with college ID and Seniors $24 Adult, i PSU Box Office (Inside Smith Center), S03-72S-3307 and all t t c l t a t m a a t a r Ticket Centers, 503-224-4400 Information and groups: 503.245.1600 Tickets A variable At: Mn. CP W l|i - THE VILLAOE VOICE Catering & Take-Out O ur S pecialty : lincoln hall, school of fine & performing arts Ticket Price: $ 3 5 .0 0 MS7S1 497S bird “HIP-HOP DANCE TO A HIGHER POW ER” T H U R S D A Y -S A T U R D A Y , Oregon Convention Center 707 NE Frtmont form ,” R osenfield said. “T h ere’s no agenda, th e re’s no speeches. He ju st did not feel personally com fortable in going because o f the w orld situation.” A best-actor nom inee a year ago for “A li,” Sm ith, 34, would have been making his fourth ap pearance as a presenter at the O scars. Contact: 503-638-7139 503-245-5156 503-281-3446 CATERING EVENTS LARGE AND SMALL www.whitebird.org SPOPSOPfO SV -db PORTLANOANCHoom WHITE BIRD PSU DANCrSERIES I Mon.-Thurs. I lam-9pm Fri.-Sat. I lam-10pm Sun. 1 lam-8pm WEEK Fish Sandwich — $8°° Fish Dinner — $100Q FRIDAY SATURDAY * * * N iw L o catio n * * * 5410 N.E. 3 3 rd 503-288-3836 6