Black women in Hollywood were the epitome of #BlackGirlMagic this year, making major history moves. Here are a few of our favorite women in Tinsel Town who accomplished massive firsts for the history books.
Lena Waithe is the first black woman to win an Emmy for writing in a comedy series and she’s also repping for the LGBTQIA community.
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Davis is the first Black actress to score three Oscar nods. She won Best Supporting Actress for Fences.
Most wouldn’t consider Cardi B an actress, but with the year she had it’s most likely in the cards. She did have a guest spot on Being Mary Jane earlier in the year, but it’s her music that’s really making waves. Her hit single, “Bodak Yellow,” made it to the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100, making her the first female rapper to accomplish this feat in nearly 20 years.
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Ross’ Golden Globe win for Best Actress in a TV comedy for Black-ish is the first time an African-American woman picked up the award since Debbie Allen in 1983.
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Haddish is the first black female comedienne to host Saturday Night Live.
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We had to recognize all the women involved in making Girls Trip. The film, released in July, went above and beyond everyone’s expectations. The movie made history by being the first with an all-black creative team in front of and behind the camera to earn $100 million at the box office. Tracy Oliver is one of the screenwriters and of course, the film starred Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah, Tiffany Haddish and Regina Hall.
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Martin-Green devastated The Walking Dead fans when her character, Sasha, kicked the bucket. However, she moved on to new horizons as the First Black female lead of Star Trek.
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Duvernay gets props as the first black woman to direct a movie with a $100 million budget. That movie is Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time.
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Thompson defied odds when she was cast as Valkyrie, a traditionally white character, in Thor: Ragnarok. And, according to Thompson, Valkyrie is bisexual, which also makes her the first openly queer character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Shonda Rhimes made television history once again as the third black woman to be inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. She’s definitely having a good year. Let’s not forget about that Netflix deal.
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