• Celebrity
    • Of The Essence
    • Celebrity News
    • If Not For My Girls
    • The State Of R&B
    • Time Of Essence
  • Fashion
    • 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • Red Carpet
    • Fashion News
    • Accessories
  • Beauty
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • 2023 Best In Black Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Hair
  • Lifestyle
    • Love
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Bridal Bliss
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
  • Entrepreneurship
    • Money & Career
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Shopping
  • Video
  • Events
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK CULTURE, COMMUNITY AND CONSCIOUSNESS MEET

Sign up for ESSENCE Newsletters the keep the Black women at the forefront of conversation.

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
Select the newsletters you'd like to receive:
Please select at least one option.
By clicking Subscribe Now, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Of The Essence
    • Celebrity News
    • If Not For My Girls
    • The State Of R&B
    • Time Of Essence
  • Fashion
    • 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • Red Carpet
    • Fashion News
    • Accessories
  • Beauty
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • 2023 Best In Black Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Hair
      • Hair News
      • Natural
      • Relaxed
      • Transitioning
      • Weave
      • 4C
  • Lifestyle
    • Love
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Bridal Bliss
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
  • Entrepreneurship
    • Money & Career
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Shopping
  • Video
  • Events
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · News

Mary J. Blige Makes History With Her 2018 Oscar Nominations

Mary J. Blige Makes History With Her 2018 Oscar Nominations
Dennis Leupold
By Danielle Kwateng-Clark · Updated October 24, 2020

Mary J. Blige’s compelling performance as Florence Jackson in Mudbound has officially earned her an Oscar nomination.

Announced on Tuesday morning, Blige received nominations in the Actress in a Supporting Role and Original Song categories for her contributions to the Dee Ree’s film. This is Blige’s first nomination and also makes history in two ways — in addition to being the first Oscar-nominated Actress in a Supporting Role in a film directed by a woman of color (Rees), Blige is also the first person ever to be nominated for a performance and original song in the same year —for the same film.

And her fans couldn’t be more excited.

If Mary J Blige wins an Oscar, I'm wylin' in the streets. I love her so much.

— Quinta (@quintabrunson) January 23, 2018

A moooooooood! Go Mary! Go Mary! https://t.co/ldmwqjUQzC

— Reagan Gomez (@ReaganGomez) January 23, 2018

Two-time Oscar nominee Mary J. Blige

— Richard Lawson (@rilaws) January 23, 2018

Auntie Twitter celebrating Mary pic.twitter.com/GiCoHFjNgJ

— Derrique Evangelista (@ParadiseLAust) January 23, 2018

“Ok, a little more drama.” - Mary j. Blige

— Imani Gandy o—€ (@AngryBlackLady) January 23, 2018

I see Saturn in #Capricorn working to #Capricorn Mary J's favor. It's always a good thing when your planetary ruler is home in your sign.

— Astrology by Mecca (@TheMeccanism) January 23, 2018

Blige’s role in Mudbound also earned her Screen Actors Guild, Golden Globe and Critic’s Choice nominations. On Jan. 11 —her birthday— Blige was presented with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the recording category.

“Shedding Mary J. Blige for Florence gave Mary J. Blige some confidence… like a lot of it,” Blige told ESSENCE. “[On set] I could hear people whispering, ‘She’s so beautiful.’ And I was like, ‘Who the hell are they talking about?'”

“I had just come back from performing on the Bad Boy Family Reunion tour with all the nails and the wigs, and I wasn’t trying to depart from that,” she admitted. “So when it came time to get into character, I was like, ‘Can I wear a lace-front wig? Can I get some lashes?'”

The nine-time Grammy award winner has been in the entertainment business for over 20 years. Blige has put out 13 albums and has amassed fans globally.

“If I didn’t let go and give into the character, the movie probably wouldn’t be what it is right now. It was the one thing that needed to be done, and I couldn’t let Dee down.”

TOPICS:  Mary J. Blige
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now