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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, March 25, 2002

Berry, Washington big winners

 •  And the winners are...

By Jack Garner
Gannett News Service

A stunned and very emotional Halle Berry wept as she made movie history last night by becoming the first black woman to win an Academy Award for best actress for her role as a grieving widow and mother in "Monster's Ball."

Halle Berry, left, won best actress for her performance as the widow of an executed prisoner in "Monster's Ball." Denzel Washington, right, became the first black man to win best actor since Sidney Poitier in 1963.

Associated Press

"This moment is so much bigger than me," Berry said as she trembled, tears streaming down her face.

"This moment is for Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne and Diahann Carroll," she said. "It's for every woman who stands beside me now ... it's for every nameless, faceless woman of color who now has a chance because this door tonight has been opened."

Denzel Washington later became the first black actor to win an Oscar for best actor since Sidney Poitier's 1963 win for "Lilies of the Field."

"Two birds in one night," Washington said as he accepted the gold statue for his against-type role as a corrupt cop in "Training Day."

"God is good. God is great. "Forty years I've been chasing Sidney, and they finally give it to me on the night when they give him another one," Washington said, referring to Poitier's acceptance of an honorary Oscar. "I'll always be chasing you, Sidney."

Hattie McDaniel was the first black person to win an Oscar when she won best supporting actress for 1939's "Gone With the Wind."

"A Beautiful Mind" took home the night's top honor — as best picture of the year — overcoming controversy late in the Oscar campaign when gossip and innuendo challenged the character of the film's central figure.

In all, the film won four Oscars, tying "Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" among the night's big winners.

Best directing honors went to Ron Howard, former child star turned director, for his astute work on "A Beautiful Mind." It was the first Oscar for the man who grew up before all America as TV's Opie on "The Andy Griffith Show."

"I'm grateful," Howard said. "I'm grateful for an entire lifetime spent in this creative process. Before my mom passed away 18 months ago, she predicted I'd win on this film. But then, she made that prediction on every film I directed since 1983. I guess that tells you something about my mom."

It was a night when Oscar generously cast its glitter on several films — nearly all the major contenders won in some category or the other. It was not a night for a sweep.

Of the major nominees, only the stark and painful "In the Bedroom" failed to win any awards.

Jennifer Connelly took home the first acting Oscar, as best supporting actress, for her performance as the wife of brilliant mathematician John Forbes Nash Jr. in "A Beautiful Mind."

Reading somewhat nervously from a note, she paid credit to her real-life character.

"I believe in love," she said. "There's nothing more important. Alicia Nash is a champion of love."

Akiva Goldsman also won for his adapted script for "A Beautiful Mind" and credited director Howard as "the soul of the film."

The other screenwriting award — for an original script — went to Julian Fellowes for his clever British mystery, "Gosford Park."

Jim Broadbent pulled a mild upset over such expected favorites as Ben Kingsley, Ian McKellen and Jon Voight in the best supporting actor category, taking home the gold for his portrait as Iris Murdoch's ever-faithful husband in the small, art-house biography "Iris."

The actor ended his restrained acceptance speech with a rousing, "Good luck, Moulin Rouge," a film in which he also performed.

"Shrek" made history by winning the Academy's first Oscar for best animated film — and Shrek and his donkey friend were depicted celebrating in the audience.

"Monsters, Inc." took home an award when composer Randy Newman won for best song for "If I didn't Have You." It was a popular honor — triggering a standing ovation — because it was the first Oscar for the veteran Newman after 16 nominations.

"I don't want your pity," Newman said, jokingly. But he seemed shocked to win in a category that also included Sting and Paul McCartney.

"No Man's Land," the powerful anti-war satire from Bosnia, beat the popular "Amelie" from France and three other films in the best foreign language picture category.

But most of the night's awards for technical and visual achievements went to three big films.

"The Lord of the Rings," based on J.R.R. Tolkien's classic tale of Middle Earth hobbits and wizards, was honored for its cinematography, rich score, makeup and visual effects.

"Moulin Rouge," Baz Luhr-mann's colorful musical set in a delightfully decadent nightclub in Paris, won for its wildly diverse costumes and elaborate art direction.

And Ridley Scott's explosive war film, "Black Hawk Down," won for editing and sound.

Meanwhile, even the beleaguered "Pearl Harbor" eked out an Oscar victory, taking home gold in the rather obscure category of sound editing.

Hollywood also paid tribute to the tragedy of Sept. 11, especially with a beautifully conceived montage of films shot in New York City.