Oscars 2017: Mahershala Ali, Viola Davis step forward for Hollywood diversity

There had been controversy over "Oscars So White" every year. Though Denzel Washington and Halle Berry won the best actor and actress Oscars in 2002, this was considered as unusual and exceptional.

African American actor and actress have won this year’s Oscars, which is the first time since the Academy Awards ceremony in 1989. Mahershala Ali, an African-American Muslim actor, won an Oscar for supporting actor for his role in Moonlight in the 89th Academy Award ceremony, and Viola Davis won the best supporting actress Oscar for “Fences.”

Ali is the eighth Oscar winner as an African-American actor. The Academy had given to only seven African-American actors for 53 years since Sydney Poitier won the best actor Oscar for the first time in 1964.

Davis had been nominated in the Academy three times, the most nominated African-American actress. Though she won a best supporting actress Oscar this year, only seven African-American actresses including Davis were nominated by the Academy. The best supporting actor and actress awards have been given to African-American winners this year, while the best actor and actress awards have been granted to white actor and actress.

Ji-Hoon Lee easyhoon@donga.com