The 1990s were a transformative era for film and television, and African American actresses played a crucial role in shaping the landscape of entertainment. Their talent, versatility, and captivating performances left an indelible mark on audiences worldwide. This article celebrates some of the most iconic Black actresses who defined the 90s with their remarkable contributions.
You’ve seen them in action and are left wanting more - there’s no denying the impact Black actresses from the 90s had on the iconic era in film and television.
Top 10 Iconic Black Actresses of the 90s
Here's a list of the top 10 iconic Black actresses that 90s-era film and television brought us.
- Angela Bassett
- Jada Pinkett Smith
- Jenifer Lewis
- Regina King
- Queen Latifah
- Whoopi Goldberg
- Nia Long
- Vivica A. Fox
- Vanessa Williams
- Halle Berry
Let’s take a look at some of the actresses from the list above in more detail.
Angela Bassett
Captivating, gifted, and sensational, Angela Bassett's presence has been felt in theaters and on stages and television screens throughout the world. Out of the many Black actresses that the 90s brought us, one of the most iconic is Angela Bassett. Bassett is known for her portrayals of strong, resilient, and endearing Black women. Her commitment to showing authentic and unfiltered Black women and their rich, engaging lives has more than earned her a spot on our list!
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Angela Evelyn Bassett was born on August 16, 1958 in New York City, to Betty Jane (Gilbert), a social worker, and Daniel Benjamin Bassett, a preacher's son. Bassett and her sister D'nette grew up in St. Petersburg, Florida with their mother. As a single mother, Betty stressed the importance of education for her children. With the assistance of an academic scholarship, Bassett matriculated into Yale University. In 1980, she received her B.A. in African-American studies from Yale University. In 1983, she earned a Master of Fine Arts Degree from the Yale School of Drama. It was at Yale that Bassett met her husband, Courtney B. Vance, a 1986 graduate of the Drama School.
Bassett first appeared in small roles on The Cosby Show (1984) and Spenser: For Hire (1985), but it was not until 1990 that a spate of television roles brought her notice. Her breakthrough role, though, was playing Tina Turner, whom she had never seen perform before taking the role, in What's Love Got to Do with It (1993). Bassett's performance earned her an Academy Award nomination and a Golded Globe Award for Best Actress.
Bassett is known for her iconic role as Betty Shabazz in Malcolm X and her uncanny Tina Turner in What’s Love Got to Do With It.
Angela Bassett as Tina Turner (1993)What's Love Got To Do With It
Halle Berry
No list of each iconic Black actress 90s film and television brought us is complete without mentioning Halle Berry and her many contributions to the industry. Halle Maria Berry was born Maria Halle Berry on August 14, 1966 in Cleveland, Ohio and raised in Oakwood, Ohio to Judith Ann Berry (née Hawkins), a psychiatric nurse & Jerome Jesse Berry, a hospital attendant. Her father was African-American and her mother is of mostly English and German descent.
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After participating in the pageant, Halle became a model. It eventually led to her first weekly TV series, 1989's Living Dolls (1989), where she soon gained a reputation for her on-set tenacity, preferring to "live" her roles and remaining in character even when the cameras stopped rolling. It paid off though when she reportedly refused to bathe for several days before starting work on her role as a crack addict in Spike Lee's Jungle Fever (1991) because the role provided her big screen breakthrough. The following year, she was cast as Eddie Murphy's love interest in Boomerang (1992), one of the few times that Murphy was evenly matched on screen. In 1994, Berry gained a youthful following for her performance as sexy secretary "Sharon Stone" in The Flintstones (1994). She next had a highly publicized starring role with Jessica Lange in the adoption drama Losing Isaiah (1995). Though the movie received mixed reviews, Berry didn't let that slow her down, and continued down her path to super-stardom.
In 1998, she received critical success when she starred as a street smart young woman who takes up with a struggling politician in Warren Beatty's Bulworth (1998). The following year, she won even greater acclaim for her role as actress Dorothy Dandridge in made-for-cable's Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (1999), for which she won a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a TV Movie/Mini-Series. In 2000, she received box office success in X-Men (2000) in which she played "Storm", a mutant who has the ability to control the weather. In 2001, she starred in the thriller Swordfish (2001), and became the first African-American to win Best Actress at the Academy Awards, for her role as a grieving mother in the drama Monster's Ball (2001).
Jenifer Lewis
Another trailblazer as a Black actress 90s performer is Jenifer Lewis, known for an expansive career with over 300 appearances in film and television under her belt. Dubbed a "national treasure" by TV Guide.com, Jenifer stars on the hit show Black-ish (ABC), where her hilarious portrayal of "Ruby Johnson" earned her a nomination for the 2016 Critics Choice Award.
After a fulfilling career on Broadway, Lewis migrated to film and television, where she made her mark on viewers in the 90s through her portrayals of complex and compelling Black women. Jenifer's most recent movies include The Wedding Ringer, Think Like A Man, Think Like A Man Too and Baggage Claim. She delivered legendary performances as Tina Turner's mother in What's Love Got to Do With It and in The Preacher's Wife as the mother of Whitney Houston's character. Jenifer starred opposite Matt Damon in Clint Eastwood's Hereafter and for director Tyler Perry, Jenifer created unforgettable characters in Madea's Family Reunion and Meet the Browns. In animated films, Jenifer's uniquely recognizable voice is adored by Disney fans worldwide in roles such as "Flo" in Cars and Cars 2 and as "Mama Odie" in The Princess and the Frog.
Jenifer's TV roles have ranged from regular appearances as "Aunt Helen" on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to guest star roles on Friends, Boston Legal and Girlfriends. For six seasons, Jenifer portrayed "Lana Hawkins" on Lifetime's hit series Strong Medicine.
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Although best known for her Hollywood success, Jenifer has enjoyed a wide-ranging and varied career in music and theater. Jenifer has performed in four Broadway shows, including Hairspray in the role of "Motormouth Mable." In 2014, she received an electrifying standing ovation at Carnegie Hall when she sang with the New York Pops orchestra. All told, Jenifer has presented more than 200 concerts, performing in 49 states and on four continents.
Nia Long
We can’t overlook Nia Long’s contributions to the industry when discussing the most notable Black actresses from the 90s who defined this era. Stunning pop culture icon, Hollywood leading lady and three-time NAACP award winner Nia Long returns to the big screen this fall in the highly anticipated Universal Pictures sequel The Best Man Holiday (in theaters November 15th) where she reunites with original castmates Taye Diggs ("Private Practice"), Terrence Howard (Hustle & flow), Morris Chestnut (The brothers) and Harold Perrineau ("Lost").
Known for roles like Boyz n the Hood, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Friday (1995), Soul Food (1997), and Love Jones (1997), Long has made an incredible impact on the industry by portraying some of the most interesting and complicated Black female characters that the 90s produced. Long made her film debut in the poignant film portraying the social problems in inner-city Los Angeles, Boyz n the hood , and continued on to star in Friday, alongside Ice Cube and Chris Tucker, as well as Love Jones, which won the prestigious Audience Award at Sundance. Other notable film roles include Soul Food, Alfie opposite Jude Law, The Best man, Are We There Yet?, Big Momma's House 1 & 2 opposite Martin Lawrence, Stigmata, the Broken Hearts Club and Made in America.
On the small screen, Long's portrayal of "Officer Sasha Monroe" on NBC's hit crime drama "Third Watch" awarded her two NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Actress in a Drama series. Long's other TV accomplishments include "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," "Boston Legal," "Judging Amy," and "Big Shots." Long also voiced "Roberta" in the first season of the Fox hit "the Cleveland Show."
In addition to her film and TV work, Long's passion lies in serving her community. With her family roots planted in Trinidad, Grenada, and Barbados, Long's long term goals are to connect women in the US to those of the islands and to mentor young girls to regain their self-esteem. Additionally, Long lends her support to Black Girls Rock, an organization that promotes the arts for young women of color and encourages dialogue on the ways women of color are portrayed in the media. In 2012 she was named an official surrogate to the Barack Obama reelection campaign.
Vivica A. Fox
With an exciting career in both acting and producing, Vivica A. Fox contributed to some of the most iconic Black films that the 90s offered. Her star power only grew in the 2000s and 2010s, when she starred in several films and series and continued making a name for herself as a trailblazer for Black women in film and television.
Vivica was born in South Bend, Indiana to Everlyena Fox, a private school administrator. She is of African-American descent and is proud of her heritage. After graduating, moved to California to attend college. She graduated from Golden West College with an Associate of Arts degree in Social Sciences. Out All Night (1992). Set It Off (1996). her MTV Movie Award and NAACP Image Award nominations. Lillian Price". Teaching Mrs. and Kill Bill: Vol. the baby. Lifetime Television Network. and stayed until she was voted off in the fourth week. A. later divorced in June 2002. 50 Cent, however this was a brief relationship.
Vanessa Williams
Known for being the first Black Miss America winner in 1984, Vanessa Williams has surpassed that title to embark on a thrilling acting career. Her career gained significant traction in the 90s when she starred in numerous roles, like a guest appearance in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and leading roles in Hoodlum (1997) and Soul Food.
Vanessa Lynne Williams was born on March 18, 1963 in Tarrytown, Greenburgh, New York and raised in Millwood, New Castle, New York to Helen Williams & Milton Williams, both music teachers. grew up in suburban New York in comfortable surroundings. with a promise to "see you on Broadway". it in New York show business. African-American Miss America. magazine. victories, she was forced to resign her crown. Soul Food (1997). future in show business was over. Samuel L. "Somebody Like You"). 1970's. becoming a box-office sensation. Jones", at the Kennedy Center and starred in the Encore! concert production of "St. of Fame for her accomplishments as a performer. organizations as Special Olympics and many others.
Additional Notable Actresses
Here is a list of additional African American actresses who made significant contributions to film and television during their careers:
- Ruby Dee
- Diahann Carroll
- Lynn Whitfield
- Sanaa Lathan
- Loretta Devine
- Viola Davis
- Brandy Norwood
- Grace Jones
To be included in this list, the person must have a Wikipedia article and/or references showing the person is African American and a notable actor.
Here is a table of some of the deceased African American actresses:
| Name | Notable Work | Year of Death |
|---|---|---|
| Aaliyah | Singer, Actress | 2001 |
| Ruby Dee | A Raisin in the Sun, Do the Right Thing | 2014 |
| Diahann Carroll | Claudine, Dynasty | 2019 |
| Natalie Desselle-Reid | B*A*P*S, Eve | 2020 |
| Cicely Tyson | Sounder, The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman | 2021 |
| Suzzanne Douglas | How Stella Got Her Groove Back, The Parent 'Hood | 2021 |
| Denise Dowse | Coach Carter, Insecure | 2022 |
| Mary Alice | Sparkle, A Different World | 2022 |
These are just a few of the many talented African American actresses who have made significant contributions to the entertainment industry. Their work has paved the way for future generations of Black actors and actresses, and their legacy will continue to inspire for years to come.
