When the nominees for the 78th Annual Oscars were announced Tuesday, Jan, 31, Terrance Howard was the only African-American actor that received a nomination.
Terrence Howard was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role for “Hustle N’ Flow,” a street drama about a Memphis pimp named DJay who becomes a successful rapper overnight.
“Crash,” the race-relations drama, that starred Terence Howard, Don Cheadle, Loretta Devine, Nona Gaye, Thandie Newton, Larenz Tate and rapper turned actor Ludacris,
was nominated for Best Picture. However, Matt Dillon was the only person in the movie that received a nomination of Best Supporting Actor.
Actor Anthony Anderson and actresses Taraji P. Henson, and Elise Neal also missed nominations for their roles in “Hustle & Flow.”
“I think that Don Cheadle and Ludacris from ‘Crash’ should have been nominated,” said Julbert Abraham from Cheyney University. “Besides Terrence Howard, I feel that there should’ve been other black actors.”
“I believe ‘Crash’ should be nominated whether it be Don Cheadle or Larenz Tate or even Ludacris,” said Sheka Arrington from Howard University. “They all did excellent jobs in that movie.”
Arrington also said, “I do not agree with Terrence Howard being nominated, and by no means should he win. I believe that African-Americans are equally capable of performing Oscar worthy performances, but that was not one of them.”
Outside of actors, members from the rap group, Three Six Mafia, were excited to be nominated for the Best Original Song, “Hard out Here for a Pimp,” which was featured in the movie “Hustle & Flow.”
According to allhiphop.com, DJ Paul of Three Six Mafia said: "We [are] just happy as hell, we knew they said it might be nominated, but we didn’t think it would be. It’s good to find out its true."
In 2005, Jamie Foxx took home the Oscar for Best Actor in the movie, “Ray,” and Morgan Freeman won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for “Million Dollar Baby.” That year, Don Cheadle and Sophie Okonedo were nominated for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress for Hotel Rwanda.” Jamie Foxx was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor in “Collateral.”
