Though Wakanda Forever's Angela Bassett missed on supporting actress, Ruth E. Carter won for the costume design of the film, four years after becoming the first Black designer to win an Oscar, for “Black Panther.”
Carter's second Oscar makes her the first Black woman to win two Oscars.
“Thank you to the Academy for recognizing the superhero that is a Black woman,” said Carter. “She endures, she loves, she overcomes, she is every woman in this film.”
She dedicated the award to Mabel Carter, her mother, who she said died this past week at age 101.
“This film prepared me for this moment,” she said. “Chadwick, please take care of Mom” — referring to Chadwick Boseman, the beloved late star of the original film.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame recipient told reporters she endured in the face of adversity and she hopes to inspire young costume designers.
Carter graduated from Hampton University in 1982. She previously told the Office of University Relations that her time at Hampton University had a strong impact on her professional career.
“I credit my experiences in the Little Theatre on campus as the catalyst for my career in Hollywood," said Carter. "My dream began in the costume shop on the second floor of Armstrong Hall and took me to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Hampton University Repertory Theatre can provide that same inspiration for students who want to pursue a career in the arts, TV, and film industries. I’ve also established an endowed scholarship to assist students with financial aid to help make their dreams come true."
Contributors: Margie Szaroleta, Jocelyn Noveck, Jonathan Landrum Jr., Lindsey Bahr
