The Academy Awards had been around for quite some time by the time the 2005 ceremony came along. But that didn’t mean it had run out of milestones to set or records to break. That night at the Kodak Theatre, history was made. For the first—and so far, only—time in Oscar history, both the Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor trophies were won by Black men.
A Night of Firsts and Records
The 77th Academy Awards wasn’t just another Hollywood gala; it was a celebration of diversity and talent finally getting its due. Jamie Foxx walked into the night with two acting nominations—the first Black actor to achieve that distinction in the same year. He ended up taking home the Oscar for Best Actor for his unforgettable portrayal of Ray Charles in Ray, beating out notable performances, including Don Cheadle’s moving role in Hotel Rwanda.
But Foxx wasn’t the only one making waves. Earlier in the evening, Morgan Freeman finally clinched an Oscar after four previous nominations, winning Best Supporting Actor for his role in Million Dollar Baby. This made Freeman the oldest Black actor to win an Academy Award—he was 67 at the time.
Freeman’s Long-Awaited Victory
Freeman, a Hollywood legend with a voice that commands attention, accepted his Oscar from presenter Renée Zellweger. His speech was heartfelt but brief.
"I want to thank everybody and anybody who ever had anything at all to do with the making of this picture, but I especially want to thank Clint Eastwood for giving me the opportunity to work with him again and to work with Hilary Swank," Freeman said. "This was a labor of love. And I thank the Academy. I thank you so very much."
Freeman’s Oscar win was the result of his masterful performance as Eddie "Scrap-Iron" Dupris, a former boxer in Million Dollar Baby. The Clint Eastwood-directed film was a powerhouse, earning Hilary Swank the Best Actress trophy later that evening. But for Freeman, this moment was extra special—it was his first Oscar despite past nods for Street Smart, Driving Miss Daisy, and The Shawshank Redemption.
The Clint Eastwood Connection
It’s no secret that Freeman and Eastwood have a cinematic chemistry that works wonders. Million Dollar Baby wasn’t the first time they had worked together. They previously collaborated on Unforgiven (1992) and would reunite again for Invictus (2009), where Freeman played Nelson Mandela—a role that earned him his fifth Oscar nomination.
Freeman has always spoken highly of Eastwood. In an episode of Oprah’s Master Class, he praised the legendary filmmaker, saying, "I have worked with a number of directors, and my favorite of them all, I think the best of them all, certainly for me, is Clint Eastwood." He even recalled that when developing Invictus, he insisted, "I can only think of two people: Clint and Eastwood."
A Competitive Field
Freeman wasn’t up against just anyone—his fellow nominees were all accomplished actors in their own right. In fact, he was the only nominee in his category with prior Oscar nominations. Alan Alda, a multiple Emmy winner, was recognized for his role as Senator Ralph Owen Brewster in The Aviator, where he played a politician trying to hand an international travel monopoly to Pan Am.
Thomas Haden Church received a nomination for his role in Sideways as a groom-to-be embarking on a wine country adventure with his best friend. Jamie Foxx—already a history-maker that night—was also nominated in this category for his role as a cab driver caught in a deadly game in Collateral. Meanwhile, Clive Owen played a tangled-up-in-love dermatologist in Closer.
Interestingly, none of Freeman’s competitors from that night have been nominated for an Oscar since.
A Historic Night to Remember
The 2005 Academy Awards was a defining moment in Hollywood’s long journey toward greater representation. Freeman’s victory was a long time coming, and Foxx’s historic double nomination proved that talent couldn’t be ignored. While the Oscars still have room to grow in terms of diversity, that night was proof that history is always waiting to be made.
And who knows? Maybe someday, another ceremony will see both acting trophies go to Black men again. But until then, the night Jamie Foxx and Morgan Freeman made history remains one of the most unforgettable moments in Oscar history.
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