Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Naomie Harris made history on Tuesday, January 24, when the 2017 Academy Award nominations were announced.
All three stars are nominated in the Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role category, marking the first time three black women have been nominated together in an acting category. In fact, it’s the first time in the award show’s 88-year history that three black people have been individually nominated in any single Oscars category.
Davis, 51, is nominated for Fences; Spencer, 46, is nominated for Hidden Figures; and Harris, 40, is nominated for Moonlight. Davis made history individually, too, as the first black actress to receive three Oscar nods in her career.
Three 6 Mafia won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for Hustle & Flow‘s “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” in 2005, but the rap group counted as a single nomination shared by members DJ Paul, Juicy J and Lord Infamous.
The momentous news follows 2015 and 2016’s #OscarsSoWhite controversy, which was sparked when the Academy nominated only white actors in the lead and supporting acting categories. This year, movie buffs took to social media to celebrate breaking the now-infamous streak.
“So great to see so many black artists nominated for Oscars this year!” one user wrote. Another added, “I’m so excited the Academy Awards nominated 3 incredible, talented, strong black women 4 BSA! It’s abt damned time! #Hopeful #Change #Oscars.”
The 89th Academy Awards, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, air live from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on ABC February 26 at 8:30 p.m.
