Oscar's First Black Winner: Hattie McDaniel's Heyday and Heartbreak

Hattie McDaniels was the first African American to win an Academy Award for her supporting role in 'Gone with the Wind' in 1939.
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[@Steolicious]

Can someone please make a movie about her? Octavia Spencer would be so great. Hattie's story is so rich! Thank you for the video!

[@damianlatimer5753]

several years ago there was talk about a movie being made about her life but i guess it never came to fruition and Monique was supposed to be playing her

[@Luvie1980]

@Rodney Norman no. She is not. That would be blasphemy.

[@Char-kd6bl]

Well there's no movie about her life yet but she's being represented in the new Netflix show "Hollywood"

[@Famegonna9999]

She's too short

[@workingman9179]

Octavia Spencer would be great. Loved her in Madam JJ Walker.

[@tom11zz884]

This video deserves a million views...which is evidenced of the lack of people really caring about these former great Black actresses that helped paved the way for all these Black and other people of color in Hollywood today.

[@quamby1able]

tom11zz884 breaks my heart that her recognition isnt OUT THERE...someone needs to! The only positive outlook for her was in Ryan Murphys 'Hollywood' on Netflix and the wunderful Queen Latifah portrayed her splendidly ♡♥♡

[@MTknitter22]

tom11zz884 Not true at all - great actresses (all colors!) of Hollywood’s best days all tend to get forgotten unless WE keep their memories alive. Hattie was universally loved.

[@neenernener]

This made me cry. Thank you Ms. Hattie for making the world better. For showing grace, when very little was shown to you. RIP & know that people of all colors truly admire you for your talent, wisdom & grace.

[@KenJohnsonMusic]

This was amazing. This family truly represents Hattie well.

[@marlenalinne7958]

And by shelving "Gone With the Wind", they're depriving today's people from seeing how phenomenal Hattie was. She helped make that movie as great as it was.

[@jamesdrummond5894]

Gone with the wind was shelved to stop the incarraigement of racism. It should have been shelved a long time ago. No disrespect to Ms. Hattie McDaniels. Who was a phenomenal actress. Hollywood was not good to black folks. They could not look pass the color of our skin and see our talent and our Royal beauty. Oh. And for the record Liz Taylor is a prime example of Hollywood looking pass our Royal talent and beauty. Cleopatra should have been played by a black actress. I am sure they could find plenty talented beautiful black queens. They where everywhere.

[@marlenalinne7958]

@@jamesdrummond5894 We can't do anything about the choices that were made back then, but we CAN do something about what's happening today.

[@jamesdrummond5894]

@@marlenalinne7958 yes you are right . By Exercising our right to vote because the pin is mightier than the sword. And incarraige others to do the same. But Hollywood is still not being fair . But that will be a thing of the past. Thanks to Tyler Perry Studios.

[@philipkippel3615]

Same with "Song of the South".

[@TheNanadale57]

I still watch her movies, she was a beautiful person inside and out, it showed in her roles and eyes.

[@rileyfoxx6633]

When is her biography coming out?

[@marias7599]

I’d like to see her biography too.

[@angiejohnson6666]

Great and magnificent LADY! Thank you Hattie for your hard work and dedication to the human race.

[@darciedykema2455]

Hattie sent a message to all people when she hit the screen. Not only was she an awesome actress but an awesome person in character, strength, compassion and love. Hats off to you Hattie RIP. Your family loves you and your fans!

[@cleasterwilliams4623]

Thank you for showing this, she will always be remembered for her performance in Gone With the Wind and other movies.

[@TosingerT]

I’m kinda confused. The main woman talking in the video is a PARTNER to McDaniels grand nephew .. even the family members are not talking as much about their grand Aunt

[@gaden74]

Exactly! I’m confused on that as well

[@adrianalainez8499]

Because she interacted with her.

[@wfs4227]

You know people like to be to say" THEIR" famous family member this and that but it's all for glory. She didn't have any kids and most of the time, she probably didn't keep close relationships with brothers and sisters because of her being so busy then.

[@marlenalinne7958]

@@wfs4227 Hattie had two sisters who were actresses, but not on the scale that she was. She started out as a singer/actress/comedienne in vaudeville and I don't think they did. There are youtubes of her singing.

[@semiramisbonaparte1627]

Very strange

[@kingusmcgee]

Hattie McDaniel relay excelled with her singing, loved her and Jim Baskett in Song of the south. Hattie McDaniel singing Sooner or Later Ya Gonna be coming around. So musical and talented which transcended the roles she played. Jim Baskett also great. The movie truly a classic..

[@philipkippel3615]

Agreed. #ReleaseSongOfTheSouth #SaveSplashMountain

[@trenton5809]

I'm glad I got recommended this

[@abemagic10]

Beautiful stories /history

[@abemagic10]

love the joyful shots of the family at the end :) good work Hollywood Reporter!

[@emiliobello2538]

Awesome

[@tanafort9741]

Hey Hattie's family- Do the movie!!!!!! Please have the movie made asap we deserve to know who she was and how she effected Hollywood.

[@bernithamingo6298]

wow love the infro on Hattie

[@shannonmcnalley2657]

Hattie was my favorite actress in gone with the wind

[@CarmenZynger]

Brilliant! I would have loved to hear more, as these beautiful women were wanting to share. Imagine a book being written by these women. I wish, wish, wish. Just in case, I will be researching more. Thank you to the McDaniel, Goff, and Collins family.

[@barbrawozniaczka5679]

Bravo Hatti!

[@GoGo-qi1yr]

...I truly wish they would do research on where Her Oscar award statue disappeared to!.!??. Such a trailblazer this woman is!!!!... 😎🍸

[@joanie3452]

Amazing actress.

[@hhtmadaisy2000]

This family's getting very fair skin

[@radiantrenee406]

hhtmadaisy2000 They been eating powder doughnuts. lol

[@keepingitrealandtruthful.5081]

hhtmadaisy2000 like the Jacksons.

[@jamesedward3639]

Melanin gone

[@Austin-sc2lu]

Marrying and havin babies with them white folks, a damn shame

[@BeachsideHank]

@uknow who And the great thing is, if you believe, you've got thousands of gods to choose from as your very own personal savior- pity the atheist, he has none.

[@theallnighters7531]

I would love to see a movie for her

[@nangsamphoo9440]

She was a great artist.

[@istvanpraha]

How old is that lady if she was 15 before Hattie died in 1952? She doesn't necessarily look 80+

[@bubujooestes1499]

My thoughts exactly.She is so beautiful and can narrate so well too.Good voice.

[@lynnemichelle7977]

Beautiful.

[@LatinChickWithMedley]

Screw this "Remove Gone with the Wind" BS, I'm sharing this vid. Also, what would they think of Gone with the Wind being removed?

[@aggierowe9574]

What a cool family

[@jamesdrummond5894]

Who are these people?

[@AKingZWldAQu33nZUnVZ]

This Is One Classic I Still Today Have Not Seen I Didn't Know It Was About Racism Now I Am Curious To See What The Movie Is All About And Why All The Dispute About Should This Movie Be Gone With The Wind Forever💁🙆

[@MTknitter22]

I read where she had more than a few family members take advantage of her too

[@Terry-te1ij]

Faye Bainter presenter?

[@CatACor21.]

Hattie was dark skin. 😳 What happened?

[@rogerlewis7770]

Guess their color went with the wind too lol

[@CatACor21.]

Roger Lewis 🤣😳😂🙅🏾‍♀️

[@nickelwindow53]

How her family got lighter skin through generations? Hatte was a chocolate lady

[@darnellmajor9016]

It's called mixing with various shades.

[@CatACor21.]

nickelwindow53 Girl ☕️🐸

[@kimberlymcdonald7405]

Hattie McDaniel had no children but in that time period black people intentionally tried to lighten the complexion of the next generation to lessen hardship and get more opportunity.

[@adamm.6386]

@@kimberlymcdonald7405 Which didn't work anyway. They were still stereotyped or hard pressed to find work, because they were still black. Unless they looked like a white European, they couldn't "pass".

[@wilburmcbride8096]

@@adamm.6386 So sad to think of the lengths black people will go in America to be accepted by white people. It's really sad. We may say black is beautiful but unless we live it, it's only words.

[@livmarlin4259]

Her relatives are almost white.

[@adrianalainez8499]

They are human just like her, just like you and me. Humans. Not a made up race but all part of the one human race which comes in different beautiful shades and sizes.

[@kennethmcbride1790]

@@adrianalainez8499 bull s*** where is her real family

[@adrianalainez8499]

@@kennethmcbride1790 Dis you know she was had an actor brother named Sam and an actess sister named Etta? She was the youngest of 13 children. So she had many many nieces and nephews and grands and great grands. But she never had children of her own. So all her living relatives are extended family not direct descendents.

[@kennethmcbride1790]

@@adrianalainez8499 thats a dam shame

[@adrianalainez8499]

@@kennethmcbride1790 It's life. But they love and honor her still..

[@Cin2023]

Who was the woman speaking? The one in the middle, white hair? Did Hattie marry white?

[@CatACor21.]

uknow who I guess

[@kimberlymcdonald7405]

I wish the world would stop trying to make everybody gay. Hattie McDaniel was married twice to a men she never had children . I believe you are mistaking her with The mother of Dorothy Dandridge.

[@rtp1968]

uknow who :ignorant

[@rakiacarter5852]

@uknow who yep i knew it was one of you! Spreading rumors, typical

[@ArghRawrWhoa]

Sad

[@theking7634]

Melanin is gone! sad

[@kenchambers7137]

Cant tell their related to her, they look too light skinned

[@TyStewart-jz1ei]

Black people not all people

[@nflux2971]

I'm very confused,,, who on Gods green earth are these people!?? And why are they speaking?? They have no knowledge of her, and they look miserable. What's their relevance in speaking on Hattie?

[@lezel4swarts]

I'm askin too

[@jamesdrummond5894]

Gone with the wind was one of the most races movies and we should not shelve it. We should burn it . So the next generation won't see it. No disrespect to Ms. McDaniels.who was an amazing talent. But Hollywood could have showcased her in a better role if they were not so small minded.

[@jamesdrummond5894]

@Adam Smith yes if I thought it would stop all of the racism. But you and I know it will never stop. As long as Jealousy, envy, and hatred is around.

[@petej7002]

James Drummond i laughed reading your comment . “We should not shelve it . we should burn it.” Didn’t see that coming 😂. Well I am of the next generation and I just started watching it last night . Ill tell you what I think . First the movie is too long ill have to watch it in parts. Now as far as the slave roles . I think they were necessary in a film about the civil war ? Would you rather have whites in blackface as in birth of a nation. The producers seem to try to convey hattie as prideful which was interesting. I can see based on the role what had enslaved the characters and what was holding them back. All in all that film is a necessary think piece as a reminder of what will happen should black people relinquish authority to folks so ignorant that they would engage in a doomed cause. Simply put its not so bad and my ego is not hurt from seeing it.

[@JasperStoneChroniclesIIAngiboo]

I think of sadness and self-loathing whenever I think of Hattie McDaniel. The images I see of her family in this video is proof that her self-loathing has rubbed off onto her offspring. Look at how her offspring looks absolutely NOTHING like her. I'm not going to apologise for my personal opinion either. I believe she sold out her race for money and fame.

[@JasperStoneChroniclesIIAngiboo]

@Adam Smith I believe her siblings had that same mindset. But, that's just my perspective.

[@annettesanders3706]

Hattie didn't have children, she tried to raise my mom Lauretta whom looked alot like herself her brother Sam's daughter.