Top 5 Black Actresses of Our Time

There are many good black actresses working in Hollywood today. It's difficult to narrow them down to five, but there a few who really stand out in my mind. Not only are the five on this list among the best, but I don't think they've ever really been given their proper due.

Loretta Devine

Number five on my list of the five best black actresses goes to Loretta Devine. The actress has been working in the film industry pretty regularly for the past thirty years, but Loretta Devine is probably best known for her work on the television series Boston Public. She played the teacher Marla Hendricks on that show which ran from 2000 to 2004. In that role, she won three Image Awards for best supporting actress in a drama series. She also has received critical praise for her supporting roles in the movies The Preacher's Wife, Waiting to Exhale, and Woman Thou Art Loose. Loretta Devine stands out in her ability to play likable and vulnerable characters. She's the kind of actress you just want to root for.

Regina King

Number four on the list of the five best black actresses is Regina King. Regina King has to be one of the most underrated actresses of all time. She might be best known for her supporting role in the movie Jerry Maguire as Rod Tidwell's wife, but she can also currently be seen on the equally underrated TV series Southland as Detective Lydia Adams. She has grown as actress since first appearing on the TV show 227. Her supporting role in Ray was Oscar worthy, and she is one of the few black actresses who can do both comedy and drama convincingly.

Viola Davis

The third spot on the list of the five best black actresses belongs to Viola Davis. Anyone who can steal the scene from one of the greatest actresses of all time, Meryl Streep, as she did in the movie Doubt has to be pretty talented. She even stood out as being too good for her role with her one second scene as a policewoman in the romantic comedy Kate & Leopold back in 2001. And if you haven't seen Viola Davis in the 2006 film The Architect, you need to. She's just brilliant.

Regina Taylor

Regina Taylor probably has more potential to deliver an Oscar worthy performance than any other black actress. Thus, she is number two on the list of the best black actresses. Anyone who watched her in I'll Fly Away knows she has talent. And her ability to play emotional characters without a hint of melodrama, such as when she played Denzel Washington's wife in Courage Under Fire, is what sets her apart. Regina Taylor is the kind of talent who could break your heart and get away with it.

Alfre Woodard

The number one best black actress is an easy choice with Alfre Woodard. I'm not sure how she hasn't won an Oscar yet?! I suppose she just hasn't found the right role, but she always gives Oscar-worthy performances regardless of the movie.