Top 25 Famous Black Actresses

The 25 most talented African-American actresses of all time.

Regina King - Regina King has been acting since her days on 227 and as she has grown, so has her career. She has also starred in the '90s classic films Boyz n the Hood, Higher Learning and Friday and provides the voices for both Freeman brothers on The Boondocks. Currently, Regina stars as a tough LA cop on the TNT show Southland. (Photo: Peter Kramer/Getty Images)
Nia Long - Nia Long was cast as Jordan Armstrong, Harper's woulda-coulda flame from his college years. After The Best Man cemented her image as every man's dream girl, Long continued her tradition of comedies in films like Big Momma's House (1 and 2) and Are We There Yet? Last year, she starred in Tyler Perry's The Single Moms Club, but her biggest role to date is mother to sons Massai and Kez. (Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Target)
Jennifer Hudson - Singer Jennifer Hudson won an Oscar for her role in Dreamgirls, showcasing her musical and acting abilities. She has also starred as Winnie Mandela in Winnie, had a role in The Secret Lives of Bees and will be a part of the film version of Black Nativity. (Photo: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week)
Nicole Beharie - The 42 actress, who graduated from Juilliard in 2007 with a degree in drama, said of the notoriously rigorous school, “Those programs beat it out of you, but also something into you. They give you a sense of humor.” The actress also studied Shakespeare at Oxford before trying her hand in Hollywood.  (Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)Oprah Winfrey - Oprah Winfrey may be more known for interviewing actresses than being one but she has a very distinguished film career. Oprah was nominated for an Oscar for her role as Sofia in The Color Purple and played a mother in the film version of Richard Wright's Native Son. (Photo: Jemal Countess/Getty Images for TIME)

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Nia Long - Actress Nia Long made a name for herself in Boyz n the Hood and continued to shine in movies such as The Best Man and Love Jones. Recently, Long starred as a mother in the 9/11 drama Mooz-Lum. (Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Target)

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