[Corin Stormhands]

I was always under the impression that she was very close to her mom. When she won the Academy Award, her mother was prominently seated in the front of the auditorium and, through her tears, HB acknowledged her. It was touching.

Hardly. She cried because ~as she said~ she was the first African American actress to win the Best Actress award.

With tears streaming down her face and gasping for breath, Berry dedicated her award to all the African-American women who had struggled before her to make their way in Hollywood.

"This moment is so much bigger than me. It's for every nameless, faceless woman of colour that now has a chance because this door tonight has been opened," she said.

BBC News

It was way back in 2002, but I'm trying to remember if she even ~acknowledged~ her mother. I remember at the time thinking she was gushing about her paternal heritage while all along it was her white mother in the audience, not her absentee father.

Say what you like about Denzel Washington, but his acceptance speech was much more classy. He acknowledged Sidney Portier, but didn't gush about it.

[Mila]

"It was way back in 2002, but I'm trying to remember if she even ~acknowledged~ her mother. I remember at the time thinking she was gushing about her paternal heritage while all along it was her white mother in the audience, not her absentee father."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/entertainment/2002/oscars_2002/1892608.stm

"I want to thank my Mom who's given me the strength to fight every single day to be who I want to be and given me the courage to dream that this dream might be happening and possible for me. I love you Mom so much."