In 2018, a gathering of Hollywood’s leading Black actors, directors, and showrunners spontaneously coalesced inside photographer Mark Seliger’s portrait studio at the Oscars, resulting in an image that would become known as “The Black Excellence Photo.” The impromptu group portrait, initially sparked by a conversation between Ava DuVernay and Tiffany Haddish, quickly grew as word spread throughout the party.
“I did corral it,” Haddish recounted, describing her efforts to assemble the group. “But it was not my idea! Ava DuVernay and I were having a conversation, and she was like, ‘Yeah, we need to gather up some of these Black people and take a beautiful picture.’” Haddish, embracing a self-described role as a “Bugs Bunny rabbit,” actively sought out attendees, inviting them to participate.
DuVernay explained that she had previously organized similar gatherings at other events, including the Oscar Governors Ball and the Met Gala. She enlisted the facilitate of Lena Waithe to broaden the reach of the invitation. “It was like herding cats,” Waithe admitted, acknowledging the challenge of coordinating a group of high-profile individuals.
Shonda Rhimes, the television showrunner, played a key role in attracting attendees. “I would go around to tables, and say really low: ‘Black excellence. Black excellence time,’” Rhimes said. “People would just gain up, and we’d all walk to see Mark’s studio.”
Seliger, known for his function photographing Hollywood’s elite for Vanity Fair’s Oscar portrait studio, found himself facing a unique logistical challenge. “In 2018, we had this rush in the studio of 10 to 15 actors who wanted to take a portrait to celebrate Black Hollywood,” he explained. The group returned the following year, and the year after that, eventually growing to include approximately 60 people. “I was trying to figure out, ‘Well, how am I going to choreograph this one?’” Seliger ultimately resolved the issue by using a tall ladder to capture the expansive group.
The photograph included prominent figures such as LeBron James, though Haddish noted his late arrival nearly obscured her in the final image. “I ran up to LeBron James. I’m like, ‘Come through, come through.’ He didn’t come until right before he was about to take the picture. Then LeBron gets in the photo and damn near blocks me. I don’t think you can see me at all.”
The “Black Excellence Photo” has continued as an annual tradition at the Oscars, growing in size and significance each year. Seliger has photographed numerous stars, including Allison Janney, Jordan Peele, Amy Adams, and Kerry Washington, at his Oscars portrait studio, but the collective portrait of Black Hollywood remains a standout moment.
