11. Denzel Washington’s Second Win over Russell Crowe (2002)
At the 74th Academy Awards in 2002, Denzel Washington won Best Actor for his role as a corrupt cop in ‘Training Day,’ defeating Russell Crowe, who was favored for his performance in ‘A Beautiful Mind.’ This victory was significant, as Washington became only the second Black actor to win Best Actor, following Sidney Poitier’s win in 1963. For more details, refer to this article from CBS News: 2002: Oscar Makes History.
