Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer Nab Oscar Nods for “The Help”

Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer (no, not Sherri Shepherd or Yvette Nicole Brown) got great news this morning when it was announced they both received Academy Award nominations for their work in The Help.

For Davis, who garnered her nomination for playing Aibileen Clark, the soft-spoken maid and heroine of the film, this is her second Oscar nod. She picked one up in 2008 for her role as the pathetic mother, Mrs. Miller in Doubt. Coincidentally, for this year’s Academy Awards, she’ll be battling for the little statuette against her Doubt co-star, Meryl Streep. Oh yeah, and some other folks.

For Spencer, who has racked up any and everything this awards season, including her recent Golden Globe win for playing the hilarious Minny Jackson in the film, this is her first Oscar nomination, but probably not her last. She seems like a frontrunner for the award and we’ll definitely be rooting for both Spencer and Davis on the big night–Feb.26.

These two seem to be the only black folks who picked up nominations this year, and after last year’s drought, two is better than none at all, right? But I’m just wondering, where is Pariah at nominations wise? I guess after not being able to grab a Golden Globe nomination, there was no way the awesome independent film could slip in the back door for Oscar noms–but still. Kim Wayans should have picked up some kind of something for her amazing work, and I know I’m not the only one who was moved by the movie. But I guess, to each their own. You know how I like to rant (*smile*).

But anyway, congrats ladies!

More on Madame Noire!

• Things Black Mothers Say
• Celebrity Mistresses: The Good, The Bad, and The Trifling
• 7 Curl Defining Products to Get Your Curls and Coils Poppin’
• How to Attract a Healthy Relationship This Year
• 6 Ways to Tackle Relationship Arguments
• He Loves Me: Men Who Just Adore Their Wives
• Evening Eye Candy: Larenz Tate