Black Actresses Who Can Make You Cry Quick

Cinema is filled with powerful performances that tug at the heartstrings and leave a lasting impact on the audience. The ability to convey deep emotion and vulnerability is a hallmark of a truly great performer. Many black actresses have mastered this art form and consistently deliver portrayals that evoke empathy and tears. These women bring authenticity to their roles by channeling raw human experience into their characters. Here are 45 black actresses known for their ability to make viewers cry with their powerful acting skills.

Viola Davis

Viola Davis commands the screen with an intensity that often leaves audiences emotionally shattered. Her Oscar-winning performance in ‘Fences’ showcases her ability to deliver heart-wrenching monologues about sacrifice and regret. She uses her facial expressions to convey a lifetime of pain and resilience without saying a word. Davis often chooses roles that require her to explore the deepest depths of human sorrow and strength. Her commitment to emotional truth makes every tear she sheds feel completely genuine.

Angela Bassett

Angela Bassett possesses a regal presence that makes her moments of vulnerability even more striking. She famously portrayed the pain and triumph of Tina Turner in ‘What’s Love Got to Do with It’ with incredible raw energy. Her role as a grieving mother in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ reminded viewers of her capacity to hold grief and power simultaneously. Bassett uses her voice and physicality to demand attention while exposing the inner turmoil of her characters. She consistently delivers performances that resonate with profound emotional weight.

Lupita Nyong’o

Lupita Nyong’o burst onto the scene with a devastating performance in ’12 Years a Slave’ that earned her an Academy Award. She played Patsey with a heartbreaking mix of fragility and endurance that haunted viewers long after the credits rolled. Nyong’o has a unique ability to express terror and sadness through her expressive eyes. Her work in horror films like ‘Us’ demonstrates that she can also channel emotional trauma into terrifying circumstances. She approaches every character with a sensitivity that invites the audience to feel her pain.

Alfre Woodard

Alfre Woodard is a veteran actress known for her grounded and deeply affecting performances. She has an uncanny ability to make small moments feel momentous through subtle shifts in her demeanor. Her work in ‘Clemency’ as a prison warden grappling with the psychological toll of her job is a masterclass in repressed emotion. Woodard often plays matriarchs or community pillars who carry heavy emotional burdens for those around them. Her tears on screen feel earned and reflective of real-world struggles.

Cicely Tyson

The late Cicely Tyson was a pioneer who refused to take roles that did not display the dignity of black women. Her performance in ‘The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman’ spanned decades and required her to convey the weariness of a long and difficult life. Tyson used her entire body to express the weight of history and personal tragedy. She had a unique talent for silence that spoke louder than any dialogue could. Her legacy includes countless scenes that moved generations of viewers to tears.

Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Hudson transitioned from singing to acting with a powerhouse performance in ‘Dreamgirls’. Her portrayal of Effie White captured the devastation of betrayal and the desperate need to be loved. The emotional rendition of the song ‘And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going’ remains one of the most tear-jerking moments in musical cinema history. Hudson brings a soulful quality to her dramatic roles that connects directly with the heart. She channels personal and character pain into performances that feel explosive and undeniable.

Regina King

Regina King has evolved from a child actor into one of the most respected dramatic talents in the industry. Her role in ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’ earned her an Oscar for playing a mother fighting fiercely for her daughter’s future. King excels at portraying women who must remain strong while their world crumbles around them. She conveys empathy and fierce protection in a way that often triggers an emotional response from the audience. Her grounded approach makes the stakes feel incredibly personal and urgent.

Octavia Spencer

Octavia Spencer often brings warmth to her roles but she is equally skilled at breaking hearts. Her performance in ‘The Help’ balanced humor with the painful reality of domestic workers in the segregated South. In ‘Fruitvale Station’ she played a mother whose worst nightmare comes true with shattering realism. Spencer has a relatable quality that makes her sorrow feel like the sorrow of a close friend. She uses her expressive face to communicate volumes about injustice and loss.

Taraji P. Henson

Taraji P. Henson is known for her range and her ability to play characters with tough exteriors and soft hearts. Her role as Katherine Johnson in ‘Hidden Figures’ showed her navigating systemic racism with quiet dignity and tearful frustration. In ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’ she provided the emotional anchor of the film as a loving adoptive mother. Henson can switch from comedy to tragedy in an instant. Her emotional scenes often involve a release of pent-up frustration that audiences find deeply cathartic.

Halle Berry

Halle Berry made history with her raw performance in ‘Monster’s Ball’ which required her to bare her soul. She played a grieving mother and widow who finds solace in an unlikely place. Berry is not afraid to look unpolished or desperate when the role calls for it. Her work in ‘Losing Isaiah’ as a mother fighting for her child is notoriously difficult to watch without crying. She commits fully to the emotional arc of her characters regardless of the toll it takes.

Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg is a comedy legend who demonstrated immense dramatic talent early in her career. Her debut in ‘The Color Purple’ as Celie is one of the most heartbreaking and eventually uplifting performances in cinema. She conveyed years of abuse and low self-esteem through her posture and hesitant speech. Goldberg creates characters that the audience desperately wants to see succeed. Her ability to smile through tears is a trademark that devastatingly affects viewers.

Kimberly Elise

Kimberly Elise has built a career on playing resilient women facing heartbreaking circumstances. Her role in ‘Set It Off’ showcases her ability to transition from vulnerability to desperate resolve. She famously conveys deep anguish without needing extensive dialogue to make her point. Audiences often point to her performance in ‘Beloved’ as a prime example of her capacity for tragedy. Elise consistently grounds her characters in a reality that makes their pain palpable.

Naomie Harris

Naomie Harris delivers performances that are often gritty and emotionally complex. In ‘Moonlight’ she played a mother struggling with addiction who tries to reconnect with her son. The raw honesty of that portrayal earned her critical acclaim and an Oscar nomination. Harris does not shy away from playing flawed characters who are difficult to love yet impossible to ignore. Her redemption arcs often provide the most tearful moments in her films.

Ruth Negga

Ruth Negga has a quiet intensity that draws the audience in closer to her characters. Her portrayal of Mildred Loving in ‘Loving’ relied heavily on her expressive eyes and subtle physical acting. She conveyed the fear and determination of a woman fighting for her marriage against unjust laws. Negga often plays characters who are observers of their own difficult lives. Her ability to project internal sadness makes her performances deeply moving.

Sophie Okonedo

Sophie Okonedo is a British actress known for her visceral emotional range. Her performance in ‘Hotel Rwanda’ as a woman trying to protect her family during a genocide is terrifyingly real. She captures the panic and desperation of a mother in extreme peril. Okonedo brings a theatrical intensity to the screen that ensures every emotion reads clearly. She immerses herself so fully that the line between actor and character seems to vanish.

Danielle Deadwyler

Danielle Deadwyler delivered a crushing performance as Mamie Till-Mobley in the film ‘Till’. She carried the weight of a national tragedy on her shoulders while portraying a mother’s personal grief. Her ability to oscillate between private sorrow and public strength is remarkable. Deadwyler uses long takes and close-ups to let the audience sit with her pain. She has quickly established herself as an actress who can command deep emotional investment.

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor is a powerful character actress who shines in dramatic roles. Her performance in ‘King Richard’ as the mother of Venus and Serena Williams provided the film with its emotional backbone. She often plays the voice of reason who must also contend with her own suppressed desires and hurts. Ellis-Taylor delivers dialogue with a conviction that cuts through to the truth of a scene. Her scenes of confrontation often reveal deep wells of vulnerability.

Cynthia Erivo

Cynthia Erivo is a double threat who uses her voice and acting chops to evoke strong reactions. Her portrayal of Harriet Tubman in ‘Harriet’ showcased her physical and emotional stamina. She captured the terror of escape and the sorrow of leaving family behind. Erivo brings a spiritual intensity to her roles that elevates the material. Her ability to convey determination through tears inspires both awe and empathy.

Uzo Aduba

Uzo Aduba is best known for her role as Suzanne Warren in ‘Orange Is the New Black’. She took a character that could have been a caricature and gave her profound depth and humanity. Aduba navigates the complexities of mental health with grace and heartbreaking innocence. Her scenes often involve a confusion or betrayal that elicits immediate sympathy from the viewer. She creates characters that audiences feel a fierce need to protect.

Marianne Jean-Baptiste

Marianne Jean-Baptiste received acclaim for her role in ‘Secrets & Lies’ where she played a woman seeking her birth mother. The emotional climax of that film relies heavily on her ability to listen and react with vulnerability. She brings a naturalistic style to her acting that makes her characters feel like real people you might know. Jean-Baptiste often portrays women seeking connection or validation. Her subtle expressions convey a deep internal life that resonates with anyone who has felt lonely.

Gabourey Sidibe

Gabourey Sidibe made an unforgettable debut in the film ‘Precious’. She played a teenager enduring unimaginable abuse with a heartbreaking stoicism. Sidibe managed to find the spark of hope in a character whose life was filled with darkness. Her performance challenged audiences to look at the invisible members of society with compassion. She proved that she could carry a heavy emotional load with nuance and dignity.

Mo’Nique

Mo’Nique shocked critics and audiences with her terrifying and tragic performance in ‘Precious’. She played an abusive mother with a complexity that made the character frighteningly human. Her final monologue in the film is a chaotic mix of anger and self-pity that leaves viewers stunned. Mo’Nique demonstrated a fearlessness in tackling a role that required her to be loathed. The raw emotion she displayed redefined her career and proved her dramatic range.

Queen Latifah

Queen Latifah has a commanding presence but she is also capable of great tenderness. Her role as Bessie Smith in ‘Bessie’ allowed her to explore the loneliness behind the fame. She excels at playing women who use a tough exterior to hide deep emotional wounds. In ‘The Secret Life of Bees’ she played a nurturing figure dealing with the trauma of racism. Latifah uses her strength to make her moments of breakdown even more impactful.

Thandiwe Newton

Thandiwe Newton is known for her complex roles in both film and television. Her performance in ‘Crash’ involved a harrowing scene with police that remains difficult to watch. She conveys the loss of dignity and the resulting trauma with excruciating detail. Newton often plays intelligent women who are pushed to their breaking points. Her ability to display fragility beneath a composed surface is a hallmark of her work.

Audra McDonald

Audra McDonald is a legend of the stage who brings her dramatic gifts to the screen. Her role in ‘The Good Fight’ allows her to explore the professional and personal toll of working in a high-stakes environment. She possesses a voice that can convey sorrow as effectively as her acting. McDonald brings a classical training to her roles that gives them a sense of grandeur and tragedy. She is an expert at playing women who are holding everything together by a thread.

CCH Pounder

CCH Pounder is a veteran character actress who brings gravitas to every role. She is often cast as authority figures but she infuses them with deep humanity and sorrow. Her work on ‘The Shield’ as Claudette Wyms showcased her fighting illness and corruption with weary determination. Pounder can break a viewer’s heart with a single look of disappointment or resignation. She grounds her scenes in a reality that makes the emotional stakes feel incredibly high.

Loretta Devine

Loretta Devine has a voice that is instantly recognizable and often used to comfort or cry. She famously played a mother dealing with her husband’s Alzheimer’s in ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ which was a major tear-jerker. Devine brings a soulful energy to her characters that makes them feel like family. She excels at playing women who are the emotional glue of their communities. Her tears often signify the breaking point of a woman who has been strong for too long.

Anika Noni Rose

Anika Noni Rose is a powerful actress and singer who can convey deep emotion through both mediums. In ‘For Colored Girls’ she played a woman whose trusting nature leads to a horrific tragedy. She captures innocence and the shattering of that innocence with painful clarity. Rose brings a delicate quality to her dramatic roles that invites the audience to lean in. Her performances often highlight the vulnerability of hope in a harsh world.

Jurnee Smollett

Jurnee Smollett has been acting since childhood and has developed a formidable dramatic range. Her role in ‘Lovecraft Country’ required her to balance supernatural horror with the real horror of racism. She plays characters with a fierce survival instinct that is often born out of trauma. Smollett uses her physicality to express the tension and fear her characters experience. She is adept at delivering emotional outbursts that feel earned and cathartic.

Keke Palmer

Keke Palmer is known for her charisma but she has delivered several deeply affecting dramatic performances. In ‘Akeelah and the Bee’ she played a young girl carrying the weight of her community’s expectations and her family’s grief. She captures the pressure and anxiety of youth with great authenticity. Palmer connects with the audience through her open and expressive face. She brings a relatable vulnerability to roles that deal with growing pains and loss.

Janelle Monáe

Janelle Monáe transitions seamlessly between music and acting with roles that highlight her dramatic depth. In ‘Hidden Figures’ she played a woman fighting for her right to an education in a segregated system. Her frustration and determination were palpable and moved audiences to root for her success. Monáe brings a focused intensity to her characters that underscores their emotional struggles. She effectively portrays the toll of having to constantly prove one’s worth.

Tessa Thompson

Tessa Thompson creates characters who are often guarded but deeply feeling. Her role in ‘Creed’ as a woman dealing with progressive hearing loss added a poignant layer to the sports drama. She conveys fear and acceptance with a subtlety that is very moving. Thompson often plays women who are trying to forge their own identity amidst chaos. Her chemistry with co-stars helps to create emotional bonds that the audience invests in heavily.

Dominique Fishback

Dominique Fishback is a rising star known for her raw and honest performances. In ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ she played the partner of Fred Hampton and anchored the film’s emotional narrative. She portrayed the fear and love of a woman watching her partner become a target. Fishback writes poetry and brings a lyrical sensibility to her acting. She captures the quiet moments of grief that happen when the world isn’t watching.

KiKi Layne

KiKi Layne made a stunning debut in ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’ as a young woman fighting for her lover’s freedom. She carried the film with a performance that was both gentle and incredibly strong. Layne conveyed the innocence of first love and the devastation of separation. Her ability to remain hopeful in the face of despair is a key element of her emotional power. She invites the audience to share in her character’s dreams and heartbreaks.

Teyonah Parris

Teyonah Parris is an actress who brings theatrical training and deep emotion to the screen. Her work in ‘Chi-Raq’ required her to lead a modern Greek tragedy with power and grace. She plays characters who are often the catalyst for change in their communities. Parris uses her voice to command attention and express collective sorrow. She is not afraid to explore the ugly side of grief and anger in her performances.

Lashana Lynch

Lashana Lynch is known for action roles but she packs a serious emotional punch. In ‘The Woman King’ she played a warrior whose tough exterior hid a painful past. She conveys the sacrifices required of women who must fight for their survival. Lynch uses her eyes to signal the vulnerability she cannot speak aloud. Her final scenes in dramatic roles often leave a lasting impression of nobility and loss.

Wunmi Mosaku

Wunmi Mosaku is a Nigerian-British actress who disappears into her roles. Her performance in ‘His House’ as a refugee haunted by ghosts of the past is terrifying and tragic. She captures the survivor’s guilt and the desperate need to belong. Mosaku plays characters with a quiet dignity that makes their suffering even more acute. She is a master of micro-expressions that reveal the internal state of her characters.

Emayatzy Corinealdi

Emayatzy Corinealdi delivered a breakout performance in ‘Middle of Nowhere’ as a woman putting her life on hold for an incarcerated husband. She conveyed the loneliness and frustration of waiting with incredible nuance. Corinealdi allows the camera to linger on her face as she processes complex emotions. She plays women who are often forced to make impossible choices. Her stillness on screen can be more moving than a screaming match.

DeWanda Wise

DeWanda Wise is known for her confident energy but she also explores deep vulnerability. In ‘Fatherhood’ she played a supportive figure who helps a grieving father navigate his loss. She brings a warmth to the screen that makes her emotional scenes feel safe and intimate. Wise portrays characters who are often the healers in their circles. Her ability to empathize with other characters helps the audience do the same.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Gugu Mbatha-Raw often plays roles that deal with identity and historical trauma. Her performance in ‘Belle’ as a mixed-race woman in aristocratic England was filled with suppressed emotion. She conveyed the pain of not belonging to either world with grace. Mbatha-Raw brings a classical elegance to her suffering that is reminiscent of old Hollywood. She makes the viewer feel the injustice of her character’s situation acutely.

Adjoa Andoh

Adjoa Andoh is a veteran of stage and screen who commands respect. In ‘Bridgerton’ she plays Lady Danbury who often hides her true feelings behind a sharp wit. However, her moments of vulnerability reveal a woman who has survived much to get where she is. Andoh uses her voice to layer meaning into every line she delivers. She can shift from stern to heartbreakingly tender in a single scene.

Danai Gurira

Danai Gurira is famous for playing warriors but her dramatic range extends far beyond action. Her role in ‘The Walking Dead’ involved losing family members and partners in gruesome ways. She portrayed the hardening of a human soul and the grief that drives it. Gurira brings a physical intensity to her mourning that is visceral. She shows that even the strongest characters have breaking points.

Letitia Wright

Letitia Wright carries a heavy emotional load in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’. She played a sister and daughter consuming herself with grief and a desire for vengeance. Her journey from lighthearted scientist to a woman burdened by loss was the emotional core of the film. Wright conveys anger and sadness with a burning intensity. She captures the feeling of a young person forced to grow up too fast due to tragedy.

Sheila Atim

Sheila Atim is a Ugandan-British actress and composer with a striking presence. Her role in ‘The Woman King’ showcased her as a trusted advisor and warrior facing her own mortality. She brings a soulful wisdom to her characters that feels ancient and deep. Atim uses her physicality to express the toll of a life lived in conflict. Her quiet moments often hold the most emotional weight in her films.

Moses Ingram

Moses Ingram made a splash in ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ as a supportive friend in an orphanage. She brings a grounded reality to her roles that contrasts well with heightened drama. Ingram conveys the resilience of women who have limited options but unlimited spirit. Her ability to find joy amidst sorrow makes her characters endearing. She creates a sense of intimacy that makes her emotional scenes hit hard.

Please share which performance moved you the most in the comments.