PICTURE PERFECT BLACK ACTORS' SUCCESS INSPIRES YOUNGSTERS.

Byline: Jennifer Radcliffe Staff Writer

The eyes of hundreds of young aspiring artists will be glued on Jamie Foxx, Don Cheadle and Morgan Freeman tonight - as the actors will be among a record number of African-Americans nominated for Oscars.

Los Angeles youngsters say the red-carpet recognition of African-American artists shows progress is being made and gives them confidence to pursue careers in the ultra-competitive industry.

``It opens the door for me, for when I get older, to win an Oscar,'' said 12-year-old Marcus Hawkins-Dungey of Baldwin Hills, who finished filming a role in his first movie this past week.

The young actor already has plans to take his mom as his date to his first Academy Awards show someday. But tonight, Marcus will be watching from home and pulling for Foxx, along with Leonardo DiCaprio - an indication that quality performances outweigh race for today's youth.

Artists of all ages, however, say they're pleased that African-American artists are being honored for meaningful roles. In the 77-year history of the Academy Awards, only a handful of African-American artists have won top categories.

In 2002, Halle Berry became the first African-American to win the Best Actress award, with her role in ``Monster's Ball,'' and Denzel Washington was honored as Best Actor for ``Training Day.''

Tonight, comedian Chris Rock will host the ceremony and African-American nominees will be seen in several categories - both nods that Los Angeles students appreciate.

``I used to not watch the Oscars because African-Americans were not nominated,'' said Mary Washington, 17, a junior and aspiring gospel singer at Jefferson High School in Los Angeles. ``Now, we're the headliners, the showcasers. Now we have our names on the billboard ... We've come a long way. We really have.''

While Washington wishes African-Americans had more momentum and role models outside of just entertainment and athletics, she said she will be pulling for Foxx.

The changing tide encourages students of all races to try out the arts, said Steven McCarthy, director of the Drama Conservatory at San Fernando Middle School, where more than 97 percent of students are Latino.

Across the Los Angeles Unified School District, about 72 percent of the district's nearly 730,000 students are Latino, 12 percent are African- American and 9 percent are white.

``I definitely see much more acceptance,'' said McCarthy, whose 200 students have performed ``The Diary of Anne Frank,'' ``Cinderella'' and other pieces.

``And it doesn't have to be a white girl with blond hair playing Cinderella,'' he said.

Bennet Guillory, artistic director and producer of The Robey Theatre Company in Sherman Oaks, said he watches closely how Hollywood portrays minorities. While the progress has been slow to come, it's definite, he said.

``There's conversations that we should have had 50 years ago that we're just having now,'' he said. ``The idea of diversity is not limited to pigmentations. It's about ideas. We have to really put that forth.''

Trails have already been blazed by performers like Paul Robeson and Danny Glover, he said. Foxx and other nominees reinforce the idea, however, that anyone can succeed with ``hard work, perseverance and some downright luck,'' he said.

No one will be cheering harder for Foxx tonight than Tarzana's C.J. Sanders, who portrayed the young Ray Charles. The 8-year-old is also a regular on ``Six Feet Under.''

``I'm going to pray and hope Jamie wins. If he does, I'm just going to scream,'' said C.J., who's become close with Foxx since acting alongside him in ``Ray'' two years ago.

``He's a role model to everybody. He's good. He just wants to make everybody laugh,'' said C.J., who dreams of being an actor only until his plan to be an NFL quarterback materializes.

Foxx's success shows ``you can win an Oscar if you try your best,'' C.J. said. It also shows ``it doesn't matter about color. It's what's inside.''

Jennifer Radcliffe, [phone]

jennifer.radcliffe(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

4 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) C.J. Sanders of Tarzana played the young Ray Charles in ``Ray.'' ``I'm going to pray and hope Jamie wins,'' he said.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer

(2 -- color) Marcus Hawkins-Dungey, 12, just finished filming a role in his first movie. He feels this year's black nominees have opened the door for him to someday be considered by the Academy.

David Sprague/Staff Photographer

(3 -- color) Technician Rickey Roberts puts the finishing touches of gold paint on an Oscar statuette outside the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood on Saturday in preparation for the 77th Academy Awards.

Win McNames

Getty Images

(4 -- color) Valley actor C.J. Sanders portrays young Ray Charles as he learns to play the piano in the Best Picture nominee ``Ray.''