The 53rd annual NAACP Image Awards announced its nominees for this year’s ceremony.
Hosted by Kyla Pratt, Blackish’s Marcus Scribner and Tinashe, the nominees were revealed via Instagram Live, which seems to be the go-to standard these days thanks to Da’Rona’s seemingly never-ending reign. However, it doesn’t seem like the pandemic will do much to slow this year’s awards down as the winners are still set to be announced during a live, two-hour special on Feb. 26, hosted by Anthony Anderson.
Now since this is the NAACP Image Awards, there’s almost no need for me to emphasize the Blackity-black nominees as most of them are already of the persuasion. But, we’re still gonna get into all this melanated excellence and run down these names for you in our usual excited and congratulatory fashion. Want to hear it? Here it goes:
Let’s start off with the Movie category, shall we? Congratulations are in order for Judas and the Black Messiah, King Richard, Respect, The Harder They Fall and The United States vs. Billie Holiday, which are all nominated for Outstanding Motion Picture.
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture nominees include: Denzel Washington for The Tragedy of Macbeth, Jonathan Majors for The Harder They Fall, LaKeith Stanfield for Judas and the Black Messiah, Mahershala Ali for Swan Song and Will Smith for King Richard.
The lovely ladies nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture are Andra Day for The United States vs. Billie Holiday, Halle Berry for Bruised, Jennifer Hudson for Respect, Tessa Thompson for Passing, and Zendaya for Malcolm & Marie.
For Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture, the nominees include: Algee Smith and Daniel Kaluuya for Judas and the Black Messiah and Delroy Lindo, Idris Elba and LaKeith Stanfiled for The Harder They Fall.
Congratulations are also in order for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture nominees which include: Aunjanue Ellis for King Richard, Audra McDonald for Respect, Danielle Deadwyler and Regina King for The Harder They Fall, and Dominique Fishback for Judas and the Black Messiah.
More Movie nominees per press release sent to The Root:
Outstanding Independent Motion Picture
- American Skin (Vertical Entertainment)
- Bruised (Netflix)
- CODA (Apple TV+)
- Test Pattern (Kino Lorber)
- The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain (RedBird Entertainment)
Outstanding International Motion Picture
- 7 Prisoners (Netflix)
- African America (Netflix)
- Eyimofe (This is My Desire) (Janus Films)
- Flee (Neon / Participant)
- The Gravedigger’s Wife (Orange Studio)
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture
- Ariana DeBose - West Side Story (20th Century Studios)
- Danny Boyd, Jr. - Bruised (Netflix)
- Jalon Christian - A Journal For Jordan (Columbia Pictures)
- Lonnie Chavis - The Water Man (RLJE Films)Sheila Atim - Bruised (Netflix)
Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture
- Coming 2 America (Paramount Releasing/Amazon Studios)
- Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros. Pictures)
- King Richard (Warner Bros. Pictures)
- Respect (Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures/United Artists Releasing)
- The Harder They Fall (Netflix)
Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture)
- Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson - Summer Of Soul (...Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (Searchlight Pictures, Onyx Collective, Hulu)
- Jamila Wignot - Ailey (Neon)
- Jeymes Samuel - The Harder They Fall (Netflix)
- Liesl Tommy - Respect (Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures/United Artists Releasing)
- Rebecca Hall - Passing (Netflix)
Moving on to the Television and Streaming category, nominees for Outstanding Comedy Series include: Black-ish, Harlem, Insecure, Run the World, and The Upshaws.
Congrats are also in order for Anthony Anderson, , Cedric the Entertainer, Don Cheadle, Elisha ‘EJ’ Williams, and Jay Ellis who are all nominated for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series for their roles in Black-ish, The Neighborhood, Black Monday, The Wonder Years, and Insecure, respectively.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series nominees include: Andre Braugher (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Deon Cole (black-ish), Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live), Kendrick Sampson (Insecure), and Laurence Fishburne (black-ish)
On the Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series front, claps and snaps are due to Issa Rae (Insecure), Loretta Devine (Family Reunion), Regina Hall (Black Monday), Tracee Ellis Ross (black-ish), and Yvonne Orji (Insecure).
Nominees for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series are: Amanda Seales (Insecure), Jenifer Lewis (black-ish), Marsai Martin (black-ish), Natasha Rothwell (Insecure), and Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws).
In the Outstanding Drama Series category, shows like 9-1-1, All American, Godfather of Harlem, Pose and Queen Sugar were all recognized.
Big shoutouts go to Billy Porter, Damson Idris, Forest Whitaker, Kofi Siriboe, and Sterling K. Brown who are all up for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series for their roles in Pose, Snowfall, Godfather of Harlem, Queen Sugar and This Is Us, respectively.
The ladies were also bringing the drama this year, namely Angela Bassett, Dawn-Lyen Gardner, Octavia Spencer, Queen Latifah, and Rutina Wesley who are all up for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series for their roles in 9-1-1, Queen Sugar, Truth Be Told, and The Equalizer.
Nominees for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series include: Alex R. Hibbert (The Chi), Cliff “Method Man” Smith (Power Book II: Ghost), Daniel Ezra (All American), Giancarlo Esposito (Godfather of Harlem), and Joe Morton (Our Kind of People). Nominees for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series are Alfre Woodard (SEE), Bianca Lawson - (Queen Sugar), Chandra Wilson (Grey’s Anatomy), Mary J. Blige (Power Book II: Ghost) and Susan Kelechi Watson (This is Us).
More Television nominees per press release:
Outstanding Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
- Colin in Black & White - (Netflix)
- Genius: Aretha - (National Geographic)
- Love Life - (HBO Max)
- Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia - (Lifetime)
- The Underground Railroad - (Amazon Studios)
Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
- Anthony Mackie - Solos (Amazon Studios)
- Jaden Michael - Colin in Black & White (Netflix)
- Kevin Hart - True Story (Netflix)
- Wesley Snipes - True Story (Netflix)
- William Jackson Harper - Love Life (HBO Max)
Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
- Betty Gabriel - Clickbait (Netflix)
- Cynthia Erivo - Genius: Aretha (National Geographic)
- Danielle Brooks - Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia (Lifetime)
- Jodie Turner-Smith - Anne Boleyn (AMC+)
- Taraji P. Henson - Annie Live! (NBC)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
- Courtney B. Vance - Genius: Aretha (National Geographic)
- Keith David - Black As Night (Amazon Studios)
- Tituss Burgess - Annie Live! (NBC)
- Will Catlett - True Story (Netflix)
- William Jackson Harper - The Underground Railroad (Amazon Studios)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
- Anika Noni Rose - Maid (Netflix)
- Natasha Rothwell - The White Lotus (HBO)
- Pauletta Washington - Genius: Aretha (National Geographic)
- Regina Hall - Nine Perfect Strangers (Hulu)
- Sheila Atim - The Underground Railroad (Amazon Studios)
Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)
- Blood on Black Wall Street: The Legacy of the Tulsa Massacre (NBC)
- NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (NBC)
- Soul of A Nation (ABC)
- The Reidout (MSNBC)
- Unsung (TV One)
Outstanding Talk Series
- Desus & Mero (Showtime)
- Hart to Heart (Peacock)
- Red Table Talk (Facebook Watch)
- Tamron Hall (Syndicated)
- The Real (Syndicated)
Outstanding Reality Program, Reality Competition or Game Show (Series)
- Celebrity Family Feud (ABC)
- Iyanla: Fix My Life (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
- Sweet Life: Los Angeles (HBO Max)
- The Voice (NBC)
- Wild ‘n Out (VH1)
Outstanding Variety Show (Series or Special)
- A Black Lady Sketch Show (HBO)
- BET Awards 2021 (BET)
- Dave Chappelle: The Closer (Netflix)
- Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 3 (Amazon Studios)
- The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)
Last but not least is the Music category and since this nomination list is already LONG AF, we’re just gonna hit you with the big four: Outstanding New Artist, Female Artist, Male Artist and Outstanding album.
Outstanding New Artist nominees include: Cynthia Erivo , Jimmie Allen, Saweetie, Tems, and Zoe Wees.
Nominees for Outstanding Male Artist include: Anthony Hamilton, Drake, Givēon, J. Cole, and Lil Nas X while Outstanding Female Artist nominees include: H.E.R., Ari Lennox, Beyoncé, Chlöe, and Jazmine Sullivan.
Finally major shoutouts go to the nominees for Outstanding album which include: Silk Sonic’s An Evening with Silk Sonic, H.E.R.’s Back of My Mind, Drake’s Certified Lover Boy, Jazmine Sullivan’s Heaux Tales and When It’s All Said and Done… Take Time by Givēon.
Other nominees include: Brian Tyree Henry, Eric André, Letitia Wright, Shaka King, Will Berson, Kenny Lucas, Keith Lucas, Janicza Bravo, Jeremy O. Harris, Virgil Williams, Win Rosenfeld, Nia DaCosta, Jordan Peele, Ashley Nicole Black, Issa Rae, Chris Brown, Young Thug, Future, Lil Durk, Latto, Doja Cat, SZA, Tobe Nwigwe, Fat Nwigwe, Cece Winans, Tamela Mann, Kirk Franklin, Sounds of Blackness,, Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, Fireboy DML, Jeymes Samuel, Prentice Penny, Melina Matsoukas, Mario Van Peebles, Shaka King, Spike Lee Sam Pollard and many more.
Set your DVR for the 53rd annual NAACP Image Awards, airing live on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 8p.m.ET only on BET. For the complete list of nominees, head on over to naacpimageawards.net.