The 53rd NAACP Image Awards will broadcast Saturday, February 26, 2022 at 8:00 PM, live ET/5:00 PM, live PT) on BET.
The NAACP also recognized winners in non-televised Image Awards categories February 21- February 23, which streamed on www.naacpimageawards.net and during the NAACP Image Awards Dinner, being held February 25 in Los Angeles.
Recognized as the nation’s preeminent multicultural awards show from an African American perspective, the 53rd NAACP Image Awards, presented by Wells Fargo and sponsored by FedEx, celebrates the outstanding achievements and performances of people of color across more than 80 competitive categories spanning film, television + streaming, music, literature, and podcasts.
The awards will also include four new podcast categories: Outstanding News and Information Podcast; Outstanding Lifestyle / Self-Help Podcast; Outstanding Society and Culture Podcast; and Outstanding Arts and Entertainment Podcast.
“Black artists over the past year have not only showcased our history and uplifted values of progressive change, but have also redefined genres and brought our stories to the screen in so many creative ways,” said Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP. “Now more than ever, we need Black voices to push the envelope, educate, and inspire audiences around the world. We’re proud to once again provide a space that both elevates and celebrates these voices through the 53rd NAACP Image Awards.”
“BET is proud to continue our long-standing partnership with the NAACP and amplify their efforts to honor the extraordinary contributions made by the Black community,” said BET President Scott Mills. “We look forward to recognizing Black excellence at this year’s Image Awards on all of our platforms, celebrating those who help tell our distinctive stories in empowering and engaging ways.”
Only submitted work was reviewed for consideration. All entries were evaluated and narrowed to the top five in each category by members of the NAACP Image Awards Nominating Committees, which are comprised of individuals within the entertainment industry (studio/network executives, actors, artists, managers, agents, publicists, journalists, literary agents, and others), as well as NAACP board members, foundation trustees, staff, partners and others.
Multi-NAACP Image Awards winner, and Emmy and Golden Globe nominated actor, Anthony Anderson is host of this year’s awards, as he has for the past eight years. Anderson is the star and executive producer of ABC’s multi-award nominated sitcom “black-ish” where he portrays Andre “Dre” Johnson and hosts the ABC game show “To Tell the Truth.”
One of the most iconic annual celebrations of Black excellence, the NAACP Image Awards draws the biggest and brightest stars in Hollywood. Previous years’ attendees and winners include Rihanna, Lizzo, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Michael B. Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, Jamie Foxx, Chloe x Halle, Regé-Jean Page, Michaela Coel, Cliff “Method Man” Smith, Blair Underwood, Will Smith, Taraji P. Henson and many more.
This year’s Special Awards winners are as follows:
Chairman’s Award
Samuel L. Jackson
Roy Wilkins Civil Rights Award
Mexican American Legislative Caucus
Texas House Democratic Caucus
Texas Legislative Black Caucus
Entertainer of the Year
Jennifer Hudson
Lil Nas X
Megan Thee Stallion
Regina King
Tiffany Haddish
Social Justice Impact Award
Nikole Hannah-Jones
Youth Activist of the Year
Channing Hill
Activist of the Year
Scot X. Esdaile
This year’s motion picture and television nominees are:
Outstanding Motion Picture
“Judas and the Black Messiah”
“King Richard”
“Respect”
“The Harder They Fall”
“The United States vs. Billie Holiday”
Outstanding Directing
in a Motion Picture
Denzel Washington – “A Journal for Jordan”
Jeymes Samuel – “The Harder They Fall”
Lin-Manuel Miranda – “Tick, Tick… Boom!”
Reinaldo Marcus Green – “King Richard”
Shaka King – “Judas and the Black Messiah”
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
Denzel Washington – “The Tragedy of Macbeth”
Jonathan Majors – “The Harder They Fall”
Lakeith Stanfield – “Judas and the Black Messiah”
Mahershala Ali – “Swan Song”
Will Smith – “King Richard”
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Andra Day – “The United States vs. Billie Holiday”
Halle Berry – “Bruised”
Jennifer Hudson – “Respect”
Tessa Thompson – “Passing”
Zendaya – “Malcolm & Marie”
Outstanding Supporting Actor
in a Motion Picture
Algee Smith – “Judas and the Black Messiah”
Daniel Kaluuya – “Judas and the Black Messiah”
Delroy Lindo – “The Harder They Fall”
Idris Elba – “The Harder They Fall”
Lakeith Stanfield – “The Harder They Fall”
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Aunjanue Ellis – “King Richard”
Audra McDonald – “Respect”
Danielle Deadwyler – “The Harder They Fall”
Dominique Fishback– “Judas and the Black Messiah”
Regina King – “The Harder They Fall”
Outstanding International
Motion Picture
“7 Prisoners”
“African America”
“Eyimofe (This is My Desire)”
“Flee”
“The Gravedigger’s Wife”
Outstanding Independent
Motion Picture
“American Skin”
“Bruised”
“CODA”
“Test Pattern”
“The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain”
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance
in a Motion Picture
Ariana DeBose – “West Side Story”
Danny Boyd, Jr. – “Bruised”
Jalon Christian – “A Journal for Jordan”
Lonnie Chavis – “The Water Man”
Sheila Atim – “Bruised”
Outstanding Ensemble Cast
in a Motion Picture
“Coming 2 America”
“Judas and the Black Messiah”
“King Richard”
“Respect”
“The Harder They Fall”
Outstanding Animated Motion Picture “Encanto”
“Luca”
“Raya and the Last Dragon”
“Sing 2”
“Vivo”
Outstanding Character Voice
Performance – Motion Picture
Andre Braugher – “Spirit Untamed”
Awkwafina – “Raya and the Last Dragon”
Brian Tyree Henry – “Vivo”
Eric André – “Sing 2”
Letitia Wright – “Sing 2”
Outstanding Short Form (Live Action) “Aurinko in Adagio”
“Blackout”
“The Ice Cream Stop”
“These Final Hours”
“When The Sun Sets (Lakutshon’ Ilanga)”
Outstanding Short Form (Animated)
“Blush”
“Robin Robin”
“She Dreams at Sunrise”
“Twenty Something”
“Us Again”
Outstanding Breakthrough
Creative (Motion Picture)
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson – “Summer of Soul”
Jamila Wignot – “Ailey”
Jeymes Samuel – “The Harder They Fall”
Liesl Tommy – “Respect”
Rebecca Hall – “Passing”
Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture
Janicza Bravo, Jeremy O. Harris – “Zola”
Jeymes Samuel, Boaz Yakin – “The Harder They Fall”
Shaka King, Will Berson, Kenny Lucas, Keith Lucas – “Judas and the Black Messiah”
Virgil Williams – “A Journal for Jordan”
Win Rosenfeld, Nia DaCosta, Jordan Peele – “Candyman”
Television and Streaming
Outstanding Drama Series
“9-1-1”
“All American”
“Godfather of Harlem”
“Pose”
“Queen Sugar”
Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series Billy Porter – “Pose”
Damson Idris – “Snowfall”
Forest Whitaker – “Godfather of Harlem”
Kofi Siriboe – “Queen Sugar”
Sterling K. Brown – “This Is Us”
Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
Angela Bassett – “9-1-1”
Dawn-Lyen Gardner – “Queen Sugar”
Octavia Spencer – “Truth Be Told”
Queen Latifah – “The Equalizer”
Rutina Wesley – “Queen Sugar”
Outstanding Supporting
Actor in a Drama Series
Alex Hibbert – “The Chi”
Cliff Smith – “Power Book II: Ghost”
Daniel Ezra – “All American”
Giancarlo Esposito – “Godfather of Harlem”
Joe Morton – “Our Kind of People”
Outstanding Supporting Actress
in a Drama Series
Alfre Woodard – “SEE”
Bianca Lawson – “Queen Sugar”
Chandra Wilson – “Grey’s Anatomy”
Mary J. Blige – “Power Book II: Ghost”
Susan Kelechi Watson – “This is Us”
Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series Anthony Hemingway – “Genius”: Aretha: “Respect”
Barry Jenkins – “The Underground Railroad”: “Indiana Winter”
Carl Seaton – “Snowfall”: – “Fight or Flight”
Carl Seaton – “Godfather of Harlem”: – “The Bonanno Split”
Hanelle Culpepper – “True Story”: “Like Cain Did Abel”
Outstanding Writing in a Dramatic Series
Aurin Squire – “Evil”: “C Is For Cop”
Davita Scarlett – “The Good Fight”: “And the Firm Had Two Partners”
Malcolm Spellman – “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”: “New World Order”
Nkechi Okoro Carroll – “All American”: “Homecoming”
Steven Canals, Janet Mock, Our Lady J, Brad Falchuk, Ryan Murphy – “Pose”: “Series Finale”
Outstanding Comedy Series
“Black-ish”
“Harlem”
“Insecure”
“Run the World”
“The Upshaws”
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series Anthony Anderson – “black-ish”
Cedric the Entertainer – “The Neighborhood”
Don Cheadle – “Black Monday”
Elisha ‘EJ’ Williams – “The Wonder Years”
Jay Ellis – “Insecure”
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
Issa Rae – “Insecure”
Loretta Devine – “Family Reunion”
Regina Hall – “Black Monday”
Tracee Ellis Ross – “black-ish”
Yvonne Orji – “Insecure”
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