'Wakanda Forever,' 'Abbott,' Beyonce up for NAACP Image Awards

A woman in a movie costume that includes a futuristic hat stares ahead with a serious expression

By Nardine SaadStaff Writer

Jan. 12, 2023 2:06 PM PT

Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” and Sony Pictures’ “The Woman King” led the 54th NAACP Image Awards nominations Thursday, scoring 12 and nine nominations, respectively.

In television, ABC’s Philadelphia school-set comedy “Abbott Elementary” led the small-screen and streaming nominations with nine nods, including entertainer of the year recognition for star and creator Quinta Brunson.

“Wakanda Forever” and “The Woman King” are up against Netflix’s “A Jazzman’s Blues,” Apple’s Will Smith drama “Emancipation” and Universal’s Emmett Till biopic “Till.”

“Abbott Elementary” will face off against FX’s “Atlanta,” HBO Max’s “Rap Sh!t” and fellow ABC comedies “black-ish” and the rebooted “The Wonder Years” for outstanding TV comedy. On the drama side, Peacock’s “Bel-Air,” Netflix’s “Bridgerton,” HBO Max’s “Euphoria,” Starz’s “P-Valley” and OWN’s “Queen Sugar” will vie for the drama prize.

Along with Brunson, “Wakanda Forever” and “9-1-1” star Angela Bassett, musician Mary J. Blige, “The Woman King” star Viola Davis and “Euphoria” star Zendaya were nominated for entertainer of the year.

In the music categories, Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar tied for the most nominations with five nods apiece and will be going head-to-head in the album and music video/visual album categories.

The NAACP Image Awards is an “annual celebration of Black excellence,” the organization said, and also recognizes work across news, literary publishing and podcasting. Voting is done by the public and runs through Feb. 10.

Winners will be announced at a Feb. 25 ceremony at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. The show will air live on the East Coast on BET and will be rebroadcast on the West Coast at 8 p.m. Pacific time. (The NAACP also will recognize winners in nontelevised Image Awards categories online between Feb. 20 and Feb. 24.)

“This year’s nominees have conveyed a wide range of authentic stories and diverse experiences that have resonated with many in our community, and we’re proud to recognize their outstanding achievements and performances,” said Derrick Johnson, president and chief executive of the NAACP.

“We take pride in recognizing the trailblazing achievements and artistry of this year’s esteemed nominees and celebrating the powerful legacy of the NAACP,” added Connie Orlando, BET’s executive vice president of specials, music programming and music strategy. “We look forward to bringing the Image Awards back to Pasadena in front of a live audience and delivering unforgettable moments that epitomize the brilliance of the Black community.”

Here are nominees in notable categories. Click here for the complete list of nominees.

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

Angela Bassett
Mary J. Blige
Quinta Brunson
Viola Davis
Zendaya

MOTION PICTURES

Outstanding motion picture

“A Jazzman’s Blues”
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
“Emancipation”
“The Woman King”
“Till”

Actor in a motion picture

Daniel Kaluuya, “Nope”
Jonathan Majors, “Devotion”
Joshua Boone, “A Jazzman’s Blues”
Sterling K. Brown, “Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.”
Will Smith, “Emancipation”

Actress in a motion picture

Danielle Deadwyler, “Till”
Keke Palmer, “Alice”
Letitia Wright, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
Regina Hall, “Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.”
Viola Davis, “The Woman King”

Supporting actor in a motion picture

Aldis Hodge, “Black Adam”
Cliff “Method Man” Smith, “On the Come Up”
Jalyn Hall, “Till”
John Boyega, “The Woman King”
Tenoch Huerta, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”

Supporting actress in a motion picture

Angela Bassett, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
Danai Gurira, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
Janelle Monáe, “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”
Lashana Lynch, “The Woman King”
Lupita Nyong’o, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”

Independent motion picture

“Breaking”
“Causeway”
“Mr. Malcolm’s List”
“Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story”
“The Inspection”

Animated motion picture

“DC League of Super-Pets”
“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio”
“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”
“Turning Red”
“Wendell & Wild”

TELEVISION + STREAMING

Outstanding comedy series

“Abbott Elementary”
“Atlanta”
“black-ish”
“Rap Sh!t”
“The Wonder Years”

Actor in a comedy series

Anthony Anderson, “black-ish”
Cedric the Entertainer, “The Neighborhood”
Donald Glover, “Atlanta”
Dulé Hill, “The Wonder Years”
Mike Epps, “The Upshaws”

Actress in a comedy series

Loretta Devine, “Family Reunion”
Maya Rudolph, “Loot”
Quinta Brunson, “Abbott Elementary”
Tichina Arnold, “The Neighborhood”
Tracee Ellis Ross, “black-ish”

Supporting actor in a comedy series

Brian Tyree Henry, “Atlanta”
Deon Cole, “black-ish”
Kenan Thompson, “Saturday Night Live”
Tyler James Williams, “Abbott Elementary”
William Stanford Davis, “Abbott Elementary”

Supporting actress in a comedy series

Janelle James, “Abbott Elementary”
Jenifer Lewis, “black-ish”
Marsai Martin, “black-ish”
Sheryl Lee Ralph, “Abbott Elementary”
Wanda Sykes, “The Upshaws”

Outstanding drama series

“Bel-Air”
“Bridgerton”
“Euphoria”
“P-Valley”
“Queen Sugar”

Actor in a drama series

Damson Idris, “Snowfall”
Jabari Banks, “Bel-Air”
Kofi Siriboe, “Queen Sugar”
Nicco Annan, “P-Valley”
Sterling K. Brown, “This Is Us”

Actress in a drama series

Angela Bassett, “9-1-1”
Brandee Evans, “P-Valley”
Queen Latifah, “The Equalizer”
Rutina Wesley, “Queen Sugar”
Zendaya, “Euphoria”

Supporting actor in a drama series

Adrian Holmes, “Bel-Air”
Amin Joseph, “Snowfall”
Caleb McLaughlin, “Stranger Things”
Cliff “Method Man” Smith, “Power Book II: Ghost”
J. Alphonse Nicholson, “P-Valley”

Supporting actress in a drama series

Adjoa Andoh, “Bridgerton”
Bianca Lawson, “Queen Sugar”
Loretta Devine, “P-Valley”
Susan Kelechi Watson, “This Is Us”
Tina Lifford, “Queen Sugar”

Television movie, limited series or dramatic special

“Carl Weber’s The Black Hamptons”
“From Scratch”
“The Best Man: The Final Chapters”
“The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey”
“Women of the Movement”

Actor in a television movie, limited series or dramatic special

Morris Chestnut, “The Best Man: The Final Chapters”
Samuel L. Jackson,– “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey”
Terrence Howard, “The Best Man: The Final Chapters”
Trevante Rhodes, “Mike”
Wendell Pierce, “Don’t Hang Up”

Actress in a television movie, limited-series or dramatic special

Niecy Nash-Betts, “Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story”
Regina Hall, “The Best Man: The Final Chapters”
Sanaa Lathan, “The Best Man: The Final Chapters”
Viola Davis, “The First Lady”
Zoe Saldaña, “From Scratch”

Talk series

“Hart to Heart”
“Red Table Talk”
“Sherri”
“Tamron Hall”
“Uninterrupted: The Shop”

Reality program, reality competition or game show (series)

“Legendary”
“Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls”
“Shark Tank”
“Sweet Life: Los Angeles”
“The Real Housewives of Atlanta”

Variety show (series or special)

“A Black Lady Sketch Show”
“BET Awards 2022”
“Deon Cole: Charleen’s Boy”
“Martin: The Reunion”
“The Daily Show With Trevor Noah”

Animated series

“Central Park”
“Eureka!”
“Gracie’s Corner”
“The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder”
“Zootopia+”

RECORDING

New artist

Adam Blackstone
Armani White
Coco Jones
Fivio Foreign
Steve Lacy

Male artist

Brent Faiyaz, “Wasteland”
Burna Boy, “Love, Damini”
Chris Brown, “Breezy”
Drake, “Honestly, Nevermind”
Kendrick Lamar, “Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers”

Female artist

Ari Lennox, “age/sex/location”
Beyoncé, “Renaissance”
Chlöe, “Surprise”
Jazmine Sullivan, “Hurt Me So Good”
SZA, “S.O.S.”

Album

“age/sex/location,” Ari Lennox
“Breezy (Deluxe),” Chris Brown
“Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers,” Kendrick Lamar
“Renaissance,” Beyoncé
“Watch the Sun,” PJ Morton

DOCUMENTARY

Documentary (film)

“Civil”
“Descendant”
“Is That Black Enough for You?!?”
“Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues”
“Sidney”

Documentary (television)

“Black Love”
“Everything’s Gonna Be All White”
“Frontline”
“Race: Bubba Wallace”
“Shaq”

LITERARY

Literary work — fiction

“Africa Risen: A New Era of Speculative Fiction,” Sheree Renée Thomas
“Light Skin Gone to Waste,” Toni Ann Johnson
“Take My Hand,” Dolen Perkins-Valdez
“The Keeper,” Tananarive Due, Steven Barnes
“You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty,” Akwaeke Emezi

Literary work — nonfiction

“Finding Me,” Viola Davis
“Grace: President Obama and Ten Days in the Battle for America,” Cody Keenan
“Requiem for the Massacre,” RJ Young
“Under the Skin,” Linda Villarosa
“Who’s Black and Why? A Hidden Chapter From the Eighteenth-Century Invention of Race,” Henry Louis Gates, Andrew S. Curran

2023 NAACP Image Awards nominations show love for ‘Wakanda Forever,’ ‘Abbott,’ Beyoncé

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