NAACP Image Award Honors to Be Presented During Two-Hour Televised Special at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium Saturday

“King Richard,” “Judas and the Black Messiah” and “The Harder They Fall” will be among the competitors for top film honors Saturday evening at the 53rd NAACP Image Awards held in the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, with Jennifer Hudson, Denzel Washington and Will Smith up for top acting honors.

The awards celebrate “outstanding achievements and performances of people of color” in categories including film, television, music, literature and podcasts.

The top film honors will be presented Saturday night during a two-hour televised special hosted by Anthony Anderson at the Pasadena Civic. The bulk of the awards in the television, music and other categories were handed out during a series of pre-telecast virtual ceremonies over the past five days.

There will not be a formal live ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hudson is among the five nominees for entertainer of the year, along with Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Nas X, Regina King and Tiffany Haddish.

Competing for best motion picture will be “Judas and the Black Messiah,” “King Richard,” “Respect,” “The Harder They Fall” and “The United States vs. Billie Holiday.”

Denzel Washington and Will Smith are both nominated for best actor in a motion picture for their work in “The Tragedy of Macbeth” and “King Richard,” respectively. Also nominated are Jonathan Majors for “The Harder They Fall,” LaKeith Stanfield for “Judas and the Black Messiah” and Mahershala Ali for “Swan Song.”

Hudson is also up for a best actress award for “Respect.” She is being challenged in the category by Andra Day for “The United States vs. Billie Holiday,” Halle Berry for “Bruised,” Tessa Thompson for “Passing” and Zendaya for “Malcolm & Marie.”

During the ceremony, Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, will receive a President’s Award in recognition of their dedication to public service. The Duke and Duchess will also join with the NAACP to present the inaugural NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award to Safiya Noble, a professor of gender studies and African-American studies at UCLA. The award recognizes “leaders creating transformational change — at the intersection of social justice and technology — to advance civil and human rights.”

Also during the event, Samuel L. Jackson will receive a Chairman’s Award in recognition of his public service and advocacy for social change. Nikole Hannah-Jones, Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of the 1619 Project, will receive the Social Justice Impact Award.

Fresh off her recent performance during the Super Bowl LVI halftime show, Mary J. Blige will perform during the Image Awards telecast, which will air on BET, tape delayed at 8 p.m. on the West Coast. Among those scheduled to serve as presenters during the telecast are Issa Rae, Kerry Washington, LL Cool J, Michael Strahan, Morgan Freeman, Paula Patton, Questlove, Simu Liu, Tiffany Haddish and Zendaya.

Here is a complete list of nominees, along with winners already announced this week:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Jennifer Hudson

Lil Nas X

Megan Thee Stallion

Regina King

Tiffany Haddish

MOTION PICTURE CATEGORIES

Outstanding Motion Picture

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)

The United States vs. Billie Holiday (Hulu Original / New Slate Ventures / Lee Daniels Entertainment / Roth-Krischenbaum Films)

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture

Denzel Washington – The Tragedy of Macbeth (Apple TV+ / A24)

Jonathan Majors – The Harder They Fall (Netflix)

LaKeith Stanfield – Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Mahershala Ali – Swan Song (Apple TV+)

Will Smith – King Richard (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture

Andra Day – The United States vs. Billie Holiday (Hulu Original / New Slate Ventures / Lee Daniels Entertainment / Roth-Krischenbaum Films)

Halle Berry – Bruised (Netflix)

Jennifer Hudson – Respect (Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures/United Artists Releasing)

Tessa Thompson – Passing (Netflix)

Zendaya – Malcolm & Marie (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

Daniel Kaluuya – Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture

Regina King – The Harder They Fall (Netflix)

Outstanding Independent Motion Picture

CODA (Apple TV+)

Outstanding International Motion Picture

7 Prisoners (Netflix)

Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture

Danny Boyd, Jr. – Bruised (Netflix)

Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture

The Harder They Fall (Netflix)

Outstanding Animated Motion Picture

Encanto (Walt Disney Studios)

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – Motion Picture

Letitia Wright – Sing 2 (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Short-Form (Live Action)

When The Sun Sets (Lakutshon’ Ilanga) (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Short-Form (Animated)

Us Again (Walt Disney Animation Studios)

Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture)

Jeymes Samuel – The Harder They Fall (Netflix)

TELEVISION + STREAMING CATEGORIES

Outstanding Comedy Series

`black-ish (ABC)

Harlem (Amazon Studios)

Insecure (HBO)

Run the World (Starz)

The Upshaws (Netflix)

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series

Anthony Anderson – `black-ish (ABC)

Cedric the Entertainer – The Neighborhood (CBS)

Don Cheadle – Black Monday (Showtime)

Elisha ‘EJ’ Williams – The Wonder Years (ABC)

Jay Ellis – Insecure (HBO)

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series

Issa Rae – Insecure (HBO)

Loretta Devine – Family Reunion (Netflix)

Regina Hall – Black Monday (Showtime)

Tracee Ellis Ross – `black-ish (ABC)

Yvonne Orji – Insecure (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Deon Cole – `black-ish (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Natasha Rothwell – Insecure (HBO)

Outstanding Drama Series

Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series

Billy Porter – Pose (FX Network)

Damson Idris – Snowfall (FX Network)

Forest Whitaker – Godfather of Harlem (EPIX)

Kofi Siriboe – Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Sterling K. Brown – This is Us (NBC)

Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series

Angela Bassett – 9-1-1 (FOX)

Dawn-Lyen Gardner – Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Octavia Spencer – Truth Be Told (Apple TV+)

Queen Latifah – The Equalizer (CBS)

Rutina Wesley – Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Cliff “Method Man” Smith – Power Book II: Ghost (Starz)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Mary J. Blige – Power Book II: Ghost (Starz)

Outstanding Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special

Colin in Black & White – (Netflix)

Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special

Kevin Hart – True Story (Netflix)

Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special

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)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special

Regina Hall – Nine Perfect Strangers (Hulu)

Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)

The Reidout (MSNBC)

Outstanding Talk Series

Red Table Talk (Facebook Watch)

Outstanding Reality Program, Reality Competition or Game Show (Series)

Wild ‘n Out (VH1)

Outstanding Variety Show (Series or Special)

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)

Outstanding Children’s Program

Family Reunion (Netflix)

Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited-Series)

Miles Brown – `black-ish (ABC)

Outstanding Host in a Talk or News/Information (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble

Jada Pinkett Smith, Adrienne Banfield-Norris, Willow Smith – Red Table Talk (Facebook Watch)

Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble

Trevor Noah – The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)

Outstanding Guest Performance

Maya Rudolph – Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Outstanding Animated Series

We The People (Netflix)

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television)

Cree Summer – Rugrats (Nickelodeon)

Outstanding Short Form Series – Comedy or Drama

Between the Scenes – The Daily Show (Comedy Central)

Outstanding Short Form Series or Special – Reality/Nonfiction

Lynching Postcards: Token of a Great Day (Paramount+)

Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television)

Angel Kristi Williams – Colin in Black & White (Netflix)

RECORDING CATEGORIES

Outstanding New Artist

Saweetie – Best Friend feat. Doja Cat (ICY / Warner Records)

Outstanding Male Artist

Anthony Hamilton – Love Is The New Black (My Music Box LLC / BMG)

Outstanding Female Artist

Jazmine Sullivan – Heaux Tales (RCA Records)

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album

Overcomer – Tamela Mann (Tillymann Music Group)

Outstanding International Song

Essence – Wizkid feat. Tems and Justin Bieber (RCA Records / Starboy / Sony Music International)

Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album

Essence – Wizkid feat. Tems (RCA Records / Starboy / Sony Music International)

Outstanding Album

Heaux Tales – Jazmine Sullivan (RCA Records)

Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album

The Harder They Fall (The Motion Picture Soundtrack) – JAY-Z and Jeymes Samuel (Geneva Club / Roc Nation Records, LLC)

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song

Help Me – Tamela Mann feat. The Fellas (Tillymann Music Group)

Outstanding Jazz Album – Instrumental

Sounds from the Ancestors – Kenny Garrett (Mack Avenue Music Group)

Outstanding Jazz Album – Vocal

Generations – The Baylor Project (Be A Light)

Outstanding Soul/R&B Song

Pick Up Your Feelings – Jazmine Sullivan (RCA Records)

Outstanding Hip Hop/Rap Song

Fye Fye – Tobe Nwigwe feat. Fat Nwigwe (Tobe Nwigwe, LLC)

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Traditional)

Silk Sonic – Leave the Door Open (Atlantic / Aftermath)

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Contemporary)

Tobe Nwigwe feat. Fat Nwigwe – Fye Fye (Tobe Nwigwe, LLC)

DOCUMENTARY CATEGORIES

Outstanding Documentary (Film)

Barbara Lee: Speaking Truth to Power (Greenwich Entertainment)

Outstanding Documentary (Television)

High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America (Netflix)

WRITING CATEGORIES

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series

Issa Rae – Insecure -“Everything’s Gonna Be, Okay?!” (HBO)

Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series

Davita Scarlett – The Good Fight – “And the Firm Had Two Partners*” (Paramount+)

Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie or Special

Abdul Williams – Salt-N-Pepa (Lifetime Movie Network)

Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture

Shaka King, Will Berson, Kenny Lucas, Keith Lucas – Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros. Pictures)

DIRECTING CATEGORIES

Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series

Bashir Salahuddin, Diallo Riddle – South Side – “Tornado” (HBO Max)

Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series

Barry Jenkins – The Underground Railroad – “Indiana Winter” (Amazon Studios)

Outstanding Directing in a Television Movie or Special

Kenny Leon – Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia (Lifetime)

Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture

Shaka King – Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Directing in a Documentary (Television or Motion Picture)

Samantha Knowles, Yoruba Richen, Geeta Gandbhir, Nadia Hallgren – Black and Missing (HBO)

LITERARY CATEGORIES

Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction

Long Division – Kiese Laymon (Simon & Schuster)

Outstanding Literary Work – Nonfiction

The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story – Nikole Hannah-Jones (Penguin Random House)

Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author

Just As I Am – Cicely Tyson (Amistad)

Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/Autobiography

Will – Will Smith (Penguin Random House)

Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional

Feeding the Soul (Because It’s My Business) – Tabitha Brown (HarperCollins Publishers)

Outstanding Literary Work – Poetry

Perfect Black – Crystal Wilkinson (University Press of Kentucky)

Outstanding Literary Work – Children

Stacey’s Extraordinary Words – Stacey Abrams, Kitt Thomas (HarperCollins)

Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens

Ace of Spades – Faridah *bíké-Íyímídé (Feiwel & Friends / Macmillan)

PODCAST CATEGORIES

Outstanding News and Information Podcast

Blindspot: Tulsa Burning

Outstanding Lifestyle/Self-Help Podcast

Two Funny Mamas: Sherri Shepherd & Kym Whitley

Outstanding Society and Culture Podcast

Jemele Hill is Unbothered

Outstanding Arts and Entertainment Podcast

Jemele Hill is Unbothered

SOCIAL MEDIA PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

@Euniquejg – Eunique Jones GIbson

@KevOnStage – Kevin Fredericks

@Laronhinesofficial – Laron Hines

@_Lyneezy – Lanae Vanee

@Terrellgrice – Terrell Grice