51st NAACP Image Awards: ‘Just Mercy,’ ‘Black-ish’ Dominate, Kobe Bryant Celebrated
The winners of the 51st NAACP Image Awards were announced last night during a live broadcast on BET, from the Pasadena Civic Center Auditorium in California. The live special was hosted by “Black-ish” star Anthony Anderson, who also doubled as a nominee.
The big winners of the night were “Just Mercy” in the motion picture categories, and “Black-ish” in the television categories. “Just Mercy” took home four trophies, including the top award of the night for Outstanding Motion Picture, as well as Outstanding Actor for Michael B. Jordan, and Outstanding Supporting Actor for Jamie Foxx.
Meanwhile, “Black-ish” topped all television winners for the second year in a row, with six awards, including Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series for Anderson, Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for Tracee Ellis Ross, and Outstanding Comedy Series.
Additional winning highlights included Ava DuVernay’s critically acclaimed limited series “When They See Us,” which home the award for Outstanding Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special, while Jharrel Jerome and Niecy Nash won for their roles in the Netflix series about the Exonerated Five.
Angela Bassett and Omari Hardwick won top dramatic acting honors for their roles in “9-1-1” and “Power” respectively.
And OWN’s “Greenleaf” won Outstanding Drama Series.
Finally, Lizzo was honored as the NAACP Entertainer of the Year; US Congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis (D-Georgia), who celebrated his 80th birthday on Friday, was recognized with the NAACP Chairman’s Award and Rihanna was presented with the President’s Award, which is given in recognition of a special achievement and distinguished public service.
The ceremony also paid tribute to basketball star Kobe Bryant, who passed away last month in a tragic helicopter accident. The tribute included replaying of an audio recording of his farewell speech after his last NBA game at the Staples Center in 2016, when he spoke his famous last words, “What can I say? Mamba out.”
In bold below are the winners in the main television and film categories:
Outstanding Motion Picture
• “Dolemite is My Name” (Netflix)
• “Harriet” (Focus Features)
• “Just Mercy” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• “Queen & Slim” (Universal Pictures)
• “Us” (Universal Pictures)
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
• Chadwick Boseman – “21 Bridges” (STX Films)
• Daniel Kaluuya – “Queen & Slim” (Universal Pictures)
• Eddie Murphy – “Dolemite is My Name” (Netflix)
• Michael B. Jordan – “Just Mercy” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Winston Duke – “Us” (Universal Pictures)
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
• Alfre Woodard – “Clemency” (Neon)
• Cynthia Erivo – “Harriet” (Focus Features)
• Jodie Turner-Smith – “Queen & Slim” (Universal Pictures)
• Lupita Nyong’o – “Us” (Universal Pictures)
• Naomie Harris – “Black and Blue” (Screen Gems/Sony Pictures)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
• Jamie Foxx – “Just Mercy” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Leslie Odom, Jr. – “Harriet” (Focus Features)
• Sterling K. Brown – “Waves” (A24)
• Tituss Burgess – “Dolemite Is My Name” (Netflix)
• Wesley Snipes – “Dolemite Is My Name” (Netflix)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
• Da’Vine Joy Randolph – “Dolemite is My Name” (Netflix)
• Janelle Monáe – “Harriet” (Focus Features)
• Jennifer Lopez – “Hustlers” (STX Films)
• Marsai Martin – “Little” (Universal Pictures)
• Octavia Spencer – “Luce” (Neon)
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in Motion Picture
• Cynthia Erivo – “Harriet” (Focus Features)
• Jodie Turner-Smith – “Queen & Slim” (Universal Pictures)
• Marsai Martin – “Little” (Universal Pictures)
• Rob Morgan – “Just Mercy” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Shahadi Wright Joseph – “Us” (Universal Pictures)
Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture
• “Dolemite is My Name” (Netflix)
• “Harriet” (Focus Features)
• “Just Mercy” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• “Queen & Slim” (Universal Pictures)
• “Us” (Universal Pictures)
Outstanding Independent Motion Picture
• “Clemency” (Neon)
• “Dolemite is My Name” (Netflix)
• “Luce”(Neon)
• “Queen & Slim” (Universal Pictures)
• “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” (Netflix)
TELEVISION CATEGORIES
Outstanding Comedy Series
• “Ballers” (HBO)
• “Black-ish” (ABC)
• “Dear White People” (Netflix)
• “Grown-ish” (Freeform)
• “The Neighborhood” (CBS)
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
• Anthony Anderson – “black-ish” (ABC)
• Cedric The Entertainer – “the Neighborhood” (CBS)
• Don Cheadle – “Black Monday” (Showtime)
• Dwayne Johnson – “Ballers” (HBO)
• Tracy Morgan – “The Last O.G.” (TBS)
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
• Logan Browning – “Dear White People” (Netflix)
• Jill Scott – “First Wives Club” (BET+)
• Tiffany Haddish – “The Last O.G.” (TBS)
• Tracee Ellis Ross – “Black-ish” (ABC)
• Yara Shahidi – “Grown-ish” (Freeform)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
• Andre Braugher – “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (NBC)
• Deon Cole – “Black-ish” (ABC)
• Laurence Fishburne – “Black-ish” (ABC)
• Terry Crews – “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (NBC)
• Tituss Burgess – “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” (Netflix)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
• Halle Bailey – “Grown-ish” (Freeform)
• Loretta Devine – “Family Reunion” (Netflix)
• Marsai Martin – “Black-ish” (ABC)
• Regina Hall – “Black Monday” (Showtime)
• Tichina Arnold – “The Neighborhood” (CBS)
Outstanding Drama Series
• “Godfather of Harlem” (EPIX)
• “Greenleaf” (OWN)
• “Queen Sugar” (OWN)
• “The Chi” (Showtime)
• “Watchmen” (HBO)
Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
• Billy Porter – “Pose” (FX Networks)
• Forest Whitaker – “Godfather of Harlem” (EPIX)
• Kofi Siriboe – “Queen Sugar” (OWN)
• Omari Hardwick – “Power” (Starz)
• Sterling K. Brown – “This Is Us” (NBC)
Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
• Angela Bassett – “9-1-1” (FOX)
• Regina King – “Watchmen” (HBO)
• Rutina Wesley – “Queen Sugar” (OWN)
• Simone Missick – “All Rise” (CBS)
• Viola Davis – “How to Get Away with Murder” (ABC)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
• Delroy Lindo – “The Good Fight” (CBS All Access)
• Giancarlo Esposito – “Godfather of Harlem” (EPIX)
• Harold Perrineau – “Claws” (TNT)
• Nigél Thatch – “Godfather of Harlem” (EPIX)
• Wendell Pierce – “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” (Prime Video)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
• CCH Pounder – “NCIS: New Orleans” (CBS)
• Lynn Whitfield – “Greenleaf” (OWN)
• Lyric Ross – “This Is Us” (NBC)
• Susan Kelechi Watson – “This Is Us” (NBC)
• Tina Lifford – “Queen Sugar” (OWN)
Outstanding Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
• “American Son” (Netflix)
• “Being Mary Jane” (BET Networks)
• “Native Son” (HBO)
• “True Detective” (HBO)
• “When They See Us” (Netflix)
Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
• Caleel Harris – “When They See Us” (Netflix)
• Ethan Henry Herisse – “When They See Us” (Netflix)
• Idris Elba – “Luther” (BBC America)
• Jharrel Jerome – “When They See Us” (Netflix)
• Mahershala Ali – “True Detective” (HBO)
Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
• Aunjanue Ellis – “When They See Us” (Netflix)
• Gabrielle Union – “Being Mary Jane” (BET Networks)
• Kerry Washington – “American Son” (Netflix)
• Niecy Nash – “When They See Us” (Netflix)
• Octavia Spencer – “Truth Be Told” (Apple TV+)
For the full list of winners, visit the NAACP Image Awards site.
