NAACP Image Awards: Angela Bassett, Kendrick Lamar, Ari Lennox And More Among 2023 Nominations

The nominations for the 2023 NAACP Image Awards have been announced, honoring grand achievements and advancements in the world of arts and entertainment over the last year.

“Throughout the past year, we’ve witnessed Black artists showcasing our history and uplifting values of progressive change, while redefining genres and bringing our stories to the forefront of entertainment in so many innovative ways,” said Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, in a statement. “Black voices are necessary to continually inspire audiences around the world. We’re proud to once again provide a platform that both elevates and celebrates these voices through the 54th NAACP Image Awards.”

A standout year for Black creators in film and television finds films like The Woman King, and Emancipation and shows like Abbott Elementary, Queen Sugar, and Atlanta with multiple nominations in both show and acting categories.

Check out a few of the nominations as follows:

FILM:

Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture

• A Jazzman’s Blues (Netflix)
• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)
• Emancipation (Apple TV)
• The Woman King (Sony Pictures Entertainment)
• TILL (United Artists Releasing/Orion Pictures)

Outstanding Animated Motion Picture

• DC League of Super-Pets (Warner Bros. Pictures / WAG / DC)
• Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Netflix)
• Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (Universal Pictures)
• Turning Red (Pixar Animation Studios)
• Wendell & Wild (Netflix)

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – Motion Picture

• Angela Bassett – Wendell & Wild (Netflix)
• Keke Palmer – Lightyear (Walt Disney Studios)
• Kevin Hart – DC League of Super-Pets (Warner Bros. Pictures / WAG / DC)
• Lyric Ross – Wendell & Wild (Netflix)
• Taraji P. Henson – Minions: The Rise of Gru (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Short-Form (Live Action)

• Dear Mama… (Film Independent)
• Fannie (Chromatic Black)
• Fathead (University of Southern California)
• Incomplete (20th Century Digital, Hulu)
• Pens & Pencils (Wavelength Productions/Black TV & Film Collective)

Outstanding Short-Form (Animated)

• I Knew Superman (Houghtonville Animation)
• More Than I Want To Remember (MTV Entertainment Studios)
• Supercilious (York Cinemas)
• The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse (Apple Studios)
• We Are Here (271 Films)

Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture)

• Elvis Mitchell – Is That Black Enough For You?!? (Netflix)
• Ericka Nicole Malone – Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story (Hulu)
• Krystin Ver Linden – Alice (Vertical Entertainment)
• Mo McRae – A Lot of Nothing (RLJE)
• Stephen Adetumbi, Jarrett Roseborough – This Is My Black (Campus of Pine Forge Academy)

TELEVISION:

Outstanding Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special

• Carl Weber’s The Black Hamptons (BET Networks)
• From Scratch (Netflix)
• The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)
• The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (Apple TV+)
• Women of the Movement (ABC)

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

• Glynn Turman – Women of the Movement (ABC)
• Keith David – From Scratch (Netflix)
• Omar Benson Miller – The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (Apple TV+)
• Russell Hornsby – Mike (Hulu)
• Terrence “TC” Carson – A Wesley Christmas (AMC)

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

• Alexis Floyd – Inventing Anna (Netflix)
• Danielle Deadwyler – From Scratch (Netflix)
• Melissa De Sousa – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)
• Nia Long – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)
• Phylicia Rashad – Little America (Apple TV+)

Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)

• #RolandMartinUnfiltered: Black Votes Matter Election Night 2022 Coverage (Black Star Network/YouTube)
• ABC News 20/20 Michelle Obama: The Light We Carry, A Conversation with Robin Roberts (ABC)
• Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (PBS)
• OWN Spotlight: Viola Davis – The Woman King (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
• The Hair Tales (Hulu)

Outstanding Talk Series

• Hart to Heart (Peacock)
• Red Table Talk (Facebook Watch)
• Sherri (Syndicated)
• Tamron Hall (ABC)
• Uninterrupted: The Shop (YouTube)

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

• Legendary (HBO Max)
• Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls (Amazon Studios)
• Shark Tank (ABC)
• Sweet Life: Los Angeles (HBO Max)
• The Real Housewives of Atlanta (Bravo)

Outstanding Variety Show (Series or Special) 

• A Black Lady Sketch Show (HBO Max)
• BET Awards 2022 (BET Networks)
• Deon Cole: Charleen’s Boy (Netflix)
• Martin: The Reunion (BET Networks)
• The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)

Outstanding Children’s Program

• Family Reunion (Netflix)
• Raising Dion (Netflix)
• Raven’s Home (Disney+)
• Tab Time (YouTube Originals)
• Waffles + Mochi’s Restaurant (Netflix)

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

• Alaya “That Girl Lay Lay” High – That Girl Lay Lay (Nickelodeon)
• Cameron J. Wright – Family Reunion (Netflix)
• Elisha Williams – The Wonder Years (ABC)
• Khali Spraggins – The Upshaws (Netflix)
• Ja’Siah Young – Raising Dion (Netflix)

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)
• Jennifer Hudson – The Jennifer Hudson Show (Syndicated)
• Kevin Hart – Hart to Heart (Peacock)
• Lester Holt – NBC Nightly News (NBC)
• Tracee Ellis Ross – The Hair Tales (Hulu)

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

• Keke Palmer – Password (NBC)
• Lizzo – Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls (Amazon Studios)
• Tabitha Brown – Tab Time (YouTube Originals)
• Taraji P. Henson – BET Awards 2022 (BET Networks)
• Trevor Noah – The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)

Outstanding Guest Performance

• Amanda Gorman – Sesame Street (HBO Max)
• Chance the Rapper – South Side (HBO Max)
• Colman Domingo – Euphoria (HBO Max)
• Glynn Turman – Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
• Gabourey Sidibe – American Horror Stories (FX)

Outstanding Animated Series

• Central Park (Apple TV+)
• Eureka! (Disney Junior)
• Gracie’s Corner (YouTube)
• The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney+)
• Zootopia+ (Disney+)

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television)

• Billy Porter – The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney+)
• Cedric the Entertainer – The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney+)
• Chris Bridges – Karma’s World (Netflix)
• Cree Summer – Rugrats (Nickelodeon)
• Kyla Pratt – The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney+)

Outstanding Short Form Series – Comedy or Drama 

• Between The Scenes – The Daily Show (Comedy Central)
• Oh Hell No! With Marlon Wayans (Facebook Watch)
• Rise Up, Sing Out (Disney+)
• Sunday Dinner (YouTube)
• Zootopia+ (Disney+)

Outstanding Short Form Series or Special – Reality/Nonfiction

• Black Independent Films: A Brief History (Turner Classic Movies)
• Daring Simone Biles (Snap)
• Historian’s Take (PBS)
• NFL 360 (NFL Network)
• Omitted: The Black Cowboy (ESPN)

Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television)

• Amy Wang – From Scratch (Netflix)
• Branden Jacobs-Jenkins – Kindred (FX)
• Hannah Cope – Karma’s World (Netflix)
• Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
• Syreeta Singleton – Rap Sh!t (HBO Max)

RECORDING:

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album 

• All Things New – Tye Tribbett (Motown Gospel)
• Hymns – Tasha Cobbs Leonard (Motown Gospel)
• Kingdom Book One – Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin (Tribl Records, Fo Yo Soul Recordings and RCA Inspiration)
• My Life – James Fortune (FIYA World/MNRK Music Group)
• The Urban Hymnal – Tennessee State University (TSU/Tymple)

Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album

• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Music From and Inspired By – Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson, Archie Davis and Dave Jordan (Hollywood Records)
• Bridgerton Season Two (Soundtrack from the Netflix Series) – Kris Bowers (Capitol Records)
• Entergalactic – Kid Cudi (Republic Records)
• P-Valley: Season 2 (Music From the Original TV Series) – Various Artists (Lions Gate Records)
• The Woman King – Terence Blanchard (Milan Records)

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song 

• All in Your Hands – Marvin Sapp (Elev8 Media & Entertainment LLC)
• Fly (Y.M.M.F.) – Tennessee State University (TSU/Tymple)
• Positive – Erica Campbell (My Block Inc.)
• Whole World In His Hands – MAJOR. (MNRK Music Group)
• Your World – Jonathan McReynolds (MNRK Music Group)

Outstanding Jazz Album – Instrumental

• Detour – Boney James (Concord Records)
• Henry Franklin: Jazz Is Dead 014  – Henry Franklin, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Adrian Younge
• The Funk Will Prevail – Kaelin Ellis (NCH Music)
• The Gospel According to Nikki Giovanni – Javon Jackson (Solid Jackson Records)
• Thrill Ride – Ragan Whiteside (Randis Music)

Outstanding Jazz Album – Vocal

• Legacy – Adam Blackstone (BASSic Black Entertainment Records / Anderson Music Group / Empire)
• Linger Awhile – Samara Joy (Verve Records)
• Love and the Catalyst – Aimée Allen (Azuline)
• New Standards Vol. 1 – Terri Lyne Carrington (Candid Records)
• The Evening : Live at Apparatus – The Baylor Project (Be A Light)

Outstanding Soul/R&B Song

• About Damn Time – Lizzo (Atlantic Records)
• Cuff It – Beyoncé (Columbia Record/Parkwood Entertainment)
• Good Morning Gorgeous Remix feat. H.E.R. – Mary J. Blige (300)
• Hurt Me So Good – Jazmine Sullivan (RCA Records)
• Lift Me Up – Rihanna (Def Jam Recordings)

Outstanding Hip Hop/Rap Song 

• Billie Eilish – Armani White (Def Jam Recordings)
• City of Gods – Fivio Foreign (Columbia Records)
• Hotel Lobby – Quavo, Takeoff (Motown Records/Quality Control Music)
• The Heart Part 5 – Kendrick Lamar (pgLang/Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath/Interscope Records)
• Wait for U – Future feat. Drake and Tems (Epic Records)

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Traditional) 

• Kendrick Lamar feat. Blxst & Amanda Reifer – Die Hard (pgLang/Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath/Interscope Records)
• Mary J. Blige feat. H.E.R. – Good Morning Gorgeous Remix (300)
• PJ Morton feat. Alex Isley and Jill Scott – Still Believe (Morton Records)
• Silk Sonic – Love’s Train (Atlantic Records)
• Summer Walker, Cardi B, and SZA – No Love (LVRN/Interscope Records)

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Contemporary) 

• Beyoncé feat. Grace Jones and Tems – MOVE (Columbia Records/Parkwood Entertainment)
• Chris Brown feat. Wizkid – Call Me Every Day (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)
• City Girls feat. Usher – Good Love (Motown Records/Quality Control Music)
• Future feat. Drake and Tems – Wait For U (Epic Records)
• Latto feat. Mariah Carey and DJ Khaled – Big Energy (Remix) (RCA Records)

Winners will be revealed during the two-hour special on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 8/7c on BET. Take a look at some of the nominees in major Film, Television, and Music Categories below.

01

Entertainer of the Year

Angela Bassett
Mary J. Blige
Quinta Brunson
Viola Davis
Zendaya

02

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture

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

03

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture

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

04

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

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

05

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Motion Picture

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

06

Outstanding Motion Picture

The Woman King
A Jazzman’s Blues
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Emancipation
TILL

07

Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture

Ledisi – Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story
Jalyn Hall – TILL
Joshua Boone – A Jazzman’s Blues
Y’lan Noel – A Lot of Nothing
Yola – Elvis

08

Outstanding International Motion Picture

The Silent Twins
Athena
Bantú Mama
Broker
Learn to Swim

09

Outstanding Independent Motion Picture

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

10

Outstanding Comedy Series

Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Atlanta (FX)
black-ish (ABC)
Rap Sh!t (HBO Max)
The Wonder Years (ABC)

11

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series

Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Loretta Devine – Family Reunion (Netflix)
Maya Rudolph – Loot (Apple TV+)
Tichina Arnold – The Neighborhood (CBS)
Tracee Ellis Ross – black-ish (ABC)

12

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series

Donald Glover – Atlanta (FX)
Anthony Anderson – black-ish (ABC)
Cedric The Entertainer – The Neighborhood (CBS)
Dulé Hill – The Wonder Years (ABC)
Mike Epps – The Upshaws (Netflix)

13

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Brian Tyree Henry – Atlanta (FX)
Deon Cole – black-ish (ABC)
Kenan Thompson – Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Tyler James Williams – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
William Stanford Davis – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

14

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Marsai Martin – black-ish (ABC)
Janelle James – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Jenifer Lewis – black-ish (ABC)
Sheryl Lee Ralph – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Wanda Sykes – The Upshaws (Netflix)

16

Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series

Damson Idris – Snowfall (FX)
Jabari Banks – Bel-Air (Peacock)
Kofi Siriboe – Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
Nicco Annan – P-Valley (Starz)
Sterling K. Brown – This Is Us (NBC)

17

Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series

Brandee Evans – P-Valley (Starz)
Angela Bassett – 9-1-1 (FOX)
Queen Latifah – The Equalizer (CBS)
Rutina Wesley – Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
Zendaya – Euphoria (HBO Max)

18

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Caleb McLaughlin – Stranger Things (Netflix)
Cliff “Method Man” Smith – Power Book II: Ghost (Starz)
J. Alphonse Nicholson – P-Valley (Starz)
Adrian Holmes – Bel-Air (Peacock)
Amin Joseph – Snowfall (FX)

19

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Susan Kelechi Watson – This Is Us (NBC)
Tina Lifford – Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
Adjoa Andoh – Bridgerton (Netflix)
Bianca Lawson – Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
Loretta Devine – P-Valley (Starz)

20

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

Morris Chestnut – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)
Samuel L. Jackson – The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (Apple TV+)
Terrence Howard – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)
Trevante Rhodes – Mike (Hulu)
Wendell Pierce – Don’t Hang Up (Bounce TV)

21

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

Niecy Nash-Betts – Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (Netflix)
Regina Hall – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)
Sanaa Lathan – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)
Viola Davis – The First Lady (Showtime)
Zoe Saldaña – From Scratch (Netflix)

22

Outstanding New Artist

Steve Lacy – Gemini Rights (RCA Records)
Adam Blackstone – Legacy (BASSic Black Entertainment Records/Anderson Music Group/Empire)
Armani White – Billie Eilish (Def Jam Recordings)
Coco Jones – ICU (Def Jam Recordings)
Fivio Foreign – B.I.B.L.E (Columbia Records)

23

Outstanding Male Artist

Brent Faiyaz – Wasteland (Lost Kids)
Burna Boy – Love, Damini (Atlantic Records)
Chris Brown – Breezy (Deluxe) (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)
Drake – Honestly, Nevermind (OVO/Republic Records)
Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (pgLang/Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath/Interscope Records)

24

Outstanding Female Artist

Chlöe – Surprise (Columbia Records/Parkwood Entertainment)
Jazmine Sullivan – Hurt Me So Good (RCA Records)
SZA – S.O.S. (RCA Records/Top Dawg Entertainment)
Ari Lennox – age/sex/location (Dreamville/Interscope Records)
Beyoncé – Renaissance (Columbia Records/Parkwood Entertainment)

25

Outstanding International Song

“No Woman No Cry” – Tems
“Bad To Me” – Wizkid
“Diana” feat. Shenseea – Fireboy DML, Chris Brown, Shenseea
“Last Last” – Burna Boy
“No Woman No Cry” – Tems
“Stand Strong” – Davido feat. Sunday Service Choir

26

Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album

About Damn Time – Lizzo (Atlantic Records)
Be Alive – Beyoncé (Columbia Records/ Parkwood Entertainment)
Lift Me Up – Rihanna (Def Jam Recordings)
LORD FORGIVE ME feat. FAT, Pharrell and OLU of EARTHGANG – TOBE NWIGWE (THE GOOD STEWARDS COLLECTIVE)
The Heart Part 5 – Kendrick Lamar (pgLang/Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath/Interscope Records)

27

Outstanding Album

Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers – Kendrick Lamar (pgLang/Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath/Interscope Records)
Renaissance – Beyoncé (Parkwood/Columbia Records)
Watch the Sun – PJ Morton (Morton Records)
age/sex/location – Ari Lennox (Dreamville/Interscope Records)
Breezy (Deluxe) – Chris Brown (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)