The NAACP Image Awards is closing awards season out with the biggest and Blackest celebration. The 55th annual award show seeks to showcase and highlight the best of the best in TV, film, music, podcast, books, and more. Queen Latifah returned to host the celebration of Black Excellence that featured many of our favorite entertainers.
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And because y’all know we’re always rooting for everybody and everything Black, let’s look at the biggest winners, as well as the best and worst moments of the show.
Best: Queen Latifah Celebrates Black Actresses
After receiving a mission from Vice President Kamala Harris, The Equalizer took a moment to celebrate all the Black actresses in the room, giving them time to stand and receive their flowers.
Best: Rel and Keke Get Dramatic
While presenting the award for Outstanding Actor and Actress in a Comedy Series, Lil Rel Howery and Keke Palmer saluted the best dramatic moments in comedy. They delivered one of the most recognizable moments in Black TV. The scene in “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” when Will’s dad leaves again and he emotionally cries “Why he don’t want me?” It sent the audience—especially “Bel Air” star Jabari Banks—into hysterics.
Worst: Eau de Usher
There were several jokes made about how Usher’s sweat is the fountain of youth. It may be true, but we didn’t need multiple references to it.
Best: New Edition Gets Their Flowers
The legendary group as named into the NAACP Hall of Fame by New Kids on the Block member Donnie Wahlberg. During his speech, the actor/singer admitted that without New Edition there’d be no New Kids; Backstreet Boys; *NSYNC; Justin Timberlake; One Direction; or Harry Styles. As he listed all the acts who benefited from the trails New Edition blazed the crowd erupted into loud cheers.
Worst: Did Deon Cole Say Vintage?
While he and Leslie Jones were presenting, actor/comedian took a moment to shoutout all the “vintage women” in attendance. It was an unfunny, awkward bit that went on way too long. He definitely needed security’s help to get out of the Shrine Auditorium safely.
Entertainer of the Year: Usher
Of course Usher is the Entertainer of the Year. From his Las Vegas residency, to shutting it down at the Super Bowl, to still dominating the charts, the King of R&B has had an unmatched 2024 and it’s only March.
Outstanding Motion Picture: “The Color Purple”
What’s been lost in all the discourse around this film is that it’s inspiring, uplifting and spectacular. The fact that the mainstream used any controversy it could to pretend otherwise is disheartening, but not surprising. If you haven’t seen it, we can’t recommend it enough. “Hell No” is a crowd pleaser and Fantasia absolutely kills “I’m Here.”
Outstanding Actor & Actress in a Motion Picture: Colman Domingo – “Rustin” & Fantasia Barrino – “The Color Purple”
Colman Domingo wasn’t at the show, but he wouldn’t have been able to compete with “The Color Purple” co-star anyway.
Fantasia said her award were the women who would relate to Celie and feel Oscars when they left the theater. The actress then gave a sermon and sang her face off in giving glory to God.
Outstanding Supporting Actor & Actress in a Motion Picture: Taraji P. Henson – “The Color Purple” & Colman Domingo -”The Color Purple”
The extremely busy Colman Domingo wasn’t at the ceremony, but it’s nice to see him finally receive some well-deserved recognition this awards season. However, his “The Color Purple” co-star more than made up for his absence.
Taraji thanked the community for having her back when she spoke her truth about pay equality for Black actresses.
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture: Phylicia Pearl Mpasi – “The Color Purple”
Fantasia is getting a lot of attention as Celie, but her story is actually established in the emotionally courageous performance of Phylicia Pearl Mpasi. She’s the one who gets the audience to care about Celie and become invested in her life.
Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture: “The Color Purple”
What makes “The Color Purple” so special is that everyone in this film needed to be great so that it hit the way it was supposed to. No one took a wrong step and audiences were the winners.
Outstanding Animated Motion Picture: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
We are running out of superlatives for “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” Its universe is so fresh and unique, we’re fascinated with everything about it. We discover something new to be captivated by everytime we watch.
Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture: Ava DuVernay – “Origin”
Simply put, Ava DuVernay knows how to tell a story. The way she builds a story and presents characters is suniquely Ava, her brilliance is baked into every project she touches.
Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture: Cord Jefferson – “American Fiction”
“American Fiction” is a Black story told by Black artists, and it’s funny, heartbreaking, thought-provoking and complicated. It showcases how multi-faceted our stories truly are.
Outstanding Documentary (Film): “Invisible Beauty”
The most important trailblazers are those who make sure the door stays open after they kick it in. That’s exactly what Bethann Hardison did in the fashion world.
Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture & Television): Blitz Bazawule – “The Color Purple” and Michelle Buteau – “Survival of the Thickest”
Leading a star-studded cast through a musical adaptation of one of the most pivotal stories in Black culture is basically the Mt. Everest of directing. Blitz Bazawule made it look effortless, which we know it wasn’t.
Michelle Buteau has been killing it for years, so we weren’t surprised when her Netflix series “Survival of the Thickest” was a hit. We’re just thrilled to see that her comedic brilliance is finally getting the attention it has deserved for years.
Outstanding Comedy Series: “Abbott Elementary”
Obviously, “Abbott Elementary” is hilarious. But what makes it so special is its unpredictability. We really never know where the joke is going to go, which means every episode is must watch.
Outstanding Drama Series: “Queen Charlotte”
It was the way Queen Charlotte, both the character and the series, celebrating their Blackness for us. The minute we started that first episode, we were hooked.
Outstanding Talk Series: “The Jennifer Hudson Show”
Jennifer Hudson is the consummate entertainer. She’s meant to be on stage and screen entertaining the masses. Whether it’s movies, TV, Broadway or music, she’s always captivating.
Outstanding Actor & Actress in a Comedy Series: Mike Epps – “The Upshaws” & Quinta Brunson – “Abbott Elementary”
Mike Epps wasn’t at the show, presumably he was avoiding any questions about his recent controversy. But Quinta was her usual charming self. After asking for help finding her lost earrings, she thanked the cast of “Abbott Elementary” and the NAACP for naming in Outstanding Comedy Series. Everyone is just so happy for all her success, which makes this all even more cool.
Outstanding Supporting Actor & Actress in a Comedy Series: William Stanford Davis – “Abbott Elementary” & Ayo Edebiri – “The Bear”
If you’ve been paying attention during awards season, you already knew Ayo was winning Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy. What’s so exciting here is seeing William Stanford Davis recognized for his scene-stealing work as Mr. Johnson. Only Davis could make all those wild lines work the way they do.
Outstanding Actor & Actress in a Drama Series: Damson Idris – “Snowfall” & India Ria Amarteifio – “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story”
Shoutout to Damson’s mom, who flew 17 hours from Lagos, Nigeria to join her son at the show. Thankfully, he won so she didn’t make that trip for nothing.
It’s no secret that we absolutely loved “Queen Charlotte,” so we’re thrilled to see the monarch herself honored for her powerhouse performance. She thanked the other badass women in her category, saying they “set the standard for what it means to lead a show.”
Outstanding Supporting Actor & Actress in a Drama Series: Adrian Holmes – “Bel-Air” & Gail Bean -”Snowfall”
When portrayed properly, supporting characters add to the substance of the story through their interactions with the leads. As “Bel-Air” Philip Banks and “Snowfall’s” Wanda, Adrian Holmes and Gail Bean not only made their series better, they made them culturally significant.
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series: Norman Vance Jr. – “Saturdays”
This charming family series has gotten the recognition it deserves, so this award for writing is a spotlight on a show with beautiful representation.
Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series: Carla Banks-Waddles – “Bel-Air”
When you take one of the most beloved sitcoms of all-time and turn it into a captivating, binge-worthy drama, you deserve all the awards.
Outstanding Documentary (Television): “High on the Hog”
Black culture is showcased through our food and this Netflix docuseries brilliantly highlights all the untold stories of how we influenced America’s culinary history.
Outstanding TV Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special: “Swarm”
It’s so hard to surprise audiences nowadays, but that’s exactly what Donald Glover, Janine Nabers and Dominique Fishback did with “Swarm.” We couldn’t look away from Dre’s obsessive quest to meet her idol. It brilliantly blended genres into a work of art we’ll never forget.
Outstanding Actor & Actress in a TV Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special: Chloe Bailey- “Praise This” & Keith Powers-“The Perfect Find”
Chloe Bailey has the kind of captivating presence that reminds us of old Hollywood stars like Marilyn Monroe and Dorothy Dandridge.
The guy in a rom-com isn’t always the most interesting character. In fact, he’s usually there just to be the cute guy for the female lead. In “The Perfect Find,” Keith Powers made Eric’s side of the story feel just as significant.
Outstanding Supporting Actor & Actress in a TV Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special: Phylicia Rashad – “Heaven Down Here” & Don Cheadle – “Secret Invasion”
Phylicia Rashad is amazing in everything, so we’re not surprised to see her pick up this award.
Don Cheadle took a character we’ve known since 2010 and made him completely different. We couldn’t get enough of his new Col. James “Rhodey” Rhodes.
Outstanding New Artist and Outstanding Album: Victoria Monét, “Jaguar II”
We all know Victoria Monét isn’t exactly new. However, that doesn’t make her rise to stardom any less exciting. Don’t act like you’re not still singing “On My Mama.”
Outstanding Female & Male Artist: H.E.R. & Usher
Usher dominated the Super Bowl Halftime Show and had everyone rocking his new single “Good Good,” proving that he’s still the best in the game.
H.E.R. is so unbelievably talented, it sometimes feels like she’s underrated. We need to make sure her brilliance and influence is always celebrated.
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