The 48th NAACP Image Awards took place Saturday February 11, in Pasadena, California at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. Stars came out dressed to impress as the red carpet was full of the biggest and brightest that Black Hollywood has to offer.
The award ceremony was broadcast live on TV One with the majority of awards being announced during a non-televised gala. Nine categories were showcased during the telecast which was hosted by television star Anthony Anderson, star of the hit sitcom, “Black-ish.”
“Black-ish,” had a great night taking home six NAACP Image awards most notably, Outstanding Comedy Series. Anderson took home the trophy for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series, and co-star Tracee Ellis Ross, took home the award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series. Laurence Fishburne won for Outstanding Supporting Actor. Marsai Martin won for Outstanding Performance by Youth, and Kenya Barris won for Outstanding Writer in a Drama Series.
The other big winner in television was Oprah Winfrey and Ava DuVernay’s hit series “Queen Sugar,” which took home the award for Outstanding Drama Series.
DuVernay did not attend the Image awards as she was in New Zealand filming a new film, “A Wrinkle in Time.” She did however share her joy via social media tweeting, “On the other side of the world, smiling from ear-to-ear, watching ‘QUEEN SUGAR’ be crowned. Thx, @NAACP, Feels Lovely!”
The Sentinel caught up with the cast of “Queen Sugar,” backstage after the win and asked the cast about, “how important is diversity being that this show represents so many characters that we normally don’t see from actors and actresses of color, how important was it for you all to take this on and highlight this and showcase this?”
“I think as performers of color and actors of color…we are always hungry for images that are authentic and complex that tell stories that feel layered instead of one dimensional,” said actress Dawn-Lyen Gardner, who plays Charley Bordelon West in “Queen Sugar”.
“To be able to contribute to a story and a vision really, because it was Ava’s and Oprah’s vision of a story like this, it’s really beyond, it’s a dream come true and it really does feel like that responsibility is increased now. I think one of the ways that the art of storytelling makes impact is to insist on complexity and insist on authenticity and when you have people that look like the rainbow, who are that, then the world begins to see themselves differently and we begin to expand our idea of who we are. So, I think it’s really an honor to be part of it and its really an honor to be acknowledged.”
Other notable television winners were superstar actress Taraji P. Henson of “Empire,” taking home the Image award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series, and Sterling K. Brown, star of “This is Us,” took home the Image award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series.
“It’s been a good year for people of color in front of the camera,” said Brown during his acceptance speech on stage. “The NAACP has always recognized our work.”
Henson had arguably the biggest night for any individual star snagging two more awards in the motion picture category for the groundbreaking movie “Hidden Figures.” She won Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture and was part of a team victory winning for Outstanding Motion Picture.
Denzel Washington was honored for being Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture, for his lead role in “Fences,” which he also directed.
“August Wilson is one of the all-time greats,” said Washington backstage after winning the Image award. “He speaks for the ordinary people. He writes for the ordinary people…he as other great play writes are not just for this time, but for all-time.”
Entertainer of the Year, went to Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. “Thank God thank you for this blessing,” said Johnson during his acceptance speech. “This award is dedicated to my father and my grandfather…Everything can be done with two things, faith and two hands.”
Chairman of NAACP Rosalyn Brock spoke and presented the Chairman’s Award to Charles J. Ogletree, Professor at Harvard Law School who is now most famous for being a mentor to Barack and Michelle Obama. Brock spoke on how Ogletree helped “create much needed change in the world.” He lives a life of “justice and service, and never forgot what it is like to be a person of color.”
President and CEO of the NAACP, Cornell Brooks presented the Presidents award to Lonnie G. Bunch, III, who is the founding director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and was the first curator at the California African American Museum here in Los Angeles. Brooks described Bunch as the, “Preeminent architect of the American experience.”
The NAACP Image Awards is the premiere multicultural awards show. It celebrates the accomplishments of people of color in the fields of television, music, literature and film, and also honors individuals or groups who promote social justice through creative endeavors.
Below are all of the winners for the 48th NAACP Image Awards.
Television Categories
Outstanding Comedy Series
“`black-ish” (ABC)
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson – “`black-ish” (ABC)
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
Tracee Ellis Ross – “`black-ish” (ABC)
Outstanding Drama Series
“Queen Sugar” (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
Sterling K. Brown – “This Is Us” (NBC)
Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
Taraji P. Henson – “Empire” (FOX)
Motion Picture Categories
Outstanding Motion Picture
“Hidden Figures” (20th Century Fox)
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
Denzel Washington – “Fences” (Paramount Pictures)
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Taraji P. Henson – “Hidden Figures” (20th Century Fox)
Entertainer of the Year
Dwayne Johnson
The winners of the Non-Televised Categories for the 48th NAACP Image Awards are:
Television Categories
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Laurence Fishburne – “`black-ish” (ABC)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Tichina Arnold – “Survivor’s Remorse” (Starz)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Jussie Smollett – “Empire” (FOX)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Naturi Naughton – “Power” (Starz)
Outstanding Television Movie, Limited-Series, or Dramatic Special
“The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” (FX)
Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series, or Dramatic Special
Courtney B. Vance – “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” (FX)
Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series, or Dramatic Special
Regina King – “American Crime” (ABC)
Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)
“BET Love and Happiness White House Special” (BET)
Outstanding Talk Series
“Steve Harvey” (Syndicated)
Outstanding Reality Program/Reality Competition Series
“Iyanla: Fix My Life” (OWN)
Outstanding Variety (Series or Special)
“2016 Black Girls Rock” (BET)
Outstanding Children’s Program
“An American Girl Story – Melody 1963: Love Has to Win”(Amazon)
Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited-Series)
Marsai Martin – “`black-ish” (ABC)
Outstanding Host in a News, Talk, Reality, or Variety Program (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble
Roland S. Martin – “NewsOne Now with Roland S. Martin”(TV One)
Recording Categories
Outstanding New Artist
Chance the Rapper (Chance the Rapper)
Outstanding Male Artist
Maxwell (Columbia Records)
Outstanding Female Artist
Beyoncé (Columbia Records)
Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration
“Freedom” – Beyoncé feat. Kendrick Lamar (Columbia Records/Parkwood Entertainment)
Outstanding Jazz Album
“Latin American Songbook” – Edward Simon (Sunnyside)
Outstanding Gospel Album (Traditional or Contemporary)
“One Way” – Tamela Mann (Tillymann, Inc.)
Outstanding Music Video
“Formation” – Beyoncé (Columbia Records/ParkwoodEntertainment)
Outstanding Song – Traditional
“I See A Victory” – Kim Burrell and Pharrell Williams (I Am Other/Columbia Records)
Outstanding Album
“Lemonade” – Beyoncé (Columbia Records/ParkwoodEntertainment)
Outstanding Song – Contemporary
“Freedom” – Beyoncé feat. Kendrick Lamar (Columbia Records/Parkwood Entertainment)
Literature Categories
Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction
“The Book of Harlan” – Bernice L. McFadden (AkashicBooks)
Outstanding Literary Work – Nonfiction
“Hidden Figures” – Margot Lee Shetterly (HarperCollinsPublishers/William Morrow)
Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author
“Born A Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood” –Trevor Noah (Random House)
Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/Autobiography
“Born A Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood” –Trevor Noah (Random House)
Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional
“The Power of Broke: How Empty Pockets, a Tight Budget, and a Hunger for Success Can Become Your Greatest Competitive Advantage” – Daymond John (Author), Daniel Paisner (With), (Crown Business/The Crown Publishing Group)
Outstanding Literary Work – Poetry
“Collected Poems: 1974-2004” – Rita Dove (W. W. Norton & Company)
Outstanding Literary Work – Children
“Tiny Stitches: The Life of Medical Pioneer Vivien Thomas” – Gwendolyn Hooks (Author), Colin Bootman(Illustrator) (Lee & Low Books)
Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens
“As Brave As You” – Jason Reynolds (Simon & Schuster (Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books))
Motion Picture Categories
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Mahershala Ali – “Moonlight” (A24)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Viola Davis – “Fences” (Paramount Pictures)
Outstanding Independent Motion Picture
“Moonlight” (A24)
Documentary Categories
Outstanding Documentary – (Film)
“13TH” (Netflix)
Outstanding Documentary – (Television)
“Roots: A New Vision” (History)
Writing Categories
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
Kenya Barris – “`black-ish” – Hope (ABC)
Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series
Ava DuVernay – “Queen Sugar” – First Things First (OWN)
Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture (Television)
Charles Murray – “Roots” – Night 3 (History)
Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture (Film)
Barry Jenkins – “Moonlight” (A24)
Directing Categories
Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series
Donald Glover – “Atlanta” – Value (FX)
Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series
John Singleton – “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” – The Race Card (FX)
Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture (Television)
Rick Famuyiwa – “Confirmation” (HBO)
Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture (Film)
Barry Jenkins – “Moonlight” (A24)
Animated or Computer Generated Image (CGI) Category
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television or Film)
Idris Elba – “The Jungle Book” (Walt Disney Studios)
