ANGELA BASSETT, CLIFF “METHOD MAN” SMITH, CEDRIC THE ENTERTAINER, JANELLE JAMES, LORETTA DEVINE, MORRIS CHESTNUT, NIECY NASH-BETTS, SHERRI SHEPHERD, TENOCH HUERTA AND MORE TAKE HOME WINS IN MAJOR CATEGORIES
THE STAR-STUDDED EVENING FEATURED APPEARANCES FROM ADAM BLACKSTONE, ADRIAN HOLMES, ANGIE MARTINEZ, BENJAMIN CRUMP, BRANDEE EVANS, DOMINIQUE THORNE, GINA PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD, JALYN HALL, JIMMY JEAN-LOUIS, KEITH DAVID, MARSAI MARTIN, MEAGAN GOOD, SKAI JACKSON AND MORE
LOS ANGELES (February 24, 2023) –
Tonight, the NAACP celebrated the stellar achievements of the “54th NAACP Image Awards” nominees at the Awards Program and Dinner in Los Angeles. Hosted by Bresha Webb, the event recognized talented individuals nominated in more than 70 categories. The “54th NAACP Image Awards” will broadcast LIVE on Saturday, February 25, 2023 at 8:00 PM (live ET/PT on delay) on BET from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena.
The “54th NAACP Image Awards” Award Program and Dinner, hosted by Bresha Webb, kicked off with an invocation by gospel singer MAJOR. The evening continued with welcome speeches from NAACP Chairman of the National Board of Directors Leon W. Russell, President and CEO Derrick Johnson, NAACP Vice Chairman Karen Boykin-Towns and SVP of the Hollywood Bureau Kyle Bowser. The executives congratulated the nominees and encouraged them to continue crafting impactful and inclusive stories celebrating people of color, as the importance of diverse representation becomes increasingly recognized across entertainment, politics, social justice, and the corporate landscape.
“The Image Awards have always been a coveted event where Black artists could gather to recognize each other’s work when Hollywood refused,” said NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson. “We’ve come a long way since then, and we want to make sure we continue to do our part to see Black excellence amplified.”
Tonight’s winners include Angela Bassett for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture, Cedric the Entertainer for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series, Cliff “Method Man” Smith for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, Coco Jones for Outstanding New Artist, Jalyn Hall for Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture, Loretta Devine for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, Quinta Brunson for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series, Sherri for Outstanding Talk Series, Tenoch Huerta for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture and more.
During the awards program and dinner, Nabiha Syed, CEO of The Markup, was honored with the NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award, virtually presented by Prince Harry and President Johnson. The award acknowledges and supports a new generation of leaders that are creating transformational change at the intersection of social justice and technology — working to advance civil and human rights. As previously announced, the Activist of the Year Award was presented to Dr. Derrick Lee Foward, President of the Dayton Unit of the NAACP and a vice president of the Ohio NAACP, and Youth Activist of the Year Award was presented to Bradley Ross Jackson, Bloomington-Normal NAACP Youth Council President.
The “54th NAACP Image Awards” Awards Program and Dinner featured appearances from presenters including Angie Martinez, April Ryan, Armani White, Coco Jones, Jonathan McReynolds, Tichina Arnold, Tobe and Fat Nwigwe, Wendell Pierce and more. Additional notable attendees included Brandee Evans, Caleb McLaughlin, Cliff “Method Man” Smith, Janelle Monae, Marsai Martin, Meagan Good, Morris Chestnut, Skai Jackson and more. The evening also included performances by Tye Tribbett and Too Short who gave an electric performance showcasing the long-lasting legacy of hip hop.
Artist, actress, producer, author, and entrepreneur Queen Latifah will host “54th NAACP Image Awards” premiering live Saturday, February 25 at 8:00 pm ET/PT on BET. The LIVE show will also simulcast across Paramount Global networks including BET HER, CBS, CMT, Comedy Central, LOGO, MTV, MTV2, Paramount Network, POP TV, Smithsonian, TV Land, and VH1.
The full list of winners from tonight can be found below:
OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
OUTSTANDING TELEVISION MOVIE, LIMITED–SERIES OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL
OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE, LIMITED–SERIES OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION MOVIE, LIMITED–SERIES OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL
OUTSTANDING TALK SERIES
OUTSTANDING NEW ARTIST
OUTSTANDING JAZZ ALBUM – VOCAL
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE
OUTSTANDING INDEPENDENT MOTION PICTURE
OUTSTANDING INTERNATIONAL MOTION PICTURE
OUTSTANDING BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE N A MOTION PICTURE
OUTSTANDING ANIMATED MOTION PICTURE
OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY (FILM)
OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY (TELEVISION)
OUTSTANDING WRITING IN A MOTION PICTURE
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING IN A MOTION PICTURE
OUTSTANDING ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT PODCAST
OUTSTANDING SOCIAL MEDIA PERSONALITY
Winners of the “54th NAACP Image Awards” will be revealed via telecast on February 25, 2023 on BET. For all information and the latest news, please follow NAACP Image Awards on Instagram @NAACPImageAwards.
The “54th NAACP Image Awards” is presented by Wells Fargo and sponsored by Bank of America, Gushers, Google, Airbnb, Amazon, FedEx, Lowe’s, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Audible, Bacardi and Mielle.
MEDIA ASSETS FROM SHOW:
Founded in 1909 in response to the ongoing violence against Black people around the country, the NAACP is the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation. Our mission is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.
In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP.
NOTE: The Legal Defense Fund – also referred to as the NAACP-LDF was founded in 1940 as a part of the NAACP, but separated in 1957 to become a completely separate entity. It is recognized as the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization, and shares our commitment to equal rights.
BET, a unit of Paramount (NASDAQ: PARAA; PARA; PARAP), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news, and public affairs television programming for the African American audience. The primary BET channel is in 125 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa, and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions, including BET+, the preeminent streaming service for the Black audience; BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks – BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, a growing BET festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.
Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis | [email protected]
Jonah Bryson | jbryson@naacpnet.org
Chloe Duverge | [email protected]
Luis Defrank | [email protected]