Angela Bassett did the thing and won big at the 54th annual NAACP Image Awards. Her Black Panther: Wakanda Forever director Ryan Coogler also took home big awards.
Bassett took home the biggest award of the night at the televised ceremony on Saturday, winning Entertainer of the Year, as noted by The Hollywood Reporter.
“I guess Angela Bassett did the thing!” the actress said while accepting her award.
The comment served as a sarcastic nod to Ariana DeBose’s mention of the 9-1-1 star during her now-viral live performance at the BAFTA awards one week before.
Bassett also took home best actress in a drama series for her role in 9-1-1 and won best supporting actress in a motion picture for her role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever at the non-televised ceremony on Friday.
The Ryan Coogler-directed sequel won best motion picture during the Saturday night ceremony and an additional seven other awards. The Marvel film took home eight of the 12 awards it was nominated for.
While accepting the award, Coogler celebrated the late Chadwick Boseman saying despite his death in 2020, “we gained an ancestor,” Variety reported.
“He’s with us every day, motivating us, and I can’t think of anyone who done more to advance our image.”
Other winners included Niecy Nash-Betts win for best actress in a TV movie, limited series, or dramatic special for her role in Ryan Murphy’s Dahmer—Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
. Quinta Brunson won outstanding actress in a television series for Abbott Elementary.Brunson’s show took home six NAACP awards, including the best comedy series.
“We’re happy that we get to make this show that is accessible to everyone but for and by us,” Brunson said while accepting the award.
Other winners included Will Smith for best actor in a motion picture for Emancipation and Viola Davis for The Woman King. Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump won the Social Justice Impact Award while Gabrielle Union-Wade and Dwyane Wade accepted the President’s Award.
The full list of NAACP Image Award winners can be found here.