The nominees for the 48th NAACP Image Awards are in and, by no surprise, Beyoncé took lead with a sweeping seven nods, including in the Entertainer of the Year category. Within that category, she pitted against Viola Davis, Regina King, Dwayne “The Rock†Johnson, and Chance the Rapper.
On the other hand, it may come as a surprise that Birth of a Nation received three Image Award nominations, including for Best Picture, despite the rape allegations that swamped the film’s director, star, and writer, Nate Parker. That controversy overshadowed the film’s release back in October and even led to a boycott.
Moonlight, a coming-to-age film about the life and struggle of a young gay black man, is up for six nominations, including best director and best supporting actor.
ABC’s hit comedy series Black-ish led topped the television category with 12 nods, while the network, itself, received a whopping 23 nominations.
For nearly a decade, the NAACP Awards has celebrated black excellence in entertainment, literature, and sports. The award show, which is presented by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, will air live on TV One on Feb. 11, 2017.
Some of the major award show categories are listed below.
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Beyoncé
Viola Davis
Regina King
Dwayne “The Rock†Johnson
Chance the Rapper
TELEVISION
Outstanding Comedy Series
Atlanta (FX)
Black-ish (ABC)
Insecure (HBO)
Survivor’s Remorse (Starz)
The Carmichael Show (NBC)
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson — Black-ish (ABC)
Don Cheadle — House of Lies (Showtime)
Donald Glover — Atlanta (FX)
Dwayne Johnson — Ballers (HBO)
Kevin Hart — Real Husbands of Hollywood (BET)
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
Issa Rae — Insecure (HBO)
Keesha Sharp — Lethal Weapon (FOX)
Niecy Nash — The Soul Man (TV Land)
Tracee Ellis Ross — Black-ish (ABC)
Uzo Aduba — Orange is the New Black (Netflix)
RECORDING
Outstanding New Artist
Chance the Rapper (Chance the Rapper)
Chloe X Halle (Columbia Records)
MAJOR. (BOE/Empire)
Ro James (RCA Records/ByStorm Entertainment)
Serayah (Columbia Records)
Outstanding Male Artist
Anthony Hamilton (RCA Records)
Bruno Mars (Atlantic Records)
Chance the Rapper (Chance the Rapper)
Kendrick Lamar (Top Dawg Entertainment/ Aftermath/Interscope Records)
Maxwell (Columbia)
Outstanding Female Artist
Alicia Keys (RCA Records)
Beyoncé (Columbia Record/Parkwood Entertainment)
Fantasia (RCA Records/19 Recordings Limited)
Michelle (Atlantic Records)
Solange (Columbia Records)
MOTION PICTURES
Outstanding Motion Picture
Fences (Paramount Pictures)
Hidden Figures (20th Century Fox)
Loving (Focus Features/Big Beach)
Moonlight (A24)
The Birth of a Nation (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
Denzel Washington – Fences
(Paramount Pictures)Don Cheadle – Miles Ahead (Sony Pictures Classics)
Nate Parker – The Birth of a Nation (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Stephan James – Race (Focus Features/The Luminary Group A Solofilms/ Trinidad/Trinity/Trinity Race Production)
Will Smith – Collateral Beauty (Warner Bros. Pictures/New Line Cinema)
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Angela Bassett – London Has Fallen (Focus Features/Millennium Films/G-Base Production)
Madina Nalwanga – Queen of Katwe (Walt Disney Studios)
Ruth Negga – Loving (Focus Features/Big Beach)
Taraji P. Henson – Hidden Figures (20th Century Fox)
Tika Sumpter – Southside With You (Roadside Attractions)