2017 NAACP Image Awards: Nominees
The nominees for the 49th NAACP Image Awards were recently announced with Netflix and OWN leading the nominations in the television categories with 23 nominations and 17 nominations, respectively. In the recording category, RCA Records leads with 12 nominations, followed by Capitol Records with 6 nominations and Atlantic Records and Columbia Records both with 3 nominations. Universal Pictures leads with 10 nominations, followed by Annapurna and Open Road Films, both received 5 nominations in the motion picture categories.
The NAACP Image Awards is the preeminent multicultural awards show celebrating 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. Winners will be announced during the two-hour star-studded event hosted once again by Anthony Anderson, which will be broadcast LIVE on TV ONE on Monday, January 15, 2018 at 9pm/8c. A one-hour pre-show will air live from the red carpet at 8pm/7c.
NAACP members vote on the NAACP Image Awards winners from nominees in television, music, literature, and film. To become a member of the leading civil rights organization in the nation and immediately cast your vote go to www.naacp.org. For all information and the latest news, please visit the official NAACP Image Awards website at: http://www.naacpimageawards.net.
Following is the complete list of categories and nominees for the 49th NAACP Image Awards:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
• Ava DuVernay
• Bruno Mars
• Chadwick Boseman
• Chance the Rapper
• Issa Rae
• JAY-Z
TELEVISION Outstanding Comedy Series • "Ballers" (HBO) • "black-ish" (ABC) • "Dear White People" (Netflix) • "Insecure" (HBO) • "Survivor's Remorse" (Starz)
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series • Anthony Anderson - "black-ish" (ABC) • Aziz Ansari - "Master of None" (Netflix) • Dwayne Johnson - "Ballers" (HBO) • Keegan-Michael Key - "Friends from College" (Netflix) • RonReaco Lee - "Survivor's Remorse" (Starz)
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series • Danielle Brooks - "Orange is the New Black" (Netflix) • Issa Rae - "Insecure" (HBO) • Loretta Devine - "The Carmichael Show" (NBC) • Niecy Nash - "Claws" (TNT) • Tracee Ellis Ross - "black-ish " (ABC)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series • Ernie Hudson - "Grace and Frankie" (Netflix) • Jay Ellis - "Insecure" (HBO) • John David Washington - "Ballers" (HBO) • Omar Miller - "Ballers" (HBO) • Tituss Burgess - "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" (Netflix)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series • Leslie Jones - "Saturday Night Live" (NBC) • Marsai Martin - "black-ish" (ABC) • Tichina Arnold - "Survivor's Remorse" (Starz) • Uzo Aduba - "Orange is the New Black" (Netflix) • Yvonne Orji - "Insecure" (HBO)
Outstanding Drama Series • "Greenleaf" (OWN) • "Power" (Starz) • "Queen Sugar" (OWN) • "This Is Us" (NBC) • "Underground" (WGN America)
Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series • Kofi Siriboe - "Queen Sugar" (OWN) • Mike Colter - "Marvel's The Defenders" (Netflix) • Omari Hardwick - "Power" (Starz) • Sterling K. Brown - "This Is Us " (NBC) • Terrence Howard - "Empire" (FOX)
Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series • Jurnee Smollett-Bell - "Underground" (WGN America) • Kerry Washington - "Scandal" (ABC) • Rutina Wesley - "Queen Sugar" (OWN) • Taraji P. Henson - "Empire" (FOX) • Viola Davis - "How to Get Away with Murder" (ABC)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series • Bryshere Gray - "Empire" (FOX) • Dondre Whitfield - "Queen Sugar" (OWN) • Joe Morton - "Scandal" (ABC) • Jussie Smollett - "Empire" (FOX) • Trai Byers - "Empire" (FOX)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series • Lynn Whitfield - "Greenleaf" (OWN) • Naturi Naughton - "Power" (Starz) • Samira Wiley - "The Handmaid's Tale" (Hulu) • Susan Kelechi Watson - "This Is Us" (NBC) • Tina Lifford - "Queen Sugar" (OWN)
Outstanding Television Movie, Limited - Series or Dramatic Special • "Flint" (Lifetime) • "Shots Fired" (FOX) • "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" (HBO) • "The New Edition Story" (BET) • "When Love Kills: The Falicia Blakely Story" (TV One)
Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special • Bryshere Grey - "The New Edition Story" (BET) • Idris Elba - "Guerrilla" (Showtime) • Laurence Fishburne - "Madiba" (BET) • Mack Wilds - "Shots Fired" (FOX) • Woody McClain - "The New Edition Story" (BET)
Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special • Jill Scott - "Flint" (Lifetime) • Oprah Winfrey - "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" (HBO) • Queen Latifah - "Flint" (Lifetime) • Regina King - "American Crime" (ABC) • Sanaa Lathan - "Shots Fired" (FOX)
Outstanding News/ Information - (Series or Special) • "News One Now" (TV One) • "Oprah's Master Class" (OWN) • "The Story of Us with Morgan Freeman" (National Geographic) • "Through the Fire: The Legacy of Barack Obama" (BET) • "Unsung" (TV One)
Outstanding Talk Series • "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (ABC) • "Super Soul Sunday" (OWN) • "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah" (Comedy Central) • "The Real" (Syndicated) • "The View" (ABC)
Outstanding Reality Program/Reality Competition Series • "Iyanla: Fix My Life" (OWN) • "Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party" (VH1) • "Shark Tank" (ABC) • "The Manns" (TV One) • "United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell" (CNN)
Outstanding Variety or Game Show - (Series or Special) • "Black Girls Rock! 2017" (BET) • "Dave Chappelle: The Age of Spin & Deep in the Heart of Texas" (Netflix) • "Def Comedy Jam 25" (Netflix) • "Lip Sync Battle" (Spike) • "Saturday Night Live" (NBC)
Outstanding Children's Program • "Doc McStuffins" (Disney Junior) • "Free Rein" (Netflix) • "Nella the Princess Knight" (Nickelodeon) • "Project Mc2" (Netflix) • "Raven's Home" (Disney Channel)
Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited Series) • Caleb McLaughlin - "Stranger Things" (Netflix) • Ethan Hutchison - "Queen Sugar" (OWN) • Lonnie Chavis - "This Is Us" (NBC) • Marsai Martin - "black-ish" (ABC) • Michael Rainey - "Power" (Starz)
Outstanding Host in a Talk or News/Information (Series or Special) - Individual or Ensemble • Fredricka Whitfield - "Fredricka Whitfield" (CNN) • Morgan Freeman - "The Story of Us with Morgan Freeman" (National Geographic) • Neil deGrasse Tyson - "StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson" (National Geographic) • Roland Martin - "News One Now" (TV One) • Trevor Noah - "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah" (Comedy Central)
Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special) - Individual or Ensemble • Alfonso Ribeiro - "America’s Funniest Home Video" (ABC) • Iyanla Vanzant - "Iyanla: Fix My Life" (OWN) • Michael Smith and Jemele Hill - "SC6 with Michael and Jemele" (ESPN) • LL Cool J - "Lip Sync Battle" (Spike) • W. Kamau Bell - "United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell" (CNN)
RECORDING Outstanding New Artist • Demetria McKinney - "Officially Yours" (eOne Music) • Kevin Ross - "The Awakening" (Motown/Capitol Records) • Khalid - "American Teen" (RCA Records/Right Hand Music Group) • SZA - “Ctrl" (RCA Records/Top Dawg Entertainment) • Vic Mensa - “The Autobiography” (Roc Nation/Capitol Records)
Outstanding Male Artist • Brian McKnight - "Genesis" (SoNo Recording Group) • Bruno Mars - "Versace On the Floor" (Atlantic Records) • Charlie Wilson - "In It to Win It" (RCA Records/P Music Group) • JAY-Z - "4:44" (Roc Nation) • Kendrick Lamar - "DAMN." (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope)
Outstanding Female Artist • Andra Day - "Stand Up For Something" (Warner Bros. Records) • Beyoncé - "Die With You" (Columbia Records/Parkwood Entertainment) • Ledisi - "Let Love Rule" (Verve Label Group) • Mary J. Blige - "Strength of a Woman" (Capitol Records) • SZA - "Ctrl" (RCA Records/Top Dawg Entertainment)
Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration • Andra Day feat. Common - "Stand Up For Something" (Warner Bros. Records) • Charlie Wilson feat. T.I. - "I'm Blessed" (RCA Records/P Music Group) • Kendrick Lamar feat. Rihanna - "LOYALTY." (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) • Mary J. Blige feat. Kanye West - "Love Yourself" (Capitol Records) • SZA feat. Travis Scott - "Love Galore" (RCA Records/Top Dawg Entertainment)
Outstanding Jazz Album • "Boundless" - Damien Escobar (Phoenix Lane Entertainment) • "Dreams and Daggers" - Cécile McLorin Salvant (Mack Avenue Records) • "Petite Afrique" - Somi (Sony Music/OKeh) • "Poetry In Motion" - Najee (Shanachie Entertainment) • "So It Is" - Preservation Hall Jazz Band (Legacy Recordings)
Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album (Traditional or Contemporary) • "Close" - Marvin Sapp (Verity Records) • "Crossover Live From Music City" - Travis Greene (RCA Inspiration) • "Greenleaf Soundtrack Volume 2" - Greenleaf Soundtrack (RCA Inspiration) • "Heart. Passion. Pursuit." - Tasha Cobbs Leonard (Motown Gospel) • "Let Them Fall In Love" - CeCe Winans (Puresprings Gospel)
Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album • "4:44" - JAY-Z (Roc Nation) • "Gods" - Maxwell (Columbia Records) • "High" - Ledisi (Verve Label Group) • "Strength of A Woman" - Mary J. Blige (Capitol Records) • "That's What I Like" - Bruno Mars (Atlantic Records)
Outstanding Song - Traditional • "High" - Ledisi (Verve Label Group) • "Honest" - MAJOR. (BOE/Empire) • "Surefire (Piano Version)" - John Legend (Columbia Records) • "That's What I Like" - Bruno Mars (Atlantic Records) • "U + Me" - Mary J. Blige (Capitol Records)
Outstanding Song - Contemporary • "Gonna Be Alright" - Mali Music (RCA Records/ByStorm Entertainment) • "HUMBLE." - Kendrick Lamar (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) • "Insecure" - Jazmine Sullivan X Bryson Tiller (RCA Records) • "Love Galore" - SZA feat. Travis Scott (RCA Records/Top Dawg Entertainment) • "The Story of O.J." – JAY-Z (Roc Nation)
Outstanding Album • "4:44" - JAY-Z (Roc Nation) • "DAMN." - Kendrick Lamar (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) • "Genesis" - Brian McKnight (SoNo Recording Group) • "In It To Win It" - Charlie Wilson (RCA Records/P Music Group) • "Strength of A Woman" - Mary J. Blige (Capitol Records)
LITERATURE Outstanding Literary Work - Fiction • "Little Fires Everywhere" - Celeste Ng (Penguin Random House) • "No One Is Coming to Save Us" - Stephanie Powell Watts (HarperCollins Publishers) • "Sing, Unburied, Sing" - Jesmyn Ward (Simon and Schuster) • "The Annotated African American Folktales" - Henry Louis Gates Jr. (Author), Maria Tatar (Author) (Liveright Publishing Corporation) • "The Wide Circumference of Love" - Marita Golden (Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.)
Outstanding Literary Work - Non-Fiction • "Black Detroit – A People’s History of Self-Determination" - Herb Boyd (HarperCollins Publishers) • "Chokehold: Policing Black Men" - Paul Butler (The New Press) • "Defining Moments in Black History: Reading Between the Lies" - Dick Gregory (HarperCollins Publishers) • "The President's Kitchen Cabinet: The Story of the African Americans Who Have Fed Our First Families, from the Washingtons to the Obamas" - Adrian Miller (University of North Carolina Press) • "We Were Eight Years In Power: An American Tragedy" - Ta-Nehisi Coates (Random House)
Outstanding Literary Work - Debut Author • "A Beautiful Ghetto" - Devin Allen (Haymarket Books) • "Chasing Spaces: An Astronaut’s Story of Grit, Grace & Second Chances" - Leland Melvin (HarperCollins Publishers) • "No One Is Coming to Save Us" - Stephanie Powell Watts (HarperCollins Publishers) • "Rabbit: The Autobiography of Ms. Pat" - Patricia Williams (Author) Jeannine Amber (With) (HarperCollins Publishers) • "We're Going to Need More Wine" - Gabrielle Union (HarperCollins Publishers)
Outstanding Literary Work - Biography / Auto Biography • "Ali: A Life" - Jonathan Eig (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) • "Becoming Ms. Burton - From Prison to Recovery to Leading the Fight for Incarcerated Women" - Susan Burton (Author), Cari Lynn (Author), Michelle Alexander (Foreword By) (The New Press) • "Chester B. Himes" - Lawrence P. Jackson (W. W. Norton & Company) • "Obama: The Call of History" - Peter Baker (New York Times/Callaway) • "We're Going to Need More Wine" - Gabrielle Union (HarperCollins Publishers)
Outstanding Literary Work - Instructional • "Ballerina Body: Dancing and Eating Your Way to a Leaner, Stronger, and More Graceful You" - Misty Copeland (Grand Central Publishing) • "Exponential Living - Stop Spending 100% of Your Time on 10% of Who You Are" - Sheri Riley (Author), Usher (Foreword By) (Penguin Random House) • "Kristen Kish Cooking" - Kristen Kish (Author), Meredith Erickson (With) (Clarkson Potter) • "Notoriously Dapper - How to Be A Modern Gentleman with Manners, Style and Body Confidence" - Kelvin Davis (Mango Media Inc.) • "The Awakened Woman: Remembering & Reigniting Our Sacred Dreams" – Dr. Tererai Trent (Author), Oprah Winfrey (Foreword By) (Simon and Schuster)
Outstanding Literary Work - Poetry • "Incendiary Art: Poems" - Patricia Smith (TriQuarterly Books/Northwestern University Press) • "My Mother Was a Freedom Fighter" - Aja Monet (Haymarket Books) • "Silencer" - Marcus Wicker (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) • "The Drowning Boy's Guide to Water" - Cameron Barnett (Autumn House Press) • "Wild Beauty: New and Selected Poems" - Ntozake Shange (Simon and Schuster)
Outstanding Literary Work - Children • "Becoming Kareem: Growing Up On and Off the Court" - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Author), Raymond Obstfeld (With) (Hachette Book Group) • "Before She Was Harriet" - Lesa Cline-Ransome (Author), James E. Ransome (Illustrator) (Holiday House) • "Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History" - Vashti Harrison (Hachette Book Group) • "Take a Picture of Me, James VanDerZee!" - Andrea J. Loney (Author), Keith Mallett (Illustrator) (Lee & Low Books) • "The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, A Young Civil Rights Activist" - Cynthia Levinson (Author), Vanessa Brantley-Newton (Illustrator) (S&S Children's Publishing)
Outstanding Literary Work - Youth / Teens • "Allegedly" - Tiffany D. Jackson (HarperCollins Publishers) • "Clayton Byrd Goes Underground" - Rita Williams-Garcia (Author), Frank Morrison (Illustrator) (Amistad/HarperCollins Publishers) • "Long Way Down" - Jason Reynolds (S&S Children's Publishing) • "Solo" - Kwame Alexander (Author), Mary Rand Hess (With) (Blink) • "The Hate U Give" - Angie Thomas (HarperCollins Publishers)
DOCUMENTARY Outstanding Documentary (Film) • "I Called Him Morgan" (Submarine Deluxe/Filmrise) • "STEP" (Fox Searchlight Pictures) • "Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities" (Firelight Films) • "The Rape of Recy Taylor" (Augusta Films) • "Whose Streets?" (Magnolia Pictures)
Outstanding Documentary (Television) • "Birth of a Movement" (PBS) • "Black Love" (OWN) • "The 44th President: In His Own Words" (History) • "The Defiant Ones" (HBO) • "What the Health" (AUM Films and Media + First Spark Media)
WRITING Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series • Aziz Ansari - “Master of None” - Thanksgiving (Netflix) • Janine Barrois - “Claws” - Batsh*t (TNT) • Justin Simien - “Dear White People” - Chapter 1 (Netflix) • Issa Rae - “Insecure” - Hella Great (HBO) • Issa Rae - “Insecure” - Hella Perspective (HBO)
Outstanding Writing in a Dramatic Series • Anthony Sparks - "Queen Sugar" - What Do I Care for Morning (OWN) • Ava DuVernay - "Queen Sugar" - Dream Variations (OWN) • Erica Anderson - "Greenleaf" - The Bear (OWN) • Gina Prince-Bythewood - "Shots Fired" - Hour One: Pilot (FOX) • Vera Herbert - "This Is Us" - Still Here (NBC)
Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie or Special • Abdul Williams - "The New Edition Story" - Night Two (BET) • Alison McDonald - "An American Girl Story: Summer Camp, Friends for Life" (Amazon) • Cas Sigers-Beedles - "When Love Kills: The Falicia Blakely Story" (TV One) • May Chan - "An American Girl Story - Ivy & Julie 1976: A Happy Balance" (Amazon) • Peter Landesman, Alexander Woo, George C. Wolfe - "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" (HBO)
Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture • Dee Rees, Virgil Williams - "Mudbound" (Netflix) • Emily V. Gordon, Kumail Nanjiani - "The Big Sick" (Amazon Studios) • Jordan Peele - "Get Out" (Universal Pictures) • Kenya Barris, Tracy Oliver - "Girls Trip" (Universal Pictures) • Mark Boal - "Detroit" (Annapurna Pictures)
DIRECTING Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series • Anton Cropper - "black-ish" - Juneteenth (ABC) • Barry Jenkins - "Dear White People" - Chapter 5 (Netflix) • Justin Simien - "Dear White People" - Chapter 1 (Netflix) • Spike Lee - "She's Gotta Have It" - #NolasChoice (Netflix) • Ken Whittingham - "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" - Kimmy Bites an Onion! (Netflix)
Outstanding Directing in a Dramatic Series • Carl Franklin - "13 Reasons Why" - Tape 5, Side B (Netflix) • Ernest R. Dickerson - "The Deuce" - Show and Prove (HBO) • Gina Prince-Bythewood - "Shots Fired" - Hour One: Pilot (FOX) • Jeffrey Byrd - "Switched at Birth" - Occupy Truth (Freeform) • Jonathan Demme - "Shots Fired" Hour Six: The Fire This Time (FOX)
Outstanding Directing in a Television Movie or Special • Allen Hughes - "The Defiant Ones" (HBO) • Chris Robinson - "The New Edition Story" - Night 1 (BET) • Codie Elaine Oliver - "Black Love" (OWN) • Kevin Hooks - "Madiba " - Night 2 (BET) • Mark Ford - "Biggie: The Life of Notorious B.I.G." (A&E)
Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture • Dee Rees - "Mudbound" (Netflix) • Jordan Peele - "Get Out" (Universal Pictures) • Malcolm D. Lee - "Girls Trip" (Universal Pictures) • Reginald Hudlin - "Marshall" (Open Road Films) • Stella Meghie - "Everything, Everything" (Warner Bros. Pictures / Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures)
ANIMATED/CGI Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance • David Oyelowo - "The Lion Guard" (Disney Junior) • Kerry Washington - "Cars 3" (Disney/Pixar) • Loretta Devine - "Doc McStuffins" (Disney Channel) • Tiffany Haddish - "Legends of Chamberlain Heights" (Comedy Central) • Yvette Nicole Brown - "Elena of Avalor" (Disney Junior)
