NAACP Image Awards Nominations Shine a Spotlight on Black Excellence

The latest NAACP Image Awards nominations have been announced, and once again they remind the world why these honors hold such cultural weight. More than an awards show, the NAACP Image Awards celebrate the voices, stories, and creativity that shape Black culture across film, television, music, literature, and digital media.

This year’s nominations reflect a powerful moment in entertainment—one where Black creators are not only present, but leading the conversation. From box office hits and groundbreaking television to chart-topping music and impactful storytelling, the slate highlights how deeply Black excellence continues to influence global culture.

Several standout projects and performers emerged as leaders in the race, with films and series that pushed boundaries earning multiple nods. These works didn’t just entertain—they sparked dialogue, reflected lived experiences, and reshaped what mainstream success looks like. In television, fan-favorite shows that balance humor, heart, and social commentary were recognized for their ability to connect with audiences across generations.

The coveted Entertainer of the Year category is once again stacked with artists who dominate across multiple lanes—acting, music, performance, and cultural influence. These nominees represent the modern definition of star power: creative, fearless, and deeply connected to the communities they inspire.

Music categories continue to showcase how Black artists set the tone for the industry. From lyrical innovation to genre-defining sound, this year’s nominees reflect a spectrum of voices shaping the present and future of music.

What makes the NAACP Image Awards unique is their purpose. These honors are not just about popularity or numbers—they are about impact. They recognize work that uplifts, challenges, and reflects the richness of the Black experience.

As voting opens and anticipation builds toward the ceremony, one thing is clear: this year’s nominations tell a story of momentum. Black creators are not waiting for space—they are creating it. And the NAACP Image Awards continue to stand as one of the most meaningful stages celebrating that truth.

Entertainer of the Year

One of the most anticipated categories, Entertainer of the Year, brings together performers who have made significant impact across multiple platforms:

• Cynthia Erivo
• Doechii
• Kendrick Lamar
• Michael B. Jordan
• Teyana Taylor

Both Kendrick Lamar and Teyana Taylor received six nominations each across different categories, highlighting their dominance in music and film this year.

Television & Streaming

Television continues to shine with shows that blend storytelling, culture, and humor.

Outstanding Comedy Series

• Abbott Elementary (ABC)
• Harlem (Prime Video)
• Survival of the Thickest (Netflix)
• The Residence (Netflix)
• The Upshaws (Netflix)

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series

• Cedric The Entertainer – The Neighborhood
• David Alan Grier – St. Denis Medical
• David Oyelowo – Government Cheese
• Mike Epps – The Upshaws
• Vince Staples – The Vince Staples Show

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series

• Ayo Edebiri – The Bear
• Maya Rudolph – Loot
• Michelle Buteau – Survival of the Thickest
• Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary
• Uzo Aduba – The Residence

Outstanding Drama Series

• Bel‑Air (Peacock) — leading with seven nominations
• Abbott Elementary, Reasonable Doubt, Ruth & Boaz — six nominations each
• Forever — five nominations 

Motion Picture Categories & Nominees

Outstanding Motion Picture

• Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Highest 2 Lowest (A24)
• One Of Them Days (Sony Pictures Releasing)
• Sarah’s Oil (Amazon MGM Studios)
• Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures) 

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture

• André Holland – Love, Brooklyn (Greenwich Entertainment)
• Denzel Washington – Highest 2 Lowest (A24)
• Michael B. Jordan – Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Nnamdi Asomugha – The Knife (Relatively Media)
• Tyriq Withers – HIM (Monkeypaw Productions) 

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture

• Cynthia Erivo – Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)
• Danielle Deadwyler – 40 Acres (Magnolia Pictures)
• Keke Palmer – One Of Them Days (Sony Pictures Releasing)
• Kerry Washington – Shadow Force (Lionsgate)
• Tessa Thompson – Hedda (Amazon MGM Studios) 

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

• A$AP Rocky – Highest 2 Lowest (A24)
• Damson Idris – F1 (Apple Original Films)
• Delroy Lindo – Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Jeffrey Wright – Highest 2 Lowest (A24)
• Miles Caton – Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures) 

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture

• Janelle James – One Of Them Days (Sony Pictures Releasing)
• Jayme Lawson – Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Regina Hall – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures) 

Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture

• Sinners — Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Miller, Buddy Guy, Delroy Lindo, et al. (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• One Of Them Days — Keke Palmer, SZA, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Lil Rel Howery, Katt Williams (Sony Pictures Releasing)
• Wicked: For Good — Jonathan Bailey, Marissa Bode, Coleman Domingo, Cynthia Erivo, Jeff Goldblum, Ariana Grande, et al. (Universal Pictures)
• Highest 2 Lowest — Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera, A$AP Rocky (A24)
• A House of Dynamite — Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Gabriel Basso, Jared Harris, Tracy Letts, Anthony Ramos, Moses Ingram, Jonah Hauer‑King, Greta Lee, Jason Clarke (Netflix) 

Outstanding Independent Motion Picture

• 40 Acres (Magnolia Pictures)
• Love, Brooklyn (Greenwich Entertainment)
• Magazine Dreams (Briarcliff Entertainment)
• Opus (A24)
• Unexpected Christmas (3 Diamonds Entertainment) 

Outstanding International Motion Picture

• 40 Acres (Magnolia Pictures)
• My Father’s Shadow (MUBI)
• Souleymane’s Story (Kino Lorber)
• The Fisherman (Luu Vision Media)
• The Secret Agent (NEON) 

Outstanding Animated Motion Picture

• Elio (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• KPop Demon Hunters (Netflix)
• Sneaks (Briarcliff Entertainment)
• The Bad Guys 2 (DreamWorks Animation)
• Zootopia 2 (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures) 

Outstanding Character Voice‑Over Performance – Motion Picture

• Anthony Mackie – Sneaks
• Craig Robinson – The Bad Guys 2
• Danielle Brooks – The Bad Guys 2
• Lil Rel Howery – Dog Man
• Quinta Brunson – Zootopia 2 

Outstanding Short Form (Live Action)

• ADO (Baylor University)
• Before You Let Go (Find Your People Program)
• Best Eyes (American Film Institute Conservatory)
• Ella (Netflix)
• Food for the Soul (P.A. Works) 

Outstanding Short Form (Animated)

• ASALI: Power of the Pollinators (Upenndo! Productions)
• Black Man, Black Man (Chainwheel Productions)
• Captain Zero: Into the Abyss Part II (Cutting Edge Animation) 

Full Music & Recording Nominees

Outstanding New Artist

• Elmiene – Useless Without You (Def Jam Recordings)
• Lee Vasi – Love Me To Life (Capitol CMG/Leeda Music Group)
• Madison McFerrin – Scorpio (MadMcFerrin Music LLC)
• Monaleo – Who Did the Body? (Columbia Records)
• Ravyn Lenae – Bicycle Race (Atlantic Records) 

Outstanding Male Artist

• Bryson Tiller – Solace & The Vices (RCA Records/TrapSoul)
• Chris Brown – It Depends feat. Bryson Tiller (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)
• GIVĒON – Beloved (Epic Records)
• Kendrick Lamar – luther (pgLang/Interscope)
• Leon Thomas – MUTT Deluxe: Heel (EZMNY/Motown Records) 

Outstanding Female Artist

• Alex Isley – Hands (Warner Records)
• Cardi B – Am I the Drama? (Atlantic Records)
• Doechii – Anxiety (Top Dawg/Capitol Records)
• SZA – SOS Deluxe: LANA (RCA/Top Dawg)
• Teyana Taylor – Escape Room (Def Jam Recordings) 

Outstanding Jazz Album

• For Dinah – Ledisi (Candid Records)
• We Insist! 2025 – Terri Lyne Carrington & Christie Dashiell (Candid Records)
• Beneath the Skin – Nnenna Freelon (Origin Records)
• Live‑Action – Nate Smith (Naive)
• Griot Songs – Omar Thomas Large Ensemble (Omar Thomas Music) 

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album

• Jekalyn X The Legends – Jekalyn Carr (Waynorth Music)
• Live at Maverick City – Maverick City Music (Tribl Records)
• Only On The Road (Live) – Tye Tribbett (Freligious Music)
• Tasha – Tasha Cobbs Leonard (Motown Gospel)
• The Live Reunion: Washington D.C. – JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise (James Town Music) 

Outstanding International Song

• “In Our Sight” – Skip Marley (Def Jam)
• “Is It” – Tyla (Epic)
• “Love” – Burna Boy (Spaceship/Bad Habit/Atlantic)
• “With You” – Davido ft. Omah Lay (RCA/Sony Music UK)
• “You4Me” – Tiwa Savage (Everything Savage/EMPIRE) 

Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album

• Anxiety – Doechii
• Boots on the Ground – 803Fresh
• Escape Room – Teyana Taylor
• Folded – Kehlani
• luther – Kendrick Lamar & SZA

Outstanding Album

• Am I The Drama? – Cardi B (Atlantic Records)
• Beloved – GIVĒON (Epic Records)
• Let God Sort Em Out – Clipse, Pusha T, Malice (Roc Nation)
• Mutt Deluxe: Heel – Leon Thomas (EZMNY/Motown Records)
• SOS Deluxe: LANA – SZA (RCA/Top Dawg) 

Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album

• Godfather of Harlem: Season 4 (Original Series Soundtrack) (Epic/SONY)
• Highest 2 Lowest (Original Soundtrack) (A24)
• Sinners (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Proximity Media/Sony Masterworks)
• The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder: Season 3 (Walt Disney Records)
• Wicked: For Good (The Soundtrack) (Republic Records) 

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song

• “Church” – Tasha Cobbs Leonard ft. John Legend
• “Constant – Live” – Maverick City Music et al.
• “Do It Again” – Kirk Franklin
• “Don’t Faint” – Jekalyn Carr
• “Jesus I Do” – Mariah Carey ft. The Clark Sisters 

Outstanding Song – Soul/R&B

• “Folded” – Kehlani
• “Burning Blue” – Mariah the Scientist
• “It Depends” – Chris Brown ft. Bryson Tiller
• “Yes It Is” – Leon Thomas
• “Bed of Roses” – Teyana Taylor 

Outstanding Song – Hip‑Hop/Rap Song

• “Anxiety” – Doechii
• “Chains & Whips” – Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell Williams, Pusha T & Malice
• “ErrTime” – Cardi B
• “Ride (Remix)” – Chance the Rapper feat. Do or Die & Twista
• “Typa” – GloRilla 

Literature Work Categories

Outstanding Literary Work — Fiction

• Can’t Get Enough — Kennedy Ryan
• Chronicles of Ori: An African Epic — Harmonia Rosales
• Death of the Author — Nnedi Okorafor
• Happy Land — Dolen Perkins‑Valdez
• Harlem Rhapsody — Victoria Christopher Murray 

Outstanding Literary Work — Non‑Fiction

• A More Perfect Party… — Juanita Tolliver
• Born in Flames — Bench Ansfield
• From These Roots — Tamara Lanier
• Hidden Hospitality… — Calvin Stovall Jr.
• I Am Nobody’s Slave — Lee Hawkins 

Outstanding Literary Work — Debut Author

• American Soul: The Black History of Food… — Anela Malik
• Red Clay — Charles B. Fancher
• High Functioning… — Dr. Judith Joseph
• A Sky Full of Love — Lorna Lewis
• History Lessons — Zoe B. Wallbrook 

Outstanding Literary Work — Biography/Autobiography

• 107 Days — Kamala Harris
• The Look — Michelle Obama
• Toni at Random — Dana A. Williams
• Truly — Lionel Richie
• Uncommon Favor… — Dawn Staley 

Outstanding Literary Work — Instructional

• American Soul… — Anela Malik
• Braided Heritage… — Dr. Jessica Harris
• We the Pizza… — Muhammad Abdul‑Hadi
• Who Better Than You? — Will Packer
• Wine Pairing for the People — Cha McCoy 

Outstanding Literary Work — Poetry

• Death of the First Idea — Rickey Laurentiis
• Florida Water — Aja Monet
• The Grace of Black Mothers — Martheaus Perkins
• The Intentions of Thunder — Patricia Smith
• We Look Better Alive — Ali Black 

Outstanding Literary Work — Children

• Black Boy, Rise — Brynne Barnes
• Black Diamond Kings — Charles R. Smith Jr.
• My Quiet Place — Monica Mikai
• The History of We — Nikkolas Smith
• Yvonne Clark and Her Engineering Spark — Allen R. Wells (ill. DeAndra Hodge) 

Outstanding Literary Work — Youth/Teens

• (S)Kin — Ibi Zoboi
• Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Book of Anansi — Angie Thomas
• The Scammer — Tiffany D. Jackson
• The Story of My Anger — Jasminne Mendez
• Through Our Teeth — Pamela N. Harris 

Outstanding Literary Work — Graphic Novel

• Creaky Acres — Calista Bril
• Defiant: The Story of Robert Smalls — Rob Edwards
• One Crazy Summer: The Graphic Novel — Rita Williams‑Garcia
• Parable of the Talents (Graphic Novel) — Octavia E. Butler (adapted)
• They Choose Violence — Sheldon Allen 

Outstanding Literary Work — Journalism (New Category)

• As Black New Yorkers Move Out, N.Y.C. Politics May Be Reshaped — Maya King
• Audra McDonald Took The Stage and Rewrote The Rules — Adam Davenport
• Black joy and boots: How line dancing is fanning cultural connection — Lisa Respers France
• HBCUs Reel as Trump Cuts Black‑Focused Grants — Jasper Smith
• On Borrowed Time — Anissa Durham 

Digital Content Creator Categories

These categories honor creators across platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube:

Outstanding Digital Content Creator — Art/Comedy

• Darren Watkins Jr. (@IShowSpeed)
• Jordan Howlett (@jordan_the_stallion8)
• Joshua Neal (@joshuadneal)
• Lou Young (@Louuuyoung)
• Tee Sanders (@teesanderscomedy) 

Outstanding Digital Content Creator — Political/Culture

• Elizabeth Booker Houston (@bookersquared)
• Garrison Hayes (@garrisonh)
• George Lee Jr. (@theconsciouslee)
• Joshua Doss (@doss.discourse)
• Lynae Vanee (@lynaevanee) 

Outstanding Digital Content Creator — Fashion/Beauty

• Allyiah Gainer (@allyiahsface)
• De’arra Taylor (@dearra)
• Eni Popoola (@enigivensunday)
• Jackie Asamoah (@jackieaina)
• Wisdom Kaye (@wisdm) 

Outstanding Digital Content Creator — Gaming/Tech

• Berlin Edmonds (@Berleezy)
• Cory Kenshin (@CoryxKenshin)
• Gerard Williams (@Hiphopgamer)
• Jay Ann Lopez (@blackgirlgamers)
• Khleo Thomas (@khleothomas) 

Outstanding Digital Content Creator — Fitness/Wellness/Food

• Alex Hill (@justaddhotsauce)
• Jeanette Jenkins (@msjeanettejenkins)
• Keith Lee (@Keith_Lee125)
• Kimberly Villalobos (@KimmysKreations.1)
• Massy Arias (@Massy.arias) 

Public Voting & Ceremony

Fans can vote in select categories through February 7, 2026 at NAACPImageAwards.net. Winners will be announced during the live ceremony on February 28, 2026.