The 53rd NAACP Image Awards aired on Saturday night and Jennifer Hudson, Issa Rae, and Will Smith were among the big winners of some of the evening's top honors. The live, hybrid telecast was hosted by seven-time NAACP Image Awards winner and black-ish star Anthony Anderson.
Hudson won for outstanding actress in a motion picture for her portrayal of Aretha Franklin in Respect and also won for Entertainer of the Year.
Issa Rae’s Insecure won several awards including Natasha Rothwell’s win for supporting actress, Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series, Actress in a Comedy and Outstanding Comedy Series.
Smith won outstanding actor for playing Richard Williams, father to Serena and Venus Williams, in King Richard.
This Is Us’ Sterling K. Brown and 9-1-1’s Angela Bassett picked up the award in the drama actor and actress categories.
Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were on hand to accept the President's Award.
Outstanding motion picture, which went to Netflix’s The Harder They Fall.
In the “Special Honors” categories, Samuel L. Jackson received the NAACP Chairman's Award and Nikole Hannah-Jones received the Social Justice Impact Award).
Presenters included Morgan Freeman, Kerry Washington, Tiffany Haddish, LL Cool J, Questlove, Zendaya, and more
See the full list of NAACP Image Award winners below:
Outstanding Comedy Series
Insecure
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
Issa Rae
Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
Sterling K. Brown
Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
Angela Bassett
Outstanding Motion Picture
The Harder They Fall
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
Will Smith
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Jennifer Hudson
Entertainer of the Year
Jennifer Hudson
Social Justice Impact
Nikole Hannah-Jones
Outstanding Television Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special
Colin in Black & White
Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special
Kevin Hart—True Story
Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special
Taraji P. Henson—Annie Live!
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Television Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special
Courtney B. Vance—Genius: Aretha
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Television Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special
Regina Hall—Nine Perfect Strangers
Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited–series)
Miles Brown—black-ish
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Deon Cole—black-ish
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Natasha Rothwell—Insecure
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Cliff "Method Man" Smith—Power Book II: Ghost
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Mary J. Blige—Power Book II: Ghost
Outstanding Drama Series
Queen Sugar
Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television)
Angel Kristi Williams—Colin in Black & White
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Daniel Kaluuya - Judas and the Black Messiah
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Regina King—The Harder They Fall
Outstanding Documentary (Film)
Barbara Lee: Speaking Truth to Power
Outstanding Independent Motion Picture
CODA
Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
Encanto
Outstanding Jazz Album – Instrumental
Sounds from the Ancestors—Kenny Garrett
Outstanding Jazz Album – Vocal
Generations - The Baylor Project
Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song
"Help Me" - Tamela Mann feat. The Fellas
Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album
Overcomer—Tamela Mann
Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Traditional)
Silk Sonic—"Leave the Door Open"
Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Contemporary)
Tobe Nwigwe Feat. Fat Nwigwe- "Fye Fye"
Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album
The Harder They Fall: The Motion Picture Soundtrack—Jay-Z & Jeymes Samuel
Outstanding International Song
"Essence"—Wizkid featuring Tems & Justin Bieber
Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album
"Essence"—Wizkid featuring Tems
Outstanding New Artist
Saweetie—"Best Friend" Feat. Doja Cat
Outstanding Male Artist
Anthony Hamilton—Love Is The New Black
Outstanding Female Artist
Jazmine Sullivan—Heaux Tales
Outstanding Soul/R&B Song
"Pick Up Your Feelings"—Jazmine Sullivan
Outstanding Hip-Hop/Rap Song
"Fye Fye"—Tobe Nwigwe Feat. Fat Nwigwe
Outstanding Album
Heaux Tales—Jazmine Sullivan
Special Award: NAACP Humanitarian of the Year
Darnella Frazier
Outstanding Talk Series
Red Table Talk
Outstanding Host in a Talk or News/Information (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble
Jada Pinkett Smith, Adrienne Banfield-Norris, Willow Smith— Red Table Talk
Outstanding Reality Program/Reality Competition Series
Wild 'n Out
Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble
Trevor Noah—The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Outstanding Variety or Game Show (Series or Special)
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)
The ReidOut
Outstanding Documentary (Television)
High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America
Outstanding Children's Program
Family Reunion
Outstanding Animated Series
We The People
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television)
Cree Summer—Rugrats
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – Motion Picture
Letitia Wright—Sing 2
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture
Danny Boyd Jr.—Bruised
Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture)
Jeymes Samuel—The Harder They Fall
Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture
The Harder They Fall
Outstanding International Motion Picture
7 Prisoners
Outstanding Guest Performance
Maya Rudolph—Saturday Night Live
Special Award: Roy Wilkins Civil Rights Award
The Mexican American Legislative Caucus, Texas House Democratic Caucus, and Texas Legislative Black Caucus
Outstanding Short-Form Series – Comedy or Drama
"Between the Scenes"—The Daily Show
Outstanding Short-Form Series or Special – Reality/Nonfiction
"Token of a Great Day"—Lynching Postcards
Outstanding Short-Form (Live Action)
"When The Sun Sets (Lakutshon' Ilanga)"
Outstanding Short-Form (Animated)
"Us Again"
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
Issa Rae - Insecure —Episode #510 "Everything's Gonna Be, Okay?!"
Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series
Davita Scarlett—The Good Fight – 505
Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie or Special
Abdul Williams—Salt-N-Pepa
Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture
Shaka King, Will Berson, Kenny Lucas, Keith Lucas - Judas and the Black Messiah
Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series
Bashir Salahuddin, Diallo Riddle —South Side – "Tornado" (208)
Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series
Barry Jenkins—The Underground Railroad
Outstanding Directing in a Television Movie or Special
Kenny Leon—Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia
Outstanding Directing in a Documentary
Samantha Knowles, Yoruba Richen, Geeta Gandbhir, Nadia Hallgren—Black and Missing - Ep 103
Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture
Shaka King—Judas and the Black Messiah
Special Award: Activist of The Year
Scot X. Esdaile
Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction
Long Division—Kiese Laymon
Outstanding Literary Work – Non-Fiction
The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story—Nikole Hannah-Jones
Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author
Just As I Am—Cicely Tyson
Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/ Autobiography
Will - Will Smith
Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional
Feeding the Soul (Because It's My Business)—Tabitha Brown
Outstanding Literary Work – Poetry
Perfect Black—Crystal Wilkinson
Outstanding Literary Work – Children
Stacey's Extraordinary Words—Stacey Abrams, Kitt Thomas
Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens
Ace of Spades—Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
Outstanding Podcast – News and Information
Blindspot: "Tulsa Burning"
Outstanding Podcast – Arts and Entertainment
"Jemele Hill is Unbothered"
Outstanding Podcast – Society and Culture
Jemele Hill is Unbothered
Outstanding Podcast – Lifestyle / Self-Help
Two Funny Mamas—Sherri Shepherd & Kym Whitley
Special Award: Youth Activist of The Year
Channing Hill
