NAACP Image Awards announces nominations for 51st annual ceremony

Nominees for the 51^st annual NAACP Image Awards were unveiled on Thursday and many of our favorite movies, television shows, songs and books featuring an array of talent made the cut.

Although Black actors, actresses, singers, writers, and directors were slighted from the nominee pool at the Golden Globes and BAFTA Awards, the Image Awards were created to honor the achievements of people of color in film, TV, music, and literature. The show also acknowledges people and organizations who promote social justice through entertainment, according to Deadline.

Public voting determines the winners in each of the categories. In the prized “Entertainer of the Year” category, nominees include Angela Bassett, Billy Porter, Lizzo, Regina King and Tyler Perry. In the “Outstanding Motion Picture” category, voters can choose between “Dolemite is My Name,” “Harriett,” “Just Mercy,” “Queen & Slim,” and “Us.”

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In the preeminent category of “Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture, actors Chadwick Boseman of “21 Bridges,” Daniel Kaluuya of “Queen & Slim,” Eddie Murphy from “Dolemite is My Name,” Michael B. Jordan of “Just Mercy,” and Winston Duke of “Us” will compete. In the “Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture,” category, Alfre Woodard in “Clemency,” Cynthia Erivo from “Harriet,” Jodie Turner-Smith of “Queen & Slim,” Lupita Nyong’o of “Us,” and Naomie Harris of “Black and Blue” were nominated.

Television shows vying for the top prize in the “Outstanding Drama Series” category include: “Godfather of Harlem” on EPIX, “Greenleaf” on OWN, “Queen Sugar” on OWN, “The Chi” on Showtime, and “Watchmen” on HBO.

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In the category of “Outstanding Talk Series,” nominees include Jada Pinkett-Smith’s “Red Table Talk” on Facebook Watch, “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah,” on Comedy Central, “The Real” (syndicated), LeBron James’ “The Shop: Uninterrupted,” on HBO and “The Tamron Hall Show,” which is also syndicated.

The two-hour live broadcast will air on BET on Feb. 2 at 8 p.m. ET. For the full list of nominees, go here.