Ava DuVernay, Mary J. Blige, and Regina King Snag Early 2022 NAACP Image Awards Wins

The 2022 NAACP Image Awards winners are slowly rolling in! The ceremony -recognized as the "nation's preeminent multicultural awards show from an African-American perspective" - announced this year's nominees for the 53rd NAACP Image Awards on Jan. 18 via Twitter and Instagram Live with Kyla Pratt, Marcus Scribner, and Tinashe.

Ahead of the televised show, the NAACP Image Awards started announcing winners for individuals in the literary and podcast categories on Feb. 21. Among the honored were the late Cicely Tyson, Will Smith, Tabitha Brown, Stacey Abrams, and Jemele Hill. The second round of winners included the writing and directing categories: Issa Rae, Barry Jenkins, Kenny Leon, Davita Scarlett, Abdul Williams, Bashir Salahuddin, and Shaka King all snagged wins. Night three celebrated winners in talk shows, reality competition shows, and outstanding performances by actors in television and motion pictures. Jada Pinkett Smith, Trevor Noah, Maya Rudolph, Letitia Wright, and more were included in night three's list of winners. JAY-Z, Jazmine Sullivan, Wizkid, Silk Sonic, Saweetie, and more scored wins on night four for their contribution to music.

The fifth night recognized top performances across television and film, including "Colin in Black & White," "Queen Sugar," and "Encanto." Other notable films and TV shows nominated include "Judas and the Black Messiah," "King Richard," "Respect," "Black-ish," "Pose," "Harlem," "Run the World," and "All American." Will Smith and Denzel Washington both earned two nominations apiece for "King Richard" and "The Tragedy of Macbeth," respectively. Other actors with multiple nominations included LaKeith Stanfield, Regina Hall, William Jackson Harper, and Natasha Rothwell.

For music, H.E.R. - the most-nominated musician this year - leads with six nominations total. Trailing closely behind her with four nominations each are Chlöe, Drake, Jazmine Sullivan, and Silk Sonic. Entertainer of the year has a stacked group of nominees with Jennifer Hudson, Lil Nas X, Megan Thee Stallion, Regina King, and Tiffany Haddish all in the running to take home the award.

The 2022 NAACP Image Awards televised event will air live on Feb. 26 at 8 p.m. ET on BET. Keep reading for the complete list of nominees and winners.

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Jennifer Hudson
Lil Nas X
Megan Thee Stallion
Regina King
Tiffany Haddish

MOTION PICTURE CATEGORIES

Outstanding Motion Picture

"Judas and the Black Messiah" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
"King Richard" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
"Respect" (Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures/United Artists Releasing)
"The Harder They Fall" (Netflix)
"The United States vs. Billie Holiday" (Hulu Original / New Slate Ventures / Lee Daniels Entertainment / Roth-Krischenbaum Films)

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture

Denzel Washington - "The Tragedy of Macbeth" (Apple TV+ / A24)
Jonathan Majors - "The Harder They Fall" (Netflix)
LaKeith Stanfield - "Judas and the Black Messiah" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Mahershala Ali - "Swan Song" (Apple TV+)
Will Smith - "King Richard" (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture

Andra Day - "The United States vs. Billie Holiday" (Hulu Original / New Slate Ventures / Lee Daniels Entertainment / Roth-Krischenbaum Films)
Halle Berry - "Bruised" (Netflix)
Jennifer Hudson - "Respect" (Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures/United Artists Releasing)
Tessa Thompson - "Passing" (Netflix)
Zendaya - "Malcolm & Marie" (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

WINNER: Daniel Kaluuya - "Judas and the Black Messiah" (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture

WINNER: Regina King - "The Harder They Fall" (Netflix)

Outstanding Independent Motion Picture

WINNER: "CODA" (Apple TV+)

Outstanding International Motion Picture

WINNER: "7 Prisoners" (Netflix)

Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture

WINNER: Danny Boyd Jr. - "Bruised" (Netflix)

Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture

WINNER: "The Harder They Fall" (Netflix)

Outstanding Animated Motion Picture

WINNER: "Encanto" (Walt Disney Studios)

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance - Motion Picture

WINNER: Letitia Wright - "Sing 2" (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture)

WINNER: Jeymes Samuel - "The Harder They Fall" (Netflix)

Outstanding Short-Form (Live Action)

WINNER: "When the Sun Sets" (Lakutshon' Ilanga) (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Short-Form (Animated)

WINNER: "Us Again" (Walt Disney Animation Studios)

TELEVISION + STREAMING CATEGORIES

Outstanding Comedy Series

"Black-ish" (ABC)
"Harlem" (Amazon Studios)
"Insecure" (HBO)
"Run the World" (Starz)
"The Upshaws" (Netflix)

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series

Anthony Anderson - "Black-ish" (ABC)
Cedric the Entertainer - "The Neighborhood" (CBS)
Don Cheadle - "Black Monday" (Showtime)
Elisha "EJ" Williams - "The Wonder Years" (ABC)
Jay Ellis - "Insecure" (HBO)

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series

Issa Rae - "Insecure" (HBO)
Loretta Devine - "Family Reunion" (Netflix)
Regina Hall - "Black Monday" (Showtime)
Tracee Ellis Ross - "Black-ish" (ABC)
Yvonne Orji - "Insecure" (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

WINNER: Deon Cole - "Black-ish" (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

WINNER: Natasha Rothwell - "Insecure" (HBO)

Outstanding Drama Series

WINNER: "Queen Sugar" (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series

Billy Porter - "Pose" (FX Network)
Damson Idris - "Snowfall" (FX Network)
Forest Whitaker - "Godfather of Harlem" (EPIX)
Kofi Siriboe - "Queen Sugar" (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
Sterling K. Brown - "This Is Us" (NBC)

Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series

Angela Bassett - "9-1-1" (FOX)
Dawn-Lyen Gardner - "Queen Sugar" (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
Octavia Spencer - "Truth Be Told" (Apple TV+)
Queen Latifah - "The Equalizer" (CBS)
Rutina Wesley - "Queen Sugar" (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

WINNER: Cliff "Method Man" Smith - "Power Book II: Ghost" (Starz)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

WINNER: Mary J. Blige - "Power Book II: Ghost" (Starz)

Outstanding Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special

WINNER: "Colin in Black & White" - (Netflix)

Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special

WINNER: Kevin Hart - "True Story" (Netflix)

Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special

WINNER: Taraji P. Henson - "Annie Live!" (NBC)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special

WINNER: Courtney B. Vance - "Genius: Aretha" (National Geographic)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special

WINNER: Regina Hall - "Nine Perfect Strangers" (Hulu)

Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)

WINNER: "The ReidOut" (MSNBC)

Outstanding Talk Series

WINNER: "Red Table Talk" (Facebook Watch)

Outstanding Reality Program, Reality Competition or Game Show (Series)

WINNER: "Wild 'n Out" (VH1)

Outstanding Variety Show (Series or Special)

WINNER: "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah" (Comedy Central)

Outstanding Children's Program

WINNER: "Family Reunion" (Netflix)

Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited-Series)

WINNER: Miles Brown - "Black-ish" (ABC)

Outstanding Host in a Talk or News/Information (Series or Special) - Individual or Ensemble

WINNER: Jada Pinkett Smith, Adrienne Banfield-Norris, Willow Smith - "Red Table Talk" (Facebook Watch)

Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special) - Individual or Ensemble

WINNER: Trevor Noah - "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah" (Comedy Central)

Outstanding Guest Performance

WINNER: Maya Rudolph - "Saturday Night Live" (NBC)

Outstanding Animated Series

WINNER: "We the People" (Netflix)

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television)

WINNER: Cree Summer - "Rugrats" (Nickelodeon)

Outstanding Short Form Series - Comedy or Drama

WINNER: "Between the Scenes - The Daily Show" (Comedy Central)

Outstanding Short Form Series or Special - Reality/Nonfiction

WINNER: "Lynching Postcards: Token of a Great Day" (Paramount+)

Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television)

WINNER: Angel Kristi Williams - "Colin in Black & White" (Netflix)

RECORDING CATEGORIES

Outstanding New Artist

WINNER: Saweetie - "Best Friend" feat. Doja Cat (ICY / Warner Records)

Outstanding Male Artist

WINNER: Anthony Hamilton - "Love Is the New Black" (My Music Box LLC / BMG)

Outstanding Female Artist

WINNER: Jazmine Sullivan - "Heaux Tales" (RCA Records)

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album

WINNER: "Overcomer" - Tamela Mann (Tillymann Music Group)

Outstanding International Song

WINNER: "Essence" - Wizkid feat. Tems and Justin Bieber (RCA Records / Starboy / Sony Music International)

Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album

WINNER: "Essence" - Wizkid feat. Tems (RCA Records / Starboy / Sony Music International)

Outstanding Album

WINNER: "Heaux Tales" - Jazmine Sullivan (RCA Records)

Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album

WINNER: "The Harder They Fall" (The Motion Picture Soundtrack) - JAY-Z and Jeymes Samuel (Geneva Club / Roc Nation Records, LLC)

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song

WINNER: "Help Me" - Tamela Mann feat. The Fellas (Tillymann Music Group)

Outstanding Jazz Album - Instrumental

WINNER: "Sounds From the Ancestors" - Kenny Garrett (Mack Avenue Music Group)

Outstanding Jazz Album - Vocal

WINNER: "Generations" - The Baylor Project (Be a Light)

Outstanding Soul/R&B Song

WINNER: "Pick Up Your Feelings" - Jazmine Sullivan (RCA Records)

Outstanding Hip Hop/Rap Song

WINNER: "Fye Fye" - Tobe Nwigwe feat. Fat Nwigwe (Tobe Nwigwe, LLC)

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Traditional)

WINNER: Silk Sonic - "Leave the Door Open" (Atlantic / Aftermath)

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Contemporary)

WINNER: Tobe Nwigwe feat. Fat Nwigwe - "Fye Fye" (Tobe Nwigwe, LLC)

DOCUMENTARY CATEGORIES

Outstanding Documentary (Film)

WINNER: "Barbara Lee: Speaking Truth to Power" (Greenwich Entertainment)

Outstanding Documentary (Television)

WINNER: "High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America" (Netflix)

WRITING CATEGORIES

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series

WINNER: Issa Rae - "Insecure" - "Everything's Gonna Be, Okay?!" (HBO)

Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series

WINNER: Davita Scarlett - "The Good Fight" - "And the Firm Had Two Partners…" (Paramount+)

Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie or Special

WINNER: Abdul Williams - "Salt-N-Pepa" (Lifetime Movie Network)

Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture

WINNER: Shaka King, Will Berson, Kenny Lucas, Keith Lucas - "Judas and the Black Messiah" (Warner Bros. Pictures)

DIRECTING CATEGORIES

Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series

WINNER: Bashir Salahuddin, Diallo Riddle - "South Side" - "Tornado" (HBO Max)

Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series

WINNER: Barry Jenkins - "The Underground Railroad" - "Indiana Winter" (Amazon Studios)

Outstanding Directing in a Television Movie or Special

WINNER: Kenny Leon - "Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia" (Lifetime)

Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture

WINNER: Shaka King - "Judas and the Black Messiah" (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Directing in a Documentary (Television or Motion Picture)

WINNER: Samantha Knowles, Yoruba Richen, Geeta Gandbhir, Nadia Hallgren - "Black and Missing" (HBO)

LITERARY CATEGORIES

Outstanding Literary Work - Fiction

WINNER: "Long Division" - Kiese Laymon (Simon & Schuster)

Outstanding Literary Work - Nonfiction

WINNER: "The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story" - Nikole Hannah-Jones (Penguin Random House)

Outstanding Literary Work - Debut Author

WINNER: "Just as I Am" - Cicely Tyson (Amistad)

Outstanding Literary Work - Biography/Autobiography

WINNER: "Will" - Will Smith (Penguin Random House)

Outstanding Literary Work - Instructional

WINNER: "Feeding the Soul (Because It's My Business)" - Tabitha Brown (HarperCollins Publishers)

Outstanding Literary Work - Poetry

WINNER: "Perfect Black" - Crystal Wilkinson (University Press of Kentucky)

Outstanding Literary Work - Children

WINNER: "Stacey's Extraordinary Words" - Stacey Abrams, Kitt Thomas (HarperCollins)

Outstanding Literary Work - Youth/Teens

WINNER: "Ace of Spades" - Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé (Feiwel & Friends / Macmillan)

PODCAST CATEGORIES

Outstanding News and Information Podcast

WINNER: "Blindspot: Tulsa Burning"

Outstanding Lifestyle/Self-Help Podcast

WINNER: "Two Funny Mamas: Sherri Shepherd & Kym Whitley"

Outstanding Society and Culture Podcast

WINNER: "Jemele Hill Is Unbothered"

Outstanding Arts and Entertainment Podcast

WINNER: "Jemele Hill Is Unbothered"

YOUTH ACTIVIST OF THE YEAR

WINNER: Channing Hill, NAACP Chapter President of Howard University

ROY WILKINS CIVIL RIGHTS AWARDS

WINNER: The Mexican American Legislative Caucus, Texas House Democratic Caucus, and Texas Legislative Black Caucus

HUMANITARIAN OF THE YEAR

WINNER: Darnella Frazier

SOCIAL MEDIA PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR

@Euniquejg - Eunique Jones Gibson
@KevOnStage - Kevin Fredericks
@Laronhinesofficial - Laron Hines
@_Lyneezy - Lanae Vanee
@Terrellgrice - Terrell Grice