NAACP Image Awards: Michael B. Jordan Named Entertainer of the Year and Dedicates Lead Actor Trophy to Chadwick Boseman, ‘Sinners’ Dominates with 13 Wins

Michael B. Jordan has been the face of blockbusters. He’s been the architect behind ambitious film projects. He’s delivered physically transformative performances and emotionally layered ones.

via: Variety

“Sinners” dominated the 57th NAACP Image Awards on Saturday, taking home awards for outstanding motion picture, actor (Michael B. Jordan) and breakthrough performance (Miles Caton) during the televised portion of the ceremony.

Ryan Coogler‘s blockbuster vampire thriller won 10 awards before the telecast began: writing, directing, supporting actor (Delroy Lindo), supporting actress (Wunmi Mosaku), stunt ensemble, cinematography, soundtrack, score, costume design and ensemble cast.

The telecast, hosted by Deon Cole, capped the NAACP’s week-long celebration of Black excellence, with awards presented in more than 90 categories (across film, television and streaming, music, literature and podcasts).

“Sinners” star Jordan, who won both Entertainer of the Year and outstanding actor in a motion picture, dedicated his lead actor trophy to his “Black Panther” co-star Chadwick Boseman, who died at the age of 43 in 2020.

“I was thinking about what ‘lead actor’ meant to me. And honestly, I gotta dedicate this award to Chadwick Boseman,” Jordan said on stage. “As my brother, our time on this planet is short. I was watching the ‘In Memoriam’ and seeing how fast these careers go by and people’s lives go by, and what we do while we’re here on Earth. And I just want to be here and be present with you guys as much as possible.”

At the ceremony, special honors were presented to Viola Davis, Colman Domingo, Salt-N-Pepa and DJ Spinderella. Samuel L. Jackson also led a powerful tribute to the late Civil Rights leader Jesse Jackson.

Davis, the recipient of this year’s Chairman’s Award, said in her acceptance speech, “I like this quote that the definition of hell is, ‘On your last day on Earth, the person you became meets the person that you could have become.’ I say that about our nation, I say that about myself — that there is no becoming until you face the depth and the darkness of your own soul. There is no becoming without healing and without a radical acceptance of one’s truth.”

See the winners list below.

Entertainer of the Year

Michael B. Jordan

Outstanding Motion Picture

“Sinners” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture

Michael B. Jordan – “Sinners” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture

Cynthia Erivo – “Wicked: For Good” (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture

Miles Caton – “Sinners” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series

Quinta Brunson – “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)

Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series

Angela Bassett – “9-1-1” (ABC)

Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series

Sterling K. Brown – “Paradise” (ABC)

Friday, February 27

Actor and former NAACP Image Award nominee Meagan Good hosted the annual reception and fashion show, where prizes for outstanding costume design, hair styling, makeup and digital content creator – fashion/beauty were announced.

“Black style has never just been about what we wear,” Good said onstage. “When we show up, we shift the atmosphere.”

Bruce Glen, Bishme Cromartie, Diarrablu and House of Gray were the featured designers on the runway.

Outstanding Costume Design (Television or Motion Picture)

Ruth E. Carter – “Sinners” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Hair Styling (Television or Motion Picture)

Deaundra Metzger, Jerome Allen, Jessica Geiger, Jason Simmons – “Reasonable Doubt” (Hulu)

Outstanding Make-up (Television or Motion Picture)

Alyssa Hudson, Camille Evans, Brittany Turpen, Schuron Womack – “Bel-Air” (Peacock)

Outstanding Digital Content Creator – Fashion/Beauty

Wisdom Kaye – @wisdm

Thursday, February 26

Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” continued its awards season victory lap by adding four more wins at the NAACP Image Awards Creative Honors ceremony on Thursday night.

The blockbuster movie was nominated for a massive 18 awards and has tallied nine wins thus far. On Thursday, Coogler won the awards for outstanding writer and director in a motion picure, while the film’s stars Wunmi Mosaku and Delroy Lindo were awarded the supporting actress and actor trophies, respectively.

During the ceremony, hosted by Kevin “KevOnStage” Fredericks and Angel Laketa Moore, the NAACP presented awards in 25 categories across film, television and documentaries. “Abbott Elementary” picked up the prize for oustanding comedy series, as well as wins for stars Janelle James and William Stanford Davis, while “Reasonable Doubt” won the award for outstanding drama series.

Rev. Dr. Jamal-Harrison Bryant was also honored with the prestigious Mildred Bond Roxborough Social Justice Impact Award.

“Tonight we converge while the world is in crisis, knowing 117 years later that the NAACP is necessary,” Bryant said onstage. “I’m grateful that coming out of college, this organization saw my potential and made an investment in me by making me the youngest national youth and college director in their history, and allowed me an opportunity to find my voice and to find my space.”

Then, Dr. Mary Anne Franks was presented with the NAACP-Archewell digital civil rights award with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry and Meghan, appearing via video.

Special honorees for this year’s NAACP Image Awards week also include Viola Davis, who will be presented with the Chairman’s Award; Colman Domingo, the President’s Award honoree; Salt-N-Pepa and DJ Spinderella, who will be inducted into the Image Awards Hall of Fame; and A$AP Rocky, to be presented with the Vanguard Award for fashion.

The week-long celebration of Black excellence culminates on Saturday at the 57th NAACP Image Awards, where the final awards will be presented, including the prize for Entertainer of the Year. Nominees for the show’s signature category are Cynthia Erivo, Doechii, Kendrick Lamar, Michael B. Jordan and Teyana Taylor. Deon Cole returns to host the show, broadcast live from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET, CBS and across Paramount networks.

The full lineup of Creative Honors winners include:

Mildred Bond Roxborough Social Justice Impact Award 

Rev. Dr. Jamal-Harrison Bryant

NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award 

Dr. Mary Anne Franks

Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture

Ryan Coogler – “Sinners” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture

Ryan Coogler – “Sinners” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Directing in a Documentary (Television or Motion Picture)

Reginald Hudlin, Shola Lynch – “Number One on the Call Sheet” (Apple TV)

Outstanding Documentary (Television)

“Number One On the Call Sheet” (Apple TV)

Outstanding Actress in a Limited Television (Series, Special, or Movie)

Taraji P. Henson – “Straw” (Netflix)

Outstanding Actor in a Limited Television (Series, Special, or Movie)

Tyler Lepley – “Ruth & Boaz” (Netflix)

Outstanding Limited Television (Series, Special, or Movie)

“Straw” (Netflix)

Outstanding Talk Series

“The Jennifer Hudson Show” (Syndicated)

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

Don Lemon – “The Don Lemon Show” (YouTube)

Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)

“The Don Lemon Show” (YouTube)

Outstanding Animated Motion Picture

“Zootopia 2” (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Aisha Hinds – “9-1-1” (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Caleb McLaughlin – “Stranger Things” (Netflix)

Outstanding Performance by a Youth in a Motion Picture

Naya Desir-Johnson – “Sarah’s Oil” (Amazon MGM Studios)

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

Leah Sava Jeffries – “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” (Disney+)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Janelle James – “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

William Stanford Davis – “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)

Outstanding Comedy Series

“Abbott Elementary” (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

Delroy Lindo – “Sinners” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture

Wunmi Mosaku – “Sinners” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Drama Series

“Reasonable Doubt” (Hulu)

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series

Cedric The Entertainer – “The Neighborhood” (CBS)

Outstanding Digital Creator- Art/Comedy

Tee Sanders – @teesanderscomedy

Outstanding Digital Creator- Political/Culture

Lynae Vanee – @lynaevanee

Check out the full list of winners here.