Queen Latifah reigned on the star-studded stage of the 2023 NAACP Image Awards on Saturday, February 25.
Source: Aaron J. Thornton / Getty
The biggest names in film, television, music, and literature showed up and showed out at the 54th annual NAACP Image Awards. Fan favorites Angela Bassett and “Abbott Elementary” were the big winners of the epic night.
Our forever queen Angela Bassett showed love to Ariana DeBose’s viral rap from the BAFTA Awards when she accepted her Entertainer of the Year award. “I guess Angela Bassett did the thing!” she said, receiving the final big award of the night. She also won for her performances on “9-1-1” and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade dedicated their President’s Award to their daughter Zaya Wade, who just completed her legal transition. The honor recognizes their leadership, advocacy, and philanthropy in communities across the world. They took their activism and involvement to new heights for the LGBTQ+ community after Zaya came out as transgender in 2020.
“I want to take this moment to publicly speak to our daughter Zaya. Zaya, as your father, all I’ve wanted to do is get it right. I have sat back and watched how gracefully you’ve taken on the public scrutiny. And even though it’s not easy, I’ve watched you walk out of the house every morning as yourself,” the NBA champion said, addressing his 15-year-old daughter.
“I admire how you’ve handled the ignorance in our world. To say that your village is proud of you is an understatement,” he continued. “Thank you for showing me that there is more than just one way to communicate you’ve taught me that communicating with my mouth isn’t enough. I have to communicate with my ears and my two eyes. As your father, my job isn’t to create a version of myself or direct your future. My role is to be a facilitator to your wishes, your hopes, and your dreams. Zaya you’ve made me a better human by simply being who you were born to be: our baby girl, Zaya Wade. Thank you for showing the world what courage looks like. I am proud that I was chosen to stand in place as your father,” he continued.
Gabrielle emphasized that the movement for justice can’t succeed until we fight for all Black lives to matter.
“We honestly don’t approach this work as activists or leaders as much as we do the work as parents. Parents who love our children and will do whatever the hell we can to keep them seen and secure and safe,” Union said emphatically. “This is a conversation worth having in ways that can actually build bridges. That don’t fan the flames of hatred or division. That don’t enable lawmakers or justice systems to look the other way when Black trans people are under attack. That don’t drive more young people to hate themselves or harm themselves. That don’t cost people their lives. So. we are humbled and we are hopeful for the future. We are hopeful that we will witness a real shift in the fight for justice the moment the movement makes room for everyone. Everyone!” Union said fiercely.
Check out the full list of the 2023 NAACP Image Awards:
Entertainer of the Year
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- Angela Bassett – WINNER
- Mary J. Blige
- Quinta Brunson
- Viola Davis
- Zendaya
Outstanding Motion Picture
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- “A Jazzman’s Blues”
- “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” – WINNER
- “Emancipation”
- “The Woman King”
- “TILL”
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
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- Daniel Kaluuya – “Nope”
- Jonathan Majors – “Devotion”
- Joshua Boone – “A Jazzman’s Blues”
- Sterling K. Brown – “Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul”
- Will Smith – “Emancipation” – WINNER
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
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- Danielle Deadwyler – “TILL”
- Keke Palmer – “Alice”
- Letitia Wright – “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
- Regina Hall – “Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul”
- Viola Davis – “The Woman King” – WINNER
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
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- Aldis Hodge – “Black Adam”
- Cliff “Method Man” Smith – “On The Come Up”
- Jalyn Hall – “TILL”
- John Boyega – “The Woman King”
- Tenoch Huerta – “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” – WINNER
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
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- Angela Bassett – “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” – WINNER
- Danai Gurira – “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
- Janelle Monáe – “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”
- Lashana Lynch – “The Woman King”
- Lupita Nyong’o – “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
Outstanding Comedy Series
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- “Abbott Elementary” – WINNER
- “Atlanta”
- “black-ish”
- “Rap S**t”
- “The Wonder Years”
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
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- Anthony Anderson – “black-ish”
- Cedric The Entertainer – “The Neighborhood” – WINNER
- Donald Glover – “Atlanta”
- Dulé Hill – “The Wonder Years”
- Mike Epps – “The Upshaws”
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
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- Loretta Devine – “Family Reunion”
- Maya Rudolph – “Loot”
- Quinta Brunson – “Abbott Elementary” – WINNER
- Tichina Arnold – “The Neighborhood”
- Tracee Ellis Ross – “black-ish”
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
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- Brian Tyree Henry – “Atlanta”
- Deon Cole – “black-ish”
- Kenan Thompson – “Saturday Night Live”
- Tyler James Williams – “Abbott Elementary” – WINNER
- William Stanford Davis – “Abbott Elementary”
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
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- Janelle James – “Abbott Elementary” – WINNER
- Jenifer Lewis – “black-ish”
- Marsai Martin – “black-ish”
- Sheryl Lee Ralph – “Abbott Elementary”
- Wanda Sykes – “The Upshaws”
Outstanding Drama Series
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- “Bel-Air”
- “Bridgerton”
- “Euphoria”
- “P-Valley” *WINNER
- “Queen Sugar”
Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
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- Damson Idris – “Snowfall”
- Jabari Banks – “Bel-Air”
- Kofi Siriboe – “Queen Sugar”
- Nicco Annan – “P-Valley” – WINNER
- Sterling K. Brown – “This Is Us”
Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
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- Angela Bassett – “9-1-1”- WINNER
- Brandee Evans – “P-Valley”
- Queen Latifah – “The Equalizer”
- Rutina Wesley – “Queen Sugar”
- Zendaya – “Euphoria”
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
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- Adrian Holmes – “Bel-Air”
- Amin Joseph – “Snowfall”
- Caleb McLaughlin – “Stranger Things”
- Cliff “Method Man” Smith – “Power Book II: Ghost” – WINNER
- J. Alphonse Nicholson – “P-Valley”
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
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- Adjoa Andoh – “Bridgerton”
- Bianca Lawson – “Queen Sugar”
- Loretta Devine – “P-Valley” – WINNER
- Susan Kelechi Watson – “This Is Us”
- Tina Lifford – “Queen Sugar”
Outstanding Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
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- “Carl Weber’s The Black Hamptons”
- “From Scratch”
- “The Best Man: The Final Chapters” – WINNER
- “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey”
- “Women of the Movement”
Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
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- Morris Chestnut – “The Best Man: The Final Chapters” – WINNER
- Samuel L. Jackson – “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey”
- Terrence Howard – “The Best Man: The Final Chapters”
- Trevante Rhodes – “Mike”
- Wendell Pierce – “Don’t Hang Up”
Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
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- Niecy Nash-Betts – “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” – WINNER
- Regina Hall – “The Best Man: The Final Chapters”
- Sanaa Lathan – “The Best Man: The Final Chapters”
- Viola Davis – “The First Lady”
- Zoe Saldaña – “From Scratch”
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Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
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- Glynn Turman – “Women of the Movement”
- Keith David – “From Scratch” – WINNER
- Omar Benson Miller – “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey”
- Russell Hornsby – “Mike”
- Terrence “TC” Carson – “A Wesley Christmas”
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
- Alexis Floyd – “Inventing Anna”
- Danielle Deadwyler – “From Scratch”
- Melissa De Sousa – “The Best Man: The Final Chapters”
- Nia Long – “The Best Man: The Final Chapters” – WINNER
- Phylicia Rashad – “Little America”
