Here are the 2021 NAACP Image Awards Nominees

The NAACP Image Awards have released the 2021 nominations list ahead of the award ceremony which will take place at the end of March. The nominations were virtually announced Tuesday on the NAACP Image Awards' Instagram. Trevor Noah, the late Chadwick Boseman, Issa Rae, Beyonce, Viola Davis, Regina King are just some of the amazing talent who have made list. Nigerian actors Yvonne Orji, Dayo Okeniyi and Folake Olowofoyeku have also bagged nominee spots.

Read: Lupita Nyong'o, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Wizkid & More Bag NAACP Image Awards

South Africa's Trevor Noah has reportedly been nominated for "Entertainer of the Year" for hosting the Daily Show. Noah is nominated alongside Regina King, Viola Davis, Tyler Perry and D-Nice. According to Variety, King, Davis and Perry have previously been nominated and neither have won the highly acclaimed award. The late Chadwick Boseman is nominated in "Outstanding Supporting Actor" for his brilliant performance in the movie "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom". American writer, director and actor, Issa Rae is nominated for her breakout original show Insecure. Beyonce, proves again why she is queen with a leading the music recording category with six nominations, this according to the Los Angeles Times. Black is King is nominated for "Outstanding Visual Album".

This years nomination list is not solely a battle of talented personalities but studios are also vying for recognition. Global streaming studio company Netflix, unsurprisingly, leads the nominations in this charge. Though there are conflicting reports on the exact numbers, Netflix reportedly leads with a grand total of 53 nominations and HBO is behind at 31.

The NAACP Image Awards will be broadcasted on the 27th of March on BET at 20:00 Eastern Time. Non-televised award categories will live stream over five nights between the 22nd to 26th of March. The highly anticipated annual award show recognises outstanding Black performers and productions across the U.S entertainment industry.

Checkout the full 52nd NAACP nominations list below.

Entertainer of the Year

D-Nice
Regina King
Viola Davis
Trevor Noah
Tyler Perry

MOTION PICTURE CATEGORIES

Outstanding Motion Picture
"Bad Boys For Life" (Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Entertainment)
"Da 5 Bloods" (Netflix)
"Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey" (Netflix)
"Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" (Netflix)
"One Night In Miami…" (Amazon Studios)

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
Anthony Mackie – "The Banker" (Apple TV Plus)
Chadwick Boseman – "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" (Netflix)
Delroy Lindo – "Da 5 Bloods" (Netflix)
Forest Whitaker – "Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey" (Netflix)
Will Smith – "Bad Boys For Life" (Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Entertainment)

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Issa Rae – "The Photograph" (Universal Pictures)
Janelle Monáe – "Antebellum" (Lionsgate)
Madalen Mills – "Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey" (Netflix)
Tracee Ellis Ross – "The High Note" (Focus Features)
Viola Davis – "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Aldis Hodge – "One Night In Miami…" (Amazon Studios)
Chadwick Boseman – "Da 5 Bloods" (Netflix)
Clarke Peters – "Da 5 Bloods" (Netflix)
Colman Domingo – "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" (Netflix)
Glynn Turman – "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Anika Noni Rose – "Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey" (Netflix)
Gabourey Sidibe – "Antebellum" (Lionsgate)
Nia Long – "The Banker" (Apple TV Plus)
Phylicia Rashad – "Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey" (Netflix)
Taylour Paige – "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" (Netflix)

Outstanding Independent Motion Picture
"Emperor" (Universal Home Video)
"Farewell Amor" (IFC Films)
"Miss Juneteenth" (Vertical Entertainment)
"The 24th" (Vertical Entertainment)
"The Banker" (Apple TV Plus)

Outstanding International Motion Picture
"Ainu Mosir" (ARRAY)
"His House" (Netflix)
"Night of the Kings" (Neon)
"The Last Tree" (ArtMattan Productions)
"The Life Ahead" (La vita davanti a se) (Netflix)

Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture
Dayo Okeniyi – "Emperor" (Universal Home Video)
Dominique Fishback – "Project Power" (Netflix)
Jahi Di'Allo Winston – "Charm City Kings" (HBO Max)
Jahzir Bruno – "The Witches" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Madalen Mills – "Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey" (Netflix)

Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture
"Da 5 Bloods" (Netflix)
"Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey" (Netflix)
"Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" (Netflix)
"Soul" (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
"The Banker" (Apple TV Plus)

Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
"Onward" (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
"Over the Moon" (Netflix)
"Scoob!" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
"Soul" (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
"Trolls World Tour" (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – Motion Picture
Ahmir-Khalib Thompson aka Questlove – "Soul" (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Angela Bassett – "Soul" (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Chris Rock – "The Witches" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Jamie Foxx – "Soul" (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Phylicia Rashad – "Soul" (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Outstanding Short Form (Live Action)
"Baldwin Beauty" (Powderkeg Media)
"Black Boy Joy" (Film Independent Project Involve )
"Gets Good Light"
"Home"
" Mr & Mrs. Ellis" (AMB Productions)

Outstanding Short Form (Animated)
"Canvas" (Netflix)
"Cops and Robbers" (Netflix)
"Loop" (Pixar Animation Studios)
"The Power of Hope" (The Power Of Hope)
"Windup" (Unity Technologies)

Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture)
Loira Limbal – "Through the Night" (Third Shift Media, Inc.)
Melissa Haizlip – "Mr. Soul!" (Shoes In The Bed Productions)
Nadia Hallgren – "Becoming" (A Higher Ground Productions and Big Mouth Productions Film for Netflix)
Radha Blank – "The Forty-Year-Old Version" (Netflix)
Remi Weekes – "His House" (Netflix)

DOCUMENTARY CATEGORIES

Outstanding Documentary (Film)
"All In: The Fight For Democracy" (Amazon Studios)
"Coded Bias" (7th Empire Media)
"John Lewis: Good Trouble" (Magnolia Pictures/Participant)
"Soul!" (Shoes in the Bed Productions)
"On the Record" (HBO Max)

Outstanding Documentary (Television)
"And She Could Be Next" (PBS)
"Black Love" (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
"Enslaved: The Lost History of the Transatlantic Slave Trade" (EPIX)
"The Last Dance" (ESPN / Netflix)
"Unsung" (TV One)

TELEVISION + STREAMING CATEGORIES

Outstanding Comedy Series
"#blackAF" (Netflix)
"Black-ish" (ABC)
"grown-ish" (Freeform)
"Insecure" (HBO)
"The Last O.G." (TBS)

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson – "Black-ish" (ABC)
Cedric The Entertainer – "The Neighborhood" (CBS)
Don Cheadle – "Black Monday" (Showtime)
Idris Elba – "In the Long Run" (Starz)
Tracy Morgan – "The Last O.G." (TBS)

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
Issa Rae – "Insecure" (HBO)
Folake Olowofoyeku – "Bob Hearts Abishola" (CBS)
Regina Hall – "Black Monday" (Showtime)
Tracee Ellis Ross – "Black-ish" (ABC)
Yara Shahidi – "Grown-ish" (Freeform)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Andre Braugher – "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (NBC)
Deon Cole – "Black-ish" (ABC)
Jay Ellis – "Insecure" (HBO)
Kenan Thompson – "Saturday Night Live" (NBC)
Laurence Fishburne – "Black-ish" (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Jenifer Lewis – "Black-ish" (ABC)
Marsai Martin – "Black-ish" (ABC)
Natasha Rothwell – "Insecure" (HBO)
Tichina Arnold – "The Neighborhood" (CBS)
Yvonne Orji – "Insecure" (HBO)

Outstanding Drama Series
"All Rise" (CBS)
"Bridgerton" (Netflix)
"Lovecraft Country" (HBO)
"Power Book II: Ghost" (Starz)
"This Is Us" (NBC)

Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
Jonathan Majors – "Lovecraft Country" (HBO)
Keith David – "Greenleaf" (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
Nicco Annan – "P-Valley" (Starz)
Regé-Jean Page – "Bridgerton" (Netflix)
Sterling K. Brown – "This Is Us" (NBC)

Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
Angela Bassett – "9-1-1" (FOX)
Brandee Evans – "P-Valley" (Starz)
Jurnee Smollett – "Lovecraft Country" (HBO)
Simone Missick – "All Rise" (CBS)
Viola Davis – "How To Get Away With Murder" (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Clifford "Method Man" Smith – "Power Book II: Ghost" (Starz)
Delroy Lindo – "The Good Fight" (CBS All Access)
Alphonse Nicholson – "P-Valley" (Starz)
Jeffrey Wright – "Westworld" (HBO)
Michael Kenneth Williams – "Lovecraft Country" (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Adjoa Andoh – "Bridgerton" (Netflix)
Aunjanue Ellis – "Lovecraft Country" (HBO)
Lynn Whitfield – "Greenleaf" (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
Mary J. Blige – "Power Book II: Ghost" (Starz)
Susan Kelechi Watson – "This Is Us" (NBC)

Outstanding Television Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special
"Hamilton" (Disney Plus)
"Little Fires Everywhere" (Hulu)
"Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker" (Netflix)
"Sylvie's Love" (Amazon Studios)
"The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel" (Lifetime)

Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special
Blair Underwood – "Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker" (Netflix)
Chris Rock – "Fargo" (FX)
Daveed Diggs – "Hamilton" (Disney Plus)
Leslie Odom, Jr. – "Hamilton" (Disney Plus)
Nnamdi Asomugha – "Sylvie's Love" (Amazon Studios)

Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special
Aunjanue Ellis – "The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel" (Lifetime)
Kerry Washington – "Little Fires Everywhere" (Hulu)
Michaela Coel – "I May Destroy You" (HBO)
Octavia Spencer – "Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker" (Netflix)
Tessa Thompson – "Sylvie's Love" (Amazon Studios)

Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)
"AM Joy: Remembering John Lewis Special" (MSNBC)
"Desus & Mero: The Obama Interview" (Showtime)
"The Color of Covid" (CNN)
"The New York Times Presents The Killing of Breonna Taylor" (FX)
"The Reidout" (NBC)

Outstanding Talk Series
"Red Table Talk" (Facebook Watch)
"Tamron Hall" (Syndicated )
"The Daily Show with Trevor Noah" (Comedy Central)
"The Oprah Conversation" (Apple TV Plus)
"The Shop: Uninterrupted" (HBO)

Outstanding Reality Program, Reality Competition or Game Show (Series)
"Celebrity Family Feud" (ABC)
"Iyanla: Fix My Life" (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
"Shark Tank" (ABC)
"United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell" (CNN)
"Voices of Fire" (Netflix)

Outstanding Variety Show (Series or Special)
"8:46" (Netflix)
"Black Is King" (Disney+)
"The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion" (HBO Max)
"VERZUZ" (APPLE TV Plus)
"Yvonne Orji: Momma I Made It!" (HBO)

Outstanding Children's Program
"Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices" (Netflix)
"Craig of the Creek" (Cartoon Network)
"Family Reunion" (Netflix)
"Raven's Home" (Disney Channel)
"We Are the Dream: The Kids of the Oakland MLK Oratorical" (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited–Series)
Alex R. Hibbert – "The Chi" (Showtime)
Lexi Underwood – "Little Fires Everywhere" (Hulu)
Lyric Ross – "This Is Us" (NBC)
Marsai Martin – "Black-ish" (ABC)
Miles Brown – "Black-ish" (ABC)

Outstanding Host in a Talk or News/Information (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble
Don Lemon – "CNN Tonight with Don Lemon" (CNN)
Jada Pinkett Smith – "Red Table Talk" (Facebook Watch)
Joy Reid – "The Reidout" (NBC)
LeBron James – "The Shop: Uninterrupted" (HBO)
Trevor Noah – "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah" (Comedy Central)

Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble
Alfonso Ribeiro – "America's Funniest Home Videos" (ABC)
Iyanla Vanzant – "Iyanla: Fix My Life" (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
Steve Harvey – "Celebrity Family Feud" (ABC)
Kamau Bell – "United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell" (CNN)
RuPaul – "RuPaul's Drag Race" (VH1)

Outstanding Guest Performance – Comedy or Drama Series
Chris Rock – "Saturday Night Live" (NBC)
Courtney B. Vance – "Lovecraft Country" (HBO)
Dave Chappelle – "Saturday Night Live" (NBC)
Issa Rae – "Saturday Night Live" (NBC)
Loretta Devine – "P-Valley" (Starz)

Outstanding Animated Series
"Big Mouth" (Netflix)
"Central Park" (Apple TV Plus)
"Doc McStuffins" (Disney Junior)
"She-Ra and the Princesses of Power" (Netflix)
"Star Trek: Lower Decks" (CBS All Access)

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television)
Aisha Tyler – "Archer" (FX)
Courtney B. Vance – "Hollywood's Architect: The Paul R. Williams Story" (PBS)
Dawnn Lewis – "Star Trek: Lower Decks" (CBS All Access)
Deon Cole – "Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts" (Netflix)
Laya DeLeon Hayes – "Doc McStuffins" (Disney Junior)

Outstanding Short Form Series – Comedy or Drama
"#FreeRayshawn" (Quibi)
"CripTales" (BBC America)
"Lazor Wulf" (Adult Swim)
"Mapleworth Murders" (Quibi)
"Sincerely, Camille" (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Outstanding Performance in a Short Form Series
Giancarlo Esposito – "The Broken and the Bad" (AMC.com )
B. Smoove – "Mapleworth Murders" (Quibi)
Jasmine Cephas Jones – "#FreeRayshawn" (Quibi)
Laurence Fishburne – "#FreeRayshawn" (Quibi)
Stephan James – "#FreeRayshawn" (Quibi)

Outstanding Short Form Series – Reality/Nonfiction
"American Masters" – Unladylike2020 (PBS)
"Benedict Men" (Quibi)
"Between The Scenes – The Daily Show" (Comedy Central)
"In The Making" (PBS)
"Inspire Change Series" (NFL Network)

Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television)
Katori Hall – P-Valley (Starz)
Keith Knight – Woke (Hulu)
Ramy Youssef – Ramy (Hulu)
Raynelle Swilling – Cherish the Day (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
Teri Schaffer – Cherish the Day (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

RECORDING CATEGORIES

Outstanding New Artist
Chika – High Rises (Warner Records)
Doja Cat – Say So (RCA Records/Kemosabe )
D Smoke – Black Habits (WoodWorks Records / EMPIRE)
Giveon – When It's All Said And Done (Epic Records)
Skip Marley – Higher Place (Island Records/ Tuff Gong Records)

Outstanding Male Artist
Big Sean – Detroit 2 (Def Jam Recordings/G.O.O.D Music)
Black Thought – Streams of Thought, Vol. 3: Cane & Able (Republic Records)
Charlie Wilson – All of My Love (P Music Group/BMG)
Drake – Laugh Now, Cry Later (Republic Records)
John Legend – Bigger Love (Columbia Records)

Outstanding Female Artist
Beyoncé – Black Parade (Columbia Record/ Parkwood)
H.E.R. – I Can't Breathe (RCA Records/MBK Entertainment)
Jazmine Sullivan – Lost One (RCA Records)
Ledisi – Anything For You (Listen Back Entertainment/BMG)
Alicia Keys – Alicia (RCA Records)

Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album
"I Can't Breathe" – H.E.R. (RCA Records/MBK Entertainment)
"Anything For You" – Ledisi (Listen Back Entertainment/BMG)
"Black is King" – Beyonce´ (Columbia Record/ Parkwood)
"Brown Skin Girl" – Beyonce' feat WizKid, SAINt JHN, Blu Ivy Carter (Columbia Record/ Parkwood)
"Do It" – Chloe x Halle (Columbia Record/ Parkwood)

Outstanding Album
Alicia – Alicia Keys (RCA Records)
b7 – Brandy (Brand Nu/eOne)
Bigger Love – John Legend (Columbia Records)
Chilombo– Jhené Aiko (Def Jam Recordings)
The Wild Card– LEDISI (Listen Back Entertainment/BMG)

Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom(Music from the Netflix Film) – Branford Marsalis (Milan)
Insecure: Music from the HBO Original Series– Various Artists (Atlantic Records)
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey – Various Artists (Atlantic Records )
Soul Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Jon Batiste and Tom MacDougall (Walt Disney Records)
The First Ladies of Gospel: The Clark Sisters Biopic Soundtrack – Donald Lawrence (Relevé Entertainment)

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album
Chosen Vessel – Marvin Sapp (RCA Inspiration)
Gospel According to PJ – PJ Morton (Morton Inspiration / Tyscot Records)
I Am – Koryn Hawthorne (RCA Inspiration)
Kierra – Kierra Sheard (Karew/RCA Inspiration)
The Return – The Clark Sisters (Karew/Motown)

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song
"All in His Plan" – PJ Morton (Morton Inspiration / Tyscot Records)
"Never Lost" – CeCe Winans (Pure Springs Gospel)
"Something Has To Break" – Kierra Sheard feat. Tasha Cobbs-Leonard (Karew/RCA Inspiration)
"Strong God" – Kirk Franklin (Fo Yo Soul/RCA Records)
"Touch from You" – Tamela Mann (TillyMann Inc.)

Outstanding Jazz Album – Instrumental

Be Water – Christian Sands (Mack Avenue Music Group)
Music From and Inspired By Soul – Jon Batiste (Walt Disney Records)
Omega – Immanuel Wilkins (Blue Note Records)
Reciprocity – George Burton (Inner Circle Music)
The Iconoclast – Barry Stephenson (Independent)

Outstanding International Song

Blessed – Buju Banton (Roc Nation Records)
Lockdown – Original Koffee (Promise Land Recordings)
Pressure (Remix) – Original Koffee feat. Buju Banton (Promise Land Recordings)
Tanana – Davido feat. Tiwa Savage (RCA Records/Sony Music U.K./Davido Worldwide Entertainment)
Temptation – Tiwa Savage (Motown Records)

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series

Issa Rae – Insecure – "Lowkey Feelin' Myself" (HBO)
Lee Eisenberg, Kumail Nanjiani, Emily V. Gordon – Little America – "The Rock" (Apple TV+)
Michaela Coel – I May Destroy You – "Ego Death" (HBO)
Mindy Kaling, Lang Fisher – Never Have I Ever "Pilot" (Netflix)
Rajiv Joseph – Little America – "The Manager" (Apple TV+)

Outstanding Directing in a Television Movie or Special
Beyoncé Knowles Carter, Emmanuel Adeji, Blitz Bazawule, Kwasi Fordjour – "Black Is King" (Disney+)
Christine Swanson – "The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel" (Lifetime)
Chuck Vinson, Alan Muraoka – "The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special" (HBO Max)
Eugene Ashe – "Sylvie's Love" (Amazon Studios)
Kamilah Forbes – "Between The World And Me" (HBO)

SPECIAL AWARD CATEGORIES

Social Justice Impact

April Ryan
Debbie Allen
Lebron James
Stacey Abrams
Tamika Mallory