Friday, March 29, 2024

The 2021 NAACP Image Awards Nominations

By Matt Neglia

The 53rd NAACP Image Award nominations have been announced. The winners will be announced on February 26th.

​Click below to see the list of nominations representing the best in film for 2021. 

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
Algee Smith – “Judas and the Black Messiah” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Daniel Kaluuya – “Judas and the Black Messiah” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Delroy Lindo – “The Harder They Fall” (Netflix)
Idris Elba – “The Harder They Fall” (Netflix)
LaKeith Stanfield – “The Harder They Fall” (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Aunjanue Ellis – “King Richard” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Audra McDonald – “Respect” (Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures/United Artists Releasing)
Danielle Deadwyler – “The Harder They Fall” (Netflix)
Dominique Fishback – “Judas and the Black Messiah” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Regina King – “The Harder They Fall” (Netflix)

Outstanding Independent Motion Picture
“American Skin” (Vertical Entertainment)
Bruised” (Netflix)
CODA” (Apple TV+)
“Test Pattern” (Kino Lorber)
“The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain” (RedBird Entertainment)

Outstanding International Motion Picture
7 Prisoners” (Netflix)
“African America” (Netflix)
Eyimofe (This is My Desire)” (Janus Films)
Flee” (Neon / Participant)
“The Gravedigger’s Wife” (Orange Studio)

Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture
Ariana DeBose – “West Side Story” (20th Century Studios)
Danny Boyd, Jr. – “Bruised” (Netflix)
Jalon Christian – “A Journal For Jordan” (Columbia Pictures)
Lonnie Chavis – “The Water Man” (RLJE Films)
Sheila Atim – “Bruised” (Netflix)

Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture
Coming 2 America” (Paramount Releasing/Amazon Studios)
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)

Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
Encanto” (Walt Disney Studios)
Luca” (Walt Disney Studios)
Raya and the Last Dragon” (Walt Disney Studios)
Sing 2” (Universal Pictures)
Vivo” (Netflix)

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – Motion Picture
Andre Braugher – “Spirit Untamed” (Universal Pictures)
Awkwafina – “Raya and the Last Dragon” (Walt Disney Studios)
Brian Tyree Henry – “Vivo” (Netflix)
Eric André – “Sing 2” (Universal Pictures)
Letitia Wright – “Sing 2” (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture)
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson – “Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)” (Searchlight Pictures, Onyx Collective, Hulu)
Jamila Wignot – “Ailey” (Neon)
Jeymes Samuel – “The Harder They Fall” (Netflix)
Liesl Tommy – “Respect” (Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures/United Artists Releasing)
Rebecca Hall – “Passing” (Netflix)

Outstanding Documentary (Film)
Attica” (Showtime)
“Barbara Lee: Speaking Truth to Power” (Greenwich Entertainment)
My Name Is Pauli Murray” (Amazon Studios in association with Participant)
Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)” (Searchlight Pictures, Onyx Collective, Hulu)
“Tina” (HBO Documentary Films)

Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture
Janicza Bravo, Jeremy O. Harris – “Zola” (A24)
Jeymes Samuel, Boaz Yakin – “The Harder They Fall” (Netflix)
Shaka King, Will Berson, Kenny Lucas, Keith Lucas – “Judas and the Black Messiah” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Virgil Williams – “A Journal for Jordan” (Columbia Pictures)
Win Rosenfeld, Nia DaCosta, Jordan Peele – “Candyman” (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture
Denzel Washington – “A Journal for Jordan” (Columbia Pictures)
Jeymes Samuel – “The Harder They Fall” (Netflix)
Lin-Manuel Miranda – “tick tick…BOOM!” (Netflix)
Reinaldo Marcus Green – “King Richard” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Shaka King – “Judas and the Black Messiah” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

To see the nominations for the other categories including music and television, click here.

You can follow Matt and hear more of his thoughts on the Oscars and Film on Twitter at @NextBestPicture

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Matt Neglia
Matt Negliahttps://nextbestpicture.com/
Obsessed about the Oscars, Criterion Collection and all things film 24/7. Critics Choice Member.

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