Congratulations to Kirk Franklin, Tasha Cobbs Leonard and all Winners

The NAACP Image Awards once again celebrated excellence in film, television, music, and literature, honoring the brilliance, creativity, and cultural impact of Black artists and storytellers. Presented annually by the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), the awards recognize outstanding achievements while uplifting projects that promote social justice and positive representation.

This year’s ceremony highlighted powerful storytelling and groundbreaking performances. In film, The Color Purple emerged as a standout, earning multiple honors and reaffirming the enduring legacy of the beloved story originally penned by Alice Walker. The film adaptation showcased dynamic performances that resonated deeply with audiences.

On the television front, hit series like Abbott Elementary continued their winning streak, celebrated for authentic humor and meaningful representation in mainstream media. In drama categories, compelling performances from actors in culturally rich series demonstrated the depth and range of Black talent across networks and streaming platforms.

In the Gospel categories,congratulations to Kirk Franklin for winning Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song for "Do it Again" and Tasha Cobbs Leonard for winning Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album for "Tasha."

All artists were honored for music that uplifts, encourages, and spreads messages of faith and hope. These awards continue to recognize the vital role Gospel music plays in shaping culture and strengthening communities.

More than just a celebration of entertainment, the NAACP Image Awards remind us that faith-filled artistry matters. Gospel music remains a cornerstone of the culture — inspiring generations and carrying messages that go far beyond the stage.

Check out the complete list of Winners below:

President's Award: Colman Domingo

Chairman's Award: Viola Davis

Hall of Fame Award: Salt-N-Pepa and DJ Spinderella

Entertainer of the Year: Michael B. Jordan

Outstanding Motion Picture: “Sinners” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Actor in Motion Picture: Michael B. Jordan - “Sinners” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture: Miles Caton - “Sinners” (Warner Bros.)

Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series: Angela Bassett - “9-1-1” (ABC)

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series: Quinta Brunson - “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)

Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series: Sterling K. Brown - “Paradise” (ABC)

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Cynthia Erivo - “Wicked: For Good” (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Soul/R&B Song: “It Depends” - Chris Brown feat. Bryson Tiller (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)

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

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

Outstanding Children's Program: “Gracie's Corner” (Youtube TV)

Outstanding Animated Series: “Gracie's Corner” (Youtube TV)

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television): Kyla Pratt - “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder” (Disney+)

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Motion Picture): Quinta Brunson - “Zootopia 2” (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Outstanding Stunt Ensemble (Television or Motion Picture): “Sinners” - Andy Gill (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Independent Motion Picture: “Love, Brooklyn” (Greenwich Entertainment)

Outstanding International Motion Picture: “Souleymane's Story” (Kino Lorber)

Outstanding Documentary (Film): “Being Eddie” (Netflix)

Outstanding Cinematography in a Motion Picture: Autumn Durald Arkapaw - “Sinners” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Editing in a Motion Picture or Television Series, Movie, or Special: Deanna Nowell - “Ironheart” (Disney+)

Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture): Cassandra Mann - “Unexpected Christmas” (3 Diamonds Entertainment LLC)

Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture: Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O'Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Miller, Buddy Guy, Delroy Lindo, Peter Dreimanis, Lola Kirke, Li Jun Li, Saul Williams, Yao - “Sinners” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Variety (Series or Special): “Ali Siddiq: My Two Sons” (YouTube/Moment PPV)

Outstanding Guest Performance: Malcolm-Jamal Warner - “Murder in a Small Town” (FOX)

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series: Aisha Muharrar - “Hacks” - "Clickable Face" (HBO Max)

Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series: Cynthia Adarkwa - “The Pitt” -"12:00 P.M.” (HBO Max)

Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie or Special: Aireka Muse - “Friends & Lovers” (Lifetime Movie Network)

Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series: Tyler James Williams - “Abbott Elementary” - "The Science Fair" (ABC)

Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series: Mario Van Peebles - “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” - "Allow Me to Re-Introduce Myself" (STARZ)

Outstanding Directing in a Television Movie or Special: Olatunde Osunsanmi - “Star Trek: Section 31” (Paramount+)

Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television): Chinaka Hodge - “Ironheart” (Disney+)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Television Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special: Teyana Taylor - “Straw” (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Television Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special: Glynn Turman - “Straw” (Netflix)

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

Individual or Ensemble: Steve Harvey - “Celebrity Family Feud” (ABC)

Outstanding Reality Program, Reality Competition or Game Show (Series): “Celebrity Family Feud” (ABC)

Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album:“Luther” - Kendrick Lamar & SZA (pgLang under exclusive license to Interscope Records)

Outstanding New Artist: Monaleo - “Who Did the Body?” (Columbia Records)

Outstanding Female Artist: Cardi B - (Atlantic Records)

Outstanding Male Artist: Kendrick Lamar - (pgLang under exclusive license to Interscope Records)

Outstanding Hip-Hop/Rap Song: “ErrTime” - Cardi B (Atlantic Records)

Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album: “Sinners (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)” (Proximity Media LLC, under exclusive license to Masterworks, a label of Sony Music Entertainment)

Outstanding International Song: “Is It” - Tyla (Epic Records)

Outstanding Jazz Album: “We Insist! 2025” - Terri Lyne Carrington & Christie Dashiell (Candid Records)

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song: “Do it Again” - Kirk Franklin (Fo Yo Soul Recordings/Tribl Records)

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album: “Tasha” - Tasha Cobbs Leonard (Motown Gospel)

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Traditional): 803Fresh feat. Fantasia - “Boots on the Ground Remix” (Snake Eyez Music Group/Artist Partner Group)

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Contemporary): Chris Brown feat. Bryson Tiller & Usher - “It Depends (Remix)” (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)

Outstanding Original Score for TV/Film: “Sinners (Original Motion Picture Score)” (Proximity Media LLC, under exclusive license to Sony Classical, a label of Sony Music Entertainment)

Outstanding Album: “Am I The Drama?” - Cardi B (Atlantic Records)

Outstanding Podcast – Scripted/Limited Series/Short Form: “Interesting Things with JC” (Jim Connors LLC)

Outstanding Podcast – News and Information: “The Don Lemon Show” (Lemon Media Network)

Outstanding Podcast – Lifestyle/Self-Help: “IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson” (Higher Ground)

Outstanding Podcast – Arts, Sports and Entertainment: “IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson” (Higher Ground)

Outstanding Podcast – Society and Culture: “The Don Lemon Show” (Lemon Media Network)

Outstanding Short-Form Documentary (Film): “The Ebony Canal: A Story of Black Infant Health” (Ya Momz House)

Outstanding Short-Form (Live Action): “Ella” (Proof of Concept)

Outstanding Short-Form (Animated): “Wednesdays with Gramps” (DreamWorks Animation)

Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/ Autobiography: “The Look” - Michelle Obama (Crown)

Outstanding Literary Work – Non-Fiction: “A More Perfect Party: The Night Shirley Chisholm & Diahann Carroll Reshaped Politics” - Juanita Tolliver (Legacy Lit/Hachette Book Group)

Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional: “Who Better Than You?” - Will Packer (Penguin Random House)

Outstanding Literary Work - Journalism: “On Borrowed Time” - Anissa Durham (Online)

Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author: Charles B. Fancher - “Red Clay” (Blackstone Publishing)

Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction: “Death of the Author” - Nnedi Okorafor (William Morrow)

Outstanding Literary Work – Poetry: “The Intentions of Thunder: New and Selected Poems” - Patricia Smith (Scribner)

Outstanding Literary Work – Children: “Yvonne Clark and Her Engineering Spark” - Allen R. Wells; Illustrated by DeAndra Hodge (Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers/Macmillan)

Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens: “Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Book of Anansi” - Angie Thomas (HarperCollins/Clarion Books)

Outstanding Literary Work - Graphic Novel: “Parable of the Talents: A Graphic Novel Adaptation” - Octavia E. Butler, adapted by Damien Duffy, Illustrated by John Jennings and David Brame (Abrams ComicArts)

Outstanding Short-Form Series or Special - Reality/Nonfiction/Documentary: The Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show Starring Kendrick Lamar - (FOX)

Outstanding Digital Content Creator - Gaming/Tech: Berlin Edmond Jr. - @Berleezy

Outstanding Digital Content Creator - Fitness/Wellness/Food: Keith Lee - @keith_lee125