The first two rounds of winners for the 56th NAACP Image Awards have been revealed, highlighting some of the most impactful television shows of the year.

Among the honored productions are Peacock’s Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, Disney+’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and Prime Video’s Cross.

These shows, each unique in their storytelling and representation, have captivated audiences while elevating diverse narratives.

The NAACP Image Awards continue to celebrate the outstanding achievements of people of color in television, film, music, and literature, recognizing those who bring visibility to important stories and perspectives.

Ayo Edebiri has emerged as one of the standout figures heading into this year’s awards season. She leads all television performers with an impressive four nominations, a testament to her versatility and growing influence in the entertainment industry.

Her breakout role in FX’s critically acclaimed series The Bear earned her three nominations, while her remarkable hosting debut on NBC’s Saturday Night Live secured her a fourth nod.

On Tuesday, she officially converted one of these nominations into a win when she was named Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television), further solidifying her as one of the most exciting talents to watch.

Another major highlight of this year’s nominations is ABC’s hit sitcom Abbott Elementary, which has secured an impressive ten nominations, making it the most-nominated television series at the NAACP Image Awards.

The show, a clever and heartwarming workplace comedy set in an underfunded Philadelphia public school, has resonated deeply with audiences.

Its nominations span across various categories, recognizing the brilliant work of its creator and star Quinta Brunson, along with standout performances from Janelle James, Tyler James Williams, William Stanford Davis, and the legendary Sheryl Lee Ralph.

The show’s consistent critical and commercial success reaffirms its place as a powerhouse in modern television.

The NAACP Image Awards hold significant cultural weight, honoring artists, creators, and performers who have made meaningful contributions to the entertainment industry while championing Black and other underrepresented voices.

Over the years, the awards have served as a platform to celebrate excellence and advocacy, ensuring that diverse stories are recognized on a national stage.

This year’s nominees reflect the evolving landscape of television, where inclusivity and representation are increasingly prioritized.

The event continues to be a beacon for progress, highlighting both established icons and emerging visionaries.

In addition to television, the NAACP Image Awards also recognize achievements across multiple creative disciplines, including film, music, and literature.

As the entertainment industry grapples with the ongoing need for more equitable representation, the awards shine a light on those who are pushing boundaries and making a lasting impact.

With each passing year, the ceremony serves as a reminder of the power of storytelling and the importance of amplifying voices that have historically been overlooked. By celebrating a wide array of talent, the NAACP Image Awards reinforce the importance of diversity in media.

The 56th NAACP Image Awards will be broadcast live on CBS and BET this Saturday, February 22, at 8/7c.

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
Abbott Elementary (ABC)
How to Die Alone (Hulu)
Poppa’s House (CBS)
The Neighborhood (CBS)
The Upshaws (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Cedric The Entertainer — The Neighborhood (CBS)
Damon Wayans — Poppa’s House (CBS)
David Alan Grier — St. Denis Medical (NBC)
Delroy Lindo — UnPrisoned (Hulu)
Mike Epps — The Upshaws (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Ayo Edebiri — The Bear (FX/Hulu)
Kerry Washington — UnPrisoned (Hulu)
Natasha Rothwell — How to Die Alone (Hulu)
Quinta Brunson — Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Tichina Arnold — The Neighborhood (CBS)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Damon Wayans Jr. — Poppa’s House (CBS)
Giancarlo Esposito — The Gentlemen (Netflix)
Kenan Thompson — Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Tyler James Williams — Abbott Elementary (ABC)
William Stanford Davis — Abbott Elementary (ABC)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Danielle Pinnock — Ghosts (CBS)
Ego Nwodim — Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Janelle James — Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Sheryl Lee Ralph — Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Wanda Sykes — The Upshaws (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
9-1-1 (ABC)
Bel-Air (Peacock)
Cross (Amazon Prime Video)
Found (NBC)
Reasonable Doubt (Hulu)

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Aldis Hodge — Cross (Amazon Prime Video)
Donald Glover — Mr. & Mrs. Smith (Amazon Prime Video)
Harold Perrineau — FROM (MGM+)
Jabari Banks — Bel-Air (Peacock)
Michael Rainey Jr. — Power Book II: Ghost (Starz)

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Angela Bassett — 9-1-1 (ABC)
Emayatzy Corinealdi — Reasonable Doubt (Hulu)
Queen Latifah — The Equalizer (CBS)
Shanola Hampton — Found (NBC)
Zoe Saldaña — Lioness (Paramount+)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Adrian Holmes — Bel-Air (Netflix)
Cliff “Method Man” Smith — Power Book II: Ghost (Starz)
Isaiah Mustafa — Cross (Amazon Prime Video)
Jacob Latimore — The Chi (Paramount+)
Morris Chestnut — Reasonable Doubt (Hulu)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Adjoa Andoh — Bridgerton (Netflix)
Coco Jones — Bel-Air (Peacock)
Golda Rosheuvel — Bridgerton (Netflix)
Lorraine Toussaint — The Equalizer (CBS)
Lynn Whitfield — The Chi (Paramount+)

OUTSTANDING LIMITED TELEVISION (SERIES, SPECIAL OR MOVIE)
Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist (Peacock)
Genius: MLK/X (National Geographic)
Griselda (Netflix)
Rebel Ridge (Netflix)
The Madness (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A LIMITED TELEVISION (SERIES, SPECIAL OR MOVIE)
Aaron Pierre — Rebel Ridge (Netflix)
Colman Domingo — The Madness (Netflix)
Kelvin Harrison Jr. — Genius: MLK/X (National Geographic)
Kevin Hart — Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist (Peacock)
Laurence Fishburne — Clipped (FX/Hulu)

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED TELEVISION (SERIES, SPECIAL OR MOVIE)
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor — The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat (Hulu/Searchlight Pictures)
Naturi Naughton — Abducted at an HBCU: A Black Girl Missing Movie (Lifetime)
Sanaa Lathan — The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat (Hulu/Searchlight Pictures)

Sofía Vergara — Griselda (Netflix)Uzo Aduba — The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat (Hulu/Searchlight Pictures)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED TELEVISION (SERIES, SPECIAL OR MOVIE)
Don Cheadle — Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist (Peacock)
Luke James — Them: The Scare (Amazon Prime Video)
Ron Cephas Jones — Genius: MLK/X (National Geographic)
🏆 Samuel L. Jackson — Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist (Peacock) — WINNER
Terrence Howard — Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist (Peacock)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED TELEVISION (SERIES, SPECIAL OR MOVIE)
Brandy Norwood — Descendants: The Rise of Red (Disney+)
Jayme Lawson — Genius: MLK/X (National Geographic)
Loretta Devine — Terry McMillan Presents: Tempted By Love (Lifetime)
Sanaa Lathan — Young. Wild. Free. (BET+)
🏆 Taraji P. Henson — Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist (Peacock) — WINNER

OUTSTANDING NEWS/INFORMATION (SERIES OR SPECIAL)
Black Men’s Summit (BET Media Group)
Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (PBS)
Laura Coates Live (CNN)
NewsNight with Abby Phillip (CNN)

🏆 The ReidOut (MSNBC) — WINNER

OUTSTANDING TALK SERIES
Hart to Heart (Peacock)
Sherri (Syndicated)
Tamron Hall Show (Syndicated)
The Jennifer Hudson Show (Syndicated)
The Shop Season 7 (YouTube)

OUTSTANDING REALITY PROGRAM, REALITY COMPETITION OR GAME SHOW (SERIES)
🏆 Celebrity Family Feud (ABC) — WINNER
Password (NBC)
Rhythm + Flow (Netflix)
The Real Housewives of Potomac (Bravo)
Tia Mowry: My Next Act (WeTV)

OUTSTANDING VARIETY SHOW (SERIES OR SPECIAL)
BET Awards 2024 (BET Media Group)
Deon Cole: Ok, Mister (Netflix)
🏆 Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was… (Netflix) — WINNER
Katt Williams: Woke Foke (Netflix)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)

OUTSTANDING CHILDREN’S PROGRAM
Craig of the Creek (Cartoon Network)
Descendants: The Rise of Red (Disney+)
🏆 Gracie’s Corner (YouTube TV) — WINNER
Sesame Street (MAX)
Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin (Apple TV+)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A YOUTH (SERIES, SPECIAL, TELEVISION MOVIE OR LIMITED-SERIES)
Caleb Elijah — Cross (Amazon Prime Video)
Graceyn Hollingsworth — Gracie’s Corner (YouTube TV)
🏆 Leah Sava Jeffries — Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Disney+) — WINNER
Melody Hurd — Cross” (Amazon Prime Video)
TJ Mixson — The Madness” (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING HOST IN A TALK OR NEWS/INFORMATION (SERIES OR SPECIAL) – INDIVIDUAL OR ENSEMBLE
Abby Phillip — NewsNight with Abby Phillip” (CNN)
Henry Louis Gates Jr. — Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.” (PBS)
Jennifer Hudson — The Jennifer Hudson” (Syndicated)
Joy Reid — The Reidout” (MSNBC)
Sherri Shepherd — Sherri” (Syndicated)

OUTSTANDING HOST IN A REALITY/REALITY COMPETITION, GAME SHOW OR VARIETY (SERIES OR SPECIAL) – INDIVIDUAL OR ENSEMBLE
Alfonso Ribeiro — Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
🏆 Keke Palmer — Password (NBC) — WINNER
Nick Cannon — The Masked Singer (FOX)
Steve Harvey — Celebrity Family Feud (ABC)
Taraji P. Henson — BET Awards 2024 (BET Media Group)

OUTSTANDING GUEST PERFORMANCE
Ayo Edebiri — Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Cree Summer — Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Keegan-Michael Key — Abbott Elementary (ABC)
🏆 Marlon Wayans — Bel-Air (Peacock) — WINNER
Maya Rudolph — Saturday Night Live (NBC)

OUTSTANDING ANIMATED SERIES
Disney Jr.’s Ariel (Disney Jr.)
Everybody Still Hates Chris (Comedy Central)
🏆 Gracie’s Corner (YouTube TV) — WINNER
Iwájú (Disney+)
Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (Disney Channel)

OUTSTANDING CHARACTER VOICEOVER PERFORMANCE (TELEVISION)
Angela Bassett — Orion and the Dark (Netflix)
🏆 Cree Summer — Rugrats (Nickelodeon) — WINNER
Cree Summer — The Legend of Vox Machina (Amazon Prime Video)
Dawnn Lewis — Star Trek: Lower Decks (Paramount+)
Keke Palmer — The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy (Amazon Prime Video)

OUTSTANDING SHORT FORM SERIES OR SPECIAL – REALITY/NON-FICTION/DOCUMENTARY
In the Margins (PBS)
NCAA Basketball on CBS Sports (CBS)
Roots of Resistance (PBS)
SC Featured (ESPN)
🏆 The Prince of Death Row Records (YouTube TV) — WINNER

OUTSTANDING BREAKTHROUGH CREATIVE (TELEVISION)
🏆 Ayo Edebiri — The Bear (FX/Hulu) — WINNER
Diarra Kilpatrick — Diarra From Detroit (BET+)
Maurice Williams — The Madness (Netflix)
Thembi L. Banks — Young. Wild. Free. (BET+)
Vince Staples — The Vince Staples Show (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SCORE FOR TELEVISION/MOTION PICTURE
Challengers (Original Score) (Milan Records)
Dune: Part Two (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (WaterTower Music)
🏆 Star Wars: The Acolyte (Original Soundtrack) (Walt Disney Records) — WINNER
The American Society of Magical Negroes (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Back Lot
Music)
The Book of Clarence (Original Motion Picture Score) (Milan Records)

OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY (TELEVISION)
Black Barbie: A Documentary (Netflix)
Black Twitter: A People’s History (Hulu)
Gospel (PBS)
Simone Biles Rising (Netflix)
Sprint (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING WRITING IN A COMEDY SERIES
Ashley Nicole Black — Shrinking – “Changing Patterns” (Apple TV+)
Brittani Nichols — Abbott Elementary – “Breakup” (ABC)
🏆 Crystal Jenkins — No Good Deed – “Letters of Intent” (Netflix) — WINNER
Diarra Kilpatrick — Diarra From Detroit – “Chasing Ghosts” (BET+)
Jordan Temple — Abbott Elementary – “Smoking” (ABC)

OUTSTANDING WRITING IN A DRAMA SERIES
Azia Squire — Bridgerton – “Tick Tock” (Netflix)
🏆 Ben Watkins — Cross – “Hero Complex” (Prime Video) — WINNER
Francesca Sloane, Donald Glover — Mr. & Mrs. Smith – “First Date” (Prime Video)
Geetika Lizardi — Bridgerton – “Joining of Hands” (Netflix)
Lauren Gamble — Bridgerton – “Old Friends” (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING WRITING IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR SPECIAL
Brandon Espy, Carl Reid — Mr. Crocket (Hulu)
Bree West, Chazitear — A Wesley South African Christmas (BET+)
🏆 Juel Taylor, Tony Rettenmaier, Thembi L. Banks — Young. Wild. Free. (BET+) — WINNER
Rudy Mancuso, Dan Lagana — Música (Amazon Prime Video)
Tina Mabry, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Cee Marcellus — The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat
(Hulu/Searchlight Pictures)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING IN A COMEDY SERIES
Ayo Edebiri — The Bear – “Napkins” (FX/Hulu)
Bentley Kyle Evans — Mind Your Business – “The Reunion” (Bounce TV)
Robbie Countryman — The Upshaws – “Ain’t Broke” (Netflix)
🏆 Tiffany Johnson — How to Die Alone – “Trust No One” (Hulu) — WINNER
William Smith — The Vince Staples Show – “Brown Family” (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING IN A DRAMA SERIES
Carl Franklin — Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story – “Blame It on the Rain” (Netflix)
Marta Cunningham — Genius: MLK/X – “Protect Us” (National Geographic)
Marta Cunningham — Genius: MLK/X – “Who We Are” (National Geographic)
Paris Barclay — Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story – “Brother, Can You Spare a
Dime?” (Netflix)
🏆 Rapman — Supacell – “Supacell” (Netflix) — WINNER

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING IN A TELEVISION MOVIE, DOCUMENTARY OR SPECIAL
Kelley Kali — Kemba (BET+)
Marcelo Gama — BET Awards 2024 (BET Media Group)
Shanta Fripp — Black Men’s Summit (BET Media Group)
Thembi L. Banks — Young. Wild. Free. (BET+)
🏆 Tina Mabry — The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can Eat (Hulu/Searchlight Pictures) — WINNER

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING IN A DOCUMENTARY (TELEVISION OR MOTION PICTURE)
Bao Nguyen — The Greatest Night in Pop (Netflix)
Dawn Porter — Luther: Never Too Much (Sony Music Entertainment/Sony Music
Publishing/CNN Films)
Deborah Riley Draper — James Brown: Say It Loud (A&E)
Jason Pollard, Sam Pollard — Ol’ Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys (A&E)
Nneka Onuorah — Megan Thee Stallion: In Her Words (Amazon Prime Video)

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