“Insecure” creator and star Issa Rae, “The Underground Railroad” visionary Barry Jenkins and “Judas and the Black Messiah” filmmaker Shaka King were among the winners in the writing and directing categories presented Tuesday as part of the 53rd NAACP Image Awards.
The Image Awards’ non-televised kudos are being handed out during five virtual ceremonies stretched across the week starting Feb. 21, leading up to the live telecast, when the top categories, including entertainer of the year, will be awarded Feb. 26 on BET. The Monday-Friday virtual ceremonies are live-streamed via the Image Awards’ YouTube channel and NAACPImageAwards.net.
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Issa Rae was heralded with the outstanding writing in a comedy series prize for penning the series finale of “Insecure,” which led the class of NAACP Image Award nominees with 12 nods. She is also nominated for the best actress prize, which will be presented at a later date.
“The Good Fight’s: Davita Scarlett earned the writing award for drama series, while Abdul Williams won in the television movie or special category for the “Salt-N-Pepa” screenplay.
King nabbed two prizes, winning for outstanding directing in a motion picture and sharing the honor for outstanding writing with his co-scribes Will Benson and the Lucas Brothers.
Jenkins was also honored in the directing categories, taking home the drama series prize for “The Underground Railroad,” while “South Side” directors Bashir Salahuddin and Diallo Riddle nabbed the comedy series directing prize. “Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia” director Kenny Leon earned the award in the television movie or special category, with the documentary award doing to Samantha Knowles, Yoruba Richen, Geeta Gandbhir and Nadia Hallgren for “Black and Missing.”
Here is a complete list of winners for the 53rd NAACP Image Awards (updated throughout the week):
Tuesday, Feb. 22:
Outstanding Short-Form Series – Comedy or Drama
“Between the Scenes” – The Daily Show
Outstanding Short-Form Series or Special –Reality/Nonfiction
“Token of a Great Day” – Lynching Postcards
Outstanding Short-Form (Live Action)
“When The Sun Sets (Lakutshon’ Ilanga)”
Outstanding Short-Form (Animated)
“Us Again”
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
Issa Rae- “Insecure” – Episode #510 “Everything’s Gonna Be, Okay?!”
Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series
Davita Scarlett- “The Good Fight” – 505
Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie or Special
Abdul Williams- “Salt-N-Pepa”
Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture
Shaka King, Will Berson, Kenny Lucas, Keith Lucas- “Judas and the Black Messiah”
Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series
Bashir Salahuddin, Diallo Riddle – “South Side” – “Tornado” (208)
Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series
Barry Jenkins- “The Underground Railroad”
Outstanding Directing in a Television Movie or Special
Kenny Leon- “Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia”
Outstanding Directing in a Documentary
Samantha Knowles, Yoruba Richen, Geeta Gandbhir, Nadia Hallgren- “Black and Missing”- Ep 103
Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture
Shaka King- “Judas and the Black Messiah”
Special Award: NAACP Activist of the Year
Scot X. Esdaile.
Monday, Feb. 21:
Journalist Jemele Hill, civil rights activist Stacey Abrams, superstar Will Smith and the legendary Cicely Tyson were among the winners of podcast and literary kudos presented Monday as part of the 53rd NAACP Image Awards.
Hill, the ESPN alumnus who writes for the Atlantic and has a growing podcast following, took home two trophies for her podcast “Jemele Hill is Unbothered,” in the categories of arts and entertainment and society and culture.
Abrams, the Georgia-based voting rights advocate, got the nod for children’s lit for the book she co-wrote with Kitt Thomas, “Stacey’s Extraordinary Words.”
Smith, now in the Oscar hunt again for his work in the biopic “King Richard,” was recognized with the literary biography laurel for telling his own story in “Will,” published late last year.
The pioneering Tyson added another accolade to her distinguished legacy, winning the literary award for debut author for her autobiography “Just As I Am,” which was published two days before her death at age 96 in January 2021.
Sherri Shepherd and Kym Whitley took the lifestyle podcast honors for their work on “Two Funny Mamas.”
Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction
“Long Division” – Kiese Laymon
Outstanding Literary Work – Non-Fiction
“The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story” – Nikole Hannah-Jones
Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author
“Just As I Am” – Cicely Tyson
Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/Autobiography
“Will”- Will Smith
Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional
“Feeding the Soul (Because It’s My Business)” – Tabitha Brown
Outstanding Literary Work – Poetry
“Perfect Black”- Crystal Wilkinson
Outstanding Literary Work – Children
“Stacey’s Extraordinary Words” – Stacey Abrams, Kitt Thomas
Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens
“Ace of Spades”- Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
Outstanding Podcast – News and Information
“Blindspot: Tulsa Burning”
Outstanding Podcast – Arts and Entertainment
“Jemele Hill is Unbothered”
Outstanding Podcast – Society and Culture
“Jemele Hill is Unbothered”
Outstanding Podcast – Lifestyle/Self-Help
“Two Funny Mamas” – Sherri Shepherd & Kym Whitley
(Pictured: Issa Rae, Barry Jenkins and Shaka King)
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