Nominees were announced for the 53rd NAACP Image Awards over the org’s Instagram, presented by Kyla Pratt, who returns as the voice of Penny in Disney+’s reboot series The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Feb. 23), Marcus Scribner (black-ish) and singer-songwriter Tinashe. The Harder They Fall and Insecure lead the film and TV categories with the most nominations, and the 2022 Entertainer of the Year Prize contenders are Jennifer Hudson, Lil Nas X, Megan Thee Stallion, Regina King and Tuca & Bertie V.O. star Tiffany Haddish.
The Outstanding Animated Motion Picture category is a refreshing reflection of this year’s on-screen diversity push from the major studios. The feature nominees are Golden Globe winner Encanto (Walt Disney Animation Studios), Luca (Pixar Animation Studios/Disney), Raya and the Last Dragon (Disney), Sing 2 (Illumination Ent./Universal) and Vivo (Sony Pictures Animation/Netflix).
Continuing the trend from the BAFTA and Oscar first round lists, indie awards season frontrunner Flee (Neon/Participant) is nominated in the International Motion Picture race, running against 7 Prisoners, African America (both Netflix), This Is My Desire (Janus Films) and The Gravedigger’s Wife (Orange Studio).
In the Animated Series category, spanning both adult and kid-targeted toons, the nominees are Big Mouth (Netflix), Peanut Headz: Black HIstory Toonz (Kweli TV), Super Sema (YouTube Originals), We the People (Netflix) and Yasuke (Netflix).
Karma’s World (Netflix) head writer Halcyon Person is also representing animation in the Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television) category.
Additional animation category nominees follow; visit naacpimageawards.net/nominees for the complete list. Online voting is now open to the public; the 53rd NAACP Image Awards Show will be broadcast on BET on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 8 p.m.
Outstanding Short-Form (Animated)
- Blush (Apple TV+/Skydance Animation)
- Robin Robin (Netflix/Aardman)
- She Dreams at Sunrise (Tribeca Studios, Procter & Gamble)
- Twenty Something (Pixar/Disney+)
- Us Again (Disney)
Outstanding Children’s Program
- Ada Twist, Scientist (Netflix)
- Family Reunion (Netflix)
- Karma’s World (Netflix)
- Raven’s Home (Disney Channel)
- Waffles + Mochi (Netflix)
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Motion Picture)
- Andre Braugher (Al Granger, Spirit Untamed, DreamWorks/Universal)
- Awkwafina (Sisu, Raya and the Last Dragon)
- Brian Tyree Henry (Dancarino, Vivo)
- Eric André (Darius, Sing 2)
- Letitia Wright (Nooshy, Sing 2)
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television)
- Angela Bassett (Narrator, Malika: The Lion Queen, FOX)
- Billy Porter (Hiroki Hassan, Fairfax, Amazon Studios)
- Chris “Ludacris” Bridges (Conrad Grant, Karma’s World, Netflix)
- Cree Summer (Susie Carmicheal, Rugrats, Paramount+)
- Keke Palmer (Rochelle, Big Mouth, Netflix)
