Angela Bassett wins Entertainer of the Year at NAACP Image Awards 2023

Actress Angela Bassett took home the top prize of Entertainer of the Year at the 54th NAACP Image Awards

The “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” actress took home three statuettes tonight, for her Oscar-nominated role as Queen Ramonda in the Marvel Studios film. She also won Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series for “9-1-1” and the biggest award for Entertainer of the Year.

This year’s EOTY category spotlighted five women, Zendaya, Angela Bassett, Quinta Brunson, Viola Davis, and Mary J. Blige.

“I guess Angela Bassett did the thing!!,” the actress joked as she went on stage to receive the award. The was in reference to Ariana DeBose’s BAFTA Awards performance in which she referenced Bassett.

“Thank You, family. Thank You. Thank you to the NAACP and everyone who voted for me. What a wonderful gift from home,” Bassett continued in her acceptance speech. “I must acknowledge all the beautiful and talented women in this category. I admire you and I am in awe of the women that you are and we are sisters. When I think about my career I can’t help but reflect that oftentimes when I see the light at the end of the tunnel there is often someone there who looked like me with open arms assuring me that there was a place for me as an actor. “What’s Love Got to Do with It” was a wonderful moment, there were other amazing milestones…” Bassett acknowledged and thanked the other directors she worked with including John Singleton for “Boyz n the Hood,” Spike Lee for “Malcolm X,” Kevin Rodney Sullivan in “How Stella Got Her Groove Back,” and Ryan Coogler for “Panther.”

She finished her speech with a powerful message: “Gratitude is the universe’s way of saying we are not existing in this world alone. We have each other.”

For a complete winners list from tonight’s broadcast and a full winners list, visit: NAACP Image Awards 2023 Winners List