NAACP Image Awards 2025: Complete Winners List
NAACP held the “56th NAACP Image Awards” over the weekend. The awards recognize Black excellence, honoring leaders, visionaries, and creatives making an impact across entertainment, activism, and culture.
Check out the complete winners list below.
Chairman’s Awards
Former Vice President Kamala Harris
President’s Award
Dave Chappelle
NAACP Hall of Fame
Wayans Family

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 22: (L-R) Craig Wayans, Chaunté Wayans, Kim Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Damon Wayans, Damon Wayans Jr., and Damien Dante Wayans accept the NAACP Awards Hall of Fame award from David Alan Grier onstage during the 56th NAACP Image Awards at Pasadena Civic Auditorium on February 22, 2025 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET)
Outstanding Actress in Drama Series
Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
Michael Rainey Jr.

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 22: Michael Rainey Jr. (C) accepts the Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series award for “Power Book II: Ghost” from Jurnee Smollett (L) and Chloe Bailey (R) onstage during the 56th NAACP Image Awards at Pasadena Civic Auditorium on February 22, 2025 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET)
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
Damon Wayans
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
Martin Lawrence
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Kerry Washington
Outstanding Motion Picture
The Six Triple Eight

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 22: (L-R) Keke Palmer and Dave Chappelle attend the 56th NAACP Image Awards at Pasadena Civic Auditorium on February 22, 2025 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/Getty Images for BET)
Entertainment of the Year
Outstanding Children’s Program
“Gracie’s Corner” – YouTube TV
Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited Series)
“Percy Jackson and the Olympics” – Leah Sava Jeffries (Disney+)
Outstanding Animated Series
“Gracie’s Corner” – YouTube TV
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television)
Cree Summer – “Rugrats” (Nickelodeon)
Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction
“One of Us Knows: A Thriller” – Alyssa Cole (William Morrow – HarperCollins Publishers)
Outstanding Literary Work – Non-Fiction
“Love & Whiskey: The Remarkable True Story of Jack Daniel, His Master Distiller Nearest Green, and the Improbable Rise of Uncle Nearest” – Fawn Weaver (Melcher Media Inc.)
Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author
“Grown Women” – Sarai Johnson (Harper – HarperCollins Publishers)
Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/Autobiography
“Medgar and Myrlie: Medgar Evers and the Love Story That Awakened America” – Joy-Ann Reid (Mariner Books – HarperCollins Publishers)
Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional
“Wash Day: Passing on the Legacy, Rituals, and Love of Natural Hair” – Tomesha Faxio (Clarkson Potter – Crown Publishing Group)
Outstanding Literary Work – Poetry
“This Is the Honey: An Anthology of Contemporary Black Poets” – Kwame Alexander (Little, Brown and Company – Hachette Book Group)
Outstanding Literary Work – Children
“You Can Be a Good Friend (No Matter What!): A Lil TJ Book” – Taraji P. Henson, Paul Kellam (Zonderkidz – HarperCollins Publishers)
Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens
“Brushed Between Cultures: A YA Coming of Age Novel Set in Brooklyn, New York” – Samarra St. Hilaire (Self-Published)
Outstanding Literary Work – Graphic Novel
“Punk Rock Karaoke” – Bianca Xunise
Outstanding Variety (Series or Special)
“Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was” (Netflix)
Outstanding Guest Performance
Marlon Wayans – “Bel-Air” (Peacock)
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
Crystal Jenkins – “No Good Deed – Letters of Intent” Netflix)
Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series
Ben Watkins – Cross “Hero Complex” (Prime Video)
Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie or Special
Juel Taylor, Tony Rettenmaier, Thembi L. Banks – “Young. Wild. Free.” (BET+)
Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television)
Ayo Edebiri – “The Bear” (FX/Hulu)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Television (Series, Special, Movie)
Taraji P. Henson – “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist” (Peacock)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Television (Series, Special, Movie)
Samuel L. Jackson – “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist” (Peacock)
Outstanding Directing in a Television Movie or Special
Tina Mabry – “The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat” (Hulu)
Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series
Tiffany Johnson – “How to Die Alone – ‘Trust No One’” (Hulu)
Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series
Rapman – “Supacell – ‘Supacell’” (Netflix)
Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)
“The Reidout” – MSNBC
Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble
Keke Palmer – “Password” (NBC)
Outstanding Reality Program, Reality Competition Services/Game Show
“Celebrity Family Feud” (ABC)
Outstanding ShortForm Series or Special – Reality/Nonfiction/Documentary
“The Prince of Death Row Records” (YouTube TV)
Outstanding Short Form Documentary (Film)
“How to Sue the Klan”
Outstanding Short Form (Live Action)
“Superman Doesn’t Steal”
Outstanding Short Form (Animated)
“Peanut Headz: Black History Toonz “Jackie Robinson” (Exhibit Treal Studios)
Outstanding Children’s Program
“Gracie’s Corner” – YouTube TV
Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited Series)
“Percy Jackson and the Olympics” – Leah Sava Jeffries (Disney+)
Outstanding Animated Series
“Gracie’s Corner” – YouTube TV
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television)
Cree Summer – “Rugrats” (Nickelodeon)
Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction
“One of Us Knows: A Thriller” – Alyssa Cole (William Morrow – HarperCollins Publishers)
Outstanding Literary Work – Non-Fiction
“Love & Whiskey: The Remarkable True Story of Jack Daniel, His Master Distiller Nearest Green, and the Improbable Rise of Uncle Nearest” – Fawn Weaver (Melcher Media Inc.)
Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author
“Grown Women” – Sarai Johnson (Harper – HarperCollins Publishers)
Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/Autobiography
“Medgar and Myrlie: Medgar Evers and the Love Story That Awakened America” – Joy-Ann Reid (Mariner Books – HarperCollins Publishers)
Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional
“Wash Day: Passing on the Legacy, Rituals, and Love of Natural Hair” – Tomesha Faxio (Clarkson Potter – Crown Publishing Group)
Outstanding Literary Work – Poetry
“This Is the Honey: An Anthology of Contemporary Black Poets” – Kwame Alexander (Little, Brown and Company – Hachette Book Group)
Outstanding Literary Work – Children
“You Can Be a Good Friend (No Matter What!): A Lil TJ Book” – Taraji P. Henson, Paul Kellam (Zonderkidz – HarperCollins Publishers)
Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens
“Brushed Between Cultures: A YA Coming of Age Novel Set in Brooklyn, New York” – Samarra St. Hilaire (Self-Published)
Outstanding Literary Work – Graphic Novel
“Punk Rock Karaoke” – Bianca Xunise
Outstanding Variety (Series or Special)
“Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was” (Netflix)
Outstanding Guest Performance
Marlon Wayans – “Bel-Air” (Peacock)

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 22: (L-R) Marlon Wayans and Damon Wayans accept the NAACP Awards Hall of Fame award onstage during the 56th NAACP Image Awards at Pasadena Civic Auditorium on February 22, 2025 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET)
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
Crystal Jenkins – “No Good Deed – Letters of Intent” Netflix)
Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series
Ben Watkins – Cross “Hero Complex” (Prime Video)
Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie or Special
Juel Taylor, Tony Rettenmaier, Thembi L. Banks – “Young. Wild. Free.” (BET+)
Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television)
Ayo Edebiri – “The Bear” (FX/Hulu)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Television (Series, Special, Movie)
Taraji P. Henson – “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist” (Peacock)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Television (Series, Special, Movie)
Samuel L. Jackson – “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist” (Peacock)
Outstanding Directing in a Television Movie or Special
Tina Mabry – “The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat” (Hulu)
Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series
Tiffany Johnson – “How to Die Alone – ‘Trust No One’” (Hulu)
Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series
Rapman – “Supacell – ‘Supacell’” (Netflix)
Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)
“The Reidout” – MSNBC
Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble
Keke Palmer – “Password” (NBC)
Outstanding Reality Program, Reality Competition Services/Game Show
“Celebrity Family Feud” (ABC)
Outstanding ShortForm Series or Special – Reality/Nonfiction/Documentary
“The Prince of Death Row Records” (YouTube TV)
Outstanding Short Form Documentary (Film)
“How to Sue the Klan”
Outstanding Short Form (Live Action)
“Superman Doesn’t Steal”
Outstanding Short Form (Animated)
“Peanut Headz: Black History Toonz “Jackie Robinson” (Exhibit Treal Studios)
Outstanding Youth Performance in a Motion Picture
Skylar Aleece Smith — “The Piano Lesson” (Netflix)
Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
Inside Out 2 (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Outstanding Host in a Talk or News/Information (Series or Special) Individual or Ensemble Jennifer Hudson — “The Jennifer Hudson” (Syndicated)
Outstanding Talk Series
The Jennifer Hudson Show (Syndicated)
Outstanding Society and Culture Podcast
Club Shay Shay (Shay Shay Media & The Volume)
Outstanding Sports, Arts and Entertainment Podcast
Two Funny Mamas (Mocha Podcasts Network)
Outstanding Actress in a Limited Television (Series, Special or Movie)
Naturi Naughton — “Abducted at an HBCU: A Black Girl Missing Movie” (Lifetime)
Outstanding Actor in a Limited Television (Series, Special or Movie)
Aaron Pierre — “Rebel Ridge” (Netflix)
Outstanding Limited Television (Series, Special or Movie)
Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist (Peacock)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Danielle Pinnock — “Ghosts” (CBS)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Damon Wayans Jr. — “Poppa’s House” (CBS)
Outstanding Comedy Series
Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Lynn Whitfield — “The Chi” (Paramount+)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Cliff “Method Man” Smith — “Power Book II: Ghost” (Starz)
Outstanding Drama Series
Cross (Amazon Prime Video)
Outstanding Documentary (Television)
Black Barbie: A Documentary (Netflix)
Outstanding Documentary (Motion Picture)
Luther: Never Too Much (Sony Music Entertainment/Sony Music Publishing/CNN Films)
Outstanding Independent Motion Picture
Sing Sing (A24)
Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture
RaMell Ross, Joslyn Barnes — Nickel Boys (Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios)
Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture
RaMell Ross — Nickel Boys (Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Ebony Obsidian — “The Six Triple Eight” (Netflix)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Denzel Washington — “Gladiator II” (Paramount Pictures)
Outstanding Social Media Personality of the Year Nominees
Shirley Raines