Precursor: 53rd NAACP Image Awards Nominations (2021)

One of the few groups that didn’t forget that Judas and the Black Messiah was a 2021 release, the NAACP went for it in a decently big way, but they were really bowled over by The Harder They Fall, which captured a massive number of nominations. Respect and Oscar contender King Richard did comparatively less impressively.

Nominations Tallies

(12) The Harder They Fall
(9) Judas and the Black Messiah
(6) Respect
(5) King Richard
(4) Bruised
(3) A Journal for Jordan, Sing 2, The United States vs. Billie Holiday

The Nominations

Best Motion Picture

The Harder They Fall
Judas and the Black Messiah
King Richard
Respect
The United States vs. Billie Holiday

Best Animated Picture

Encanto
Luca
Raya and the Last Dragon
Sing 2
Vivo

Best Directing

Reinaldo Marcus Green – King Richard
Shaka King – Judas and the Black Messiah
Lin-Manuel Miranda – tick, tick…BOOM!
Jeymes Samuel – The Harder They Fall
Denzel Washington – A Journal for Jordan

Best Actor

Mahershala Ali – Swan Song
Jonathan Majors – The Harder They Fall
Will Smith – King Richard
LaKeith Stanfield – Judas and the Black Messiah
Denzel Washington – The Tragedy of Macbeth

Best Actress

Halle Berry – Bruised
Andra Day – The United States vs. Billie Holiday
Jennifer Hudson – Respect
Tessa Thompson – Passing
Zendaya – Malcolm & Marie

Best Supporting Actor

Idris Elba – The Harder They Fall
Daniel Kaluuya – Judas and the Black Messiah
Delroy Lindo – The Harder They Fall
Algee Smith – Judas and the Black Messiah
LaKeith Stanfield – The Harder They Fall

Best Supporting Actress

Danielle Deadwyler – The Harder They Fall
Aunjanue Ellis – King Richard
Dominique Fishback – Judas and the Black Messiah
Regina King – The Harder They Fall
Audra McDonald – Respect

Best Writing

Candyman
The Harder They Fall
A Journal for Jordan
Judas and the Black Messiah
Zola

Best International Motion Picture

7 Prisoners
African America
Eyimofe (This Is My Desire)
Flee
The Gravedigger’s Wife

Best Documentary

Attica
Barbara Lee: Speaking Truth to Power
My Name Is Pauli Murray
Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
Tina

Short Form (Animated)

Blush
Robin Robin
She Dreams at Sunrise
Twenty Something
Us Again

Short Form (Live Action)

Aurinko in Adagio
Blackout
The Ice Cream Shop
These Final Hours
When the Sun Sets (Lakutshon’ Ilanga)

Best Independent Motion Picture

American Skin
Bruised
CODA
The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain
Test Pattern

Best Ensemble

Coming 2 America
The Harder They Fall
Judas and the Black Messiah
King Richard
Respect

Best Character Voice-Over Performance (Television or Film)

Eric Andre – Sing 2
Awkwafina – Raya and the Last Dragon
Andre Braugher – Spirit Untamed
Brian Tyree Henry – Vivo
Letitia Wright – Sing 2

Best Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture

Sheila Atim – Bruised
Danny Boyd Jr. – Bruised
Lonnie Chavis – The Water Man
Jalon Christian – A Journal for Jordan
Ariana DeBose – West Side Story

Entertainer of the Year

Tiffany Haddish
Jennifer Hudson
Regina King
Lil Nas X
Megan Thee Stallion

Directing in a Documentary

Andre Gaines – The One and Only Dick Gregory
Samantha Knowles, Yoruba Richen, Geeta Gandbhir, Nadia Hallgren – Black and Missing
Spike Lee – NYC Epicenters 9/11->2021 1/2
Sam Pollard – MLK/FBI
Dawn Porter – Rise Again: Tulsa and the Red Summer