This article lists the winners and nominees for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture. The award has also been called Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture. Out of 12 films which featured African-Americans in leading roles in 1980, Cicely Tyson was the only female in that category. She played opposite Richard Pryor in Bustin' Loose. Because of this, she and officials at the annual NAACP Image Awards program decided that she should not accept the award.
Winners and nominees
For each year in the tables below, the winner is listed first and highlighted in bold.
1960s Year Actress Film 1969Estelle EvansThe Learning Tree
1970s Year Actress Film 1970Barbara McNair If He Hollers Let Him Go 1971 Jane Fonda Klute Virginia Capers Big Jake Susan Clark Skin Game Rosalind Cash The Omega Man Stephanie Faulkner The Bus Is Coming Diana Sands Doctors' Wives 1972 Diana Ross Lady Sings The Blues 1973 colspan="3" 1974 Ester Anderson A Warm December Yvonne Elliman Jesus Christ Superstar Paula Kelly The Spook Who Sat by the Door Janet MacLachlan Maurie Paulene Myers Maurie 1975 Diahann Carroll Claudine Rosalind Cash Uptown Saturday Night Vonetta McGee Thomasine & Bushrod Madge Sinclair Conrack Clarice Taylor Five on the Black Hand Side 1976 Denise Nicholas Let's Do It Again 1977Cicely Tyson The River Niger 1978 Cicely Tyson A Hero Ain't Nothin' but a Sandwich 1979 Mavis Washington Fastbreak
1980s Year Actress Film 1980 Irene Cara Fame 1981 colspan="3" 1982Jayne Kennedy Body and Soul Wilhelmenia Fernandez Diva Rosalind Cash Wrong is Right 1983 Jennifer Beals Flashdance Pam Grier Tough Enough Diahnne Abbott The King of Comedy 1984 Alfre Woodard Cross Creek 1985 Tina Turner Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome 1986 Whoopi Goldberg The Color Purple 1987 Traci Wolfe Lethal Weapon Nichelle Nichols Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home Helen Martin Hollywood Shuffle Kelly Jo Minter Summer School Sandra Reaves-Phillips 'Round Midnight 1988 Whoopi Goldberg Fatal Beauty Pam Grier Above the Law C.C.H. Pounder Bagdad Café Beverly Todd Moving 1989 Ruby Dee Do the Right Thing Whoopi Goldberg Clara's Heart Sheryl Lee Ralph The Mighty Quinn Beverly Todd Lean on Me
1990s Year Actress Film 1990 colspan="3" 1991 colspan="3" 1992 Whoopi Goldberg The Long Walk Home Tyra Ferrell Boyz n the Hood Ruby DeeJungle Fever Lonette McKee Mary Alice To Sleep with Anger Robin Givens A Rage in Harlem 1993 Whoopi Goldberg Sister Act Halle Berry Boomerang Robin Givens Alfre Woodard Grand Canyon Rosie Perez White Men Can't Jump 1994 Angela Bassett What's Love Got to Do with It Whitney Houston The Bodyguard Janet Jackson Poetic Justice Leleti Khumalo Sarafina! Alfre Woodard Bopha! 1995 colspan="3" 1996Angela BassettWaiting to Exhale Jennifer Beals Devil in a Blue Dress Halle Berry Losing Isaiah Whoopi Goldberg Boys on the Side Whitney Houston Waiting to Exhale 1997Whitney HoustonThe Preacher's Wife Whoopi Goldberg Ghosts of Mississippi Queen Latifah Set It Off Jada Pinkett Smith Phylicia Rashad Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored 1998Vanessa WilliamsSoul Food Vivica A. Fox Soul Food Pam Grier Jackie Brown Nia Long Love Jones Lynn Whitfield Eve's Bayou 1999 Angela Bassett How Stella Got Her Groove Back Halle Berry Bulworth Regina King Enemy of the State Oprah Winfrey Beloved Alfre Woodard Down in the Delta
2000s
Year Actress Film 2000Nia Long The Best Man Monica Calhoun The Best Man Rosario Dawson Light It Up Lisa Gay Hamilton True Crime Debbi Morgan The Hurricane 2001Sanaa LathanLove and Basketball Angela Bassett Boesman and Lena Nia Long Big Momma's House Jada Pinkett Smith Bamboozled Vanessa Williams Shaft 2002 Halle Berry Swordfish Vivica A. Fox Two Can Play That Game Whoopi Goldberg Kingdom Come Regina King Down to Earth Alfre Woodard K-PAX 2003Angela BassettSunshine State Vivica A. Fox Juwanna Mann Sanaa Lathan Brown Sugar Jennifer Lopez Maid in Manhattan Thandie Newton The Truth About Charlie 2004 Queen Latifah Bringing Down the House Halle Berry Gothika Beyoncé The Fighting Temptations Keisha Castle-Hughes Whale Rider Gabrielle Union Deliver Us from Eva 2005Kerry Washington Ray Angela Bassett Mr. 3000 Kimberly Elise Woman Thou Art Loosed Irma P. Hall The Ladykillers Gabrielle Union Breakin' All the Rules 2006 Kimberly EliseDiary of a Mad Black Woman Rosario Dawson Rent Queen Latifah Beauty Shop Zoe Saldaña Guess Who Zhang Ziyi Memoirs of a Geisha 2007 Keke Palmer Akeelah and the Bee Beyoncé Dreamgirls Penélope Cruz Volver Sanaa Lathan Something New Queen Latifah Last Holiday 2008Jurnee SmollettThe Great Debaters Halle Berry Things We Lost in the Fire Taraji P. Henson Talk to Me Angelina Jolie A Mighty Heart Jill Scott Why Did I Get Married? 2009 Rosario Dawson Seven Pounds Angela Bassett Meet the Browns Dakota Fanning The Secret Life of Bees Queen Latifah Alfre Woodard The Family That Preys
2010s
Year Actress Film 2010Gabourey SidibePrecious Sandra Bullock The Blind Side Taraji P. Henson I Can Do Bad All By Myself Sophie Okonedo Skin Anika Noni Rose The Princess and the Frog 2011Halle BerryFrankie & Alice Janet Jackson Why Did I Get Married Too? Queen Latifah Just Wright Zoe Saldaña The Losers Kerry Washington Night Catches Us 2012Viola DavisThe Help Paula Patton Jumping the Broom Adepero Oduye Pariah Zoe Saldaña Colombiana Emma Stone The Help 2013Viola DavisWon't Back Down Halle Berry Cloud Atlas Emayatzy Corinealdi Middle of Nowhere Loretta Devine In the Hive Quvenzhané Wallis Beasts of the Southern Wild 2014Angela BassettBlack Nativity Nicole Beharie 42 Halle Berry The Call Jennifer Hudson Winnie Mandela Kerry Washington Peeples 2015Taraji P. HensonNo Good Deed Viola Davis The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby Gugu Mbatha-Raw Belle Tessa Thompson Dear White People Quvenzhané Wallis Annie 2016Sanaa LathanThe Perfect Guy Viola Davis Lila & Eve Keke Palmer Brotherly Love Teyonah Parris Chi-Raq Zoe Saldaña Infinitely Polar Bear 2017Taraji P. HensonHidden Figures Angela Bassett London Has Fallen Madina Nalwanga Queen of Katwe Ruth Negga Loving Tika Sumpter Southside with You 2018Octavia SpencerGifted Halle Berry Kidnap Danai Gurira All Eyez on Me Natalie Paul Crown Heights Amandla Stenberg Everything, Everything 2019Amandla StenbergThe Hate U Give Viola Davis Widows Sanaa Lathan Nappily Ever After KiKi Layne If Beale Street Could Talk Constance Wu Crazy Rich Asians
2020s Year Actress Film 2020Lupita Nyong'o Us Cynthia Erivo Harriet Naomie Harris Black and Blue Jodie Turner-Smith Queen & Slim Alfre Woodard Clemency 2021 Viola DavisMa Rainey's Black Bottom Issa Rae The Photograph Janelle Monáe Antebellum Madalen Mills Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey Tracee Ellis Ross The High Note 2022 Jennifer Hudson Respect Andra Day The United States vs. Billie Holiday Halle Berry Bruised Tessa Thompson Passing Zendaya Malcolm & Marie2023 Viola DavisThe Woman King Danielle Deadwyler Till Regina Hall Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. Keke Palmer Alice Letitia Wright Black Panther: Wakanda Forever2024 Fantasia BarrinoThe Color Purple Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor Origin Halle Bailey The Little Mermaid Teyana Taylor A Thousand and One Yara Shahidi Sitting in Bars with Cake2025 Kerry Washington The Six Triple Eight Cynthia Erivo Wicked Regina King Shirley Lupita Nyong'o A Quiet Place: Day One Lashana Lynch Bob Marley: One Love2026 Cynthia Erivo Wicked: For Good Danielle Deadwyler 40 Acres Keke Palmer One of Them Days Kerry Washington Shadow Force Tessa Thompson Hedda
Multiple wins and nominations Wins
5 wins Angela Bassett
4 wins Viola Davis Whoopi Goldberg
2 wins Halle Berry Taraji P. Henson Cicely Tyson Sanaa Lathan Kerry Washington
Nominations
11 nominations Halle Berry
9 nominations Angela Bassett
7 nominations Viola Davis Whoopi Goldberg
6 nominations Queen Latifah Alfre Woodard
5 nominations Sanaa Lathan Kerry Washington
4 nominations Taraji P. Henson Keke Palmer Zoe Saldaña
3 nominations Rosalind Cash Rosario Dawson Cynthia Erivo Pam Grier Vivica A. Fox Whitney Houston Nia Long Tessa Thompson
2 nominations Jennifer Beals Beyoncé Danielle Deadwyler Ruby Dee Kimberly Elise Robin Givens Jennifer Hudson Janet Jackson Regina King Amandla Stenberg Jada Pinkett Smith Beverly Todd Cicely Tyson Gabrielle Union Quvenzhané Wallis Vanessa Williams
References