The 52nd NAACP Image Awards, presented by the NAACP, honored outstanding representations and achievements of people of color in motion pictures, television, music, and literature during the 2020 calendar year. The ceremony aired on March 27, 2021, on BET and simulcast on several of its sister ViacomCBS Networks, with CBS airing the ceremony for the first time. The ceremony was hosted for the eighth time by actor Anthony Anderson. Presentations of untelevised categories were livestreamed between March 22–26, 2021 on the ceremony's website.
The nominations were announced on February 4, 2021. During the ceremony, the Hall of Fame Award was given to Eddie Murphy for "his contributions to the African-American film industry", LeBron James was awarded with the President's Award for "his contributions in the fight for social justice", and Rev. D. James Lawson was awarded with the Chairman's Award "to recognize his work as a social change advocate and his significant contributions to the civil rights movement, specifically the essential role in the south's nonviolent protests in the 1960s". For the first time in the history of the awards ceremony, categories were created to honor animated works in film and television, and the category for voice-over work was broken into two separate categories, respectively for film and television.
All nominees are listed below, and the winners are listed in bold.
Special awards
Hall of Fame Award Eddie MurphyPresident's Award LeBron JamesChairman's Award Rev. James LawsonEntertainer of the Year D-Nice
Regina King Viola Davis Trevor Noah Tyler PerrySocial Justice Impact Award Stacey Abrams April Ryan Debbie Allen LeBron James Tamika MalloryActivist of the Year Rev. Dr. Wendell AnthonyJackie Robinson Sports Award Stephen Curry and WNBA Players Association
Motion picture Outstanding Motion PictureOutstanding Directing in a Motion Picture Bad Boys for Life Da 5 Bloods Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey Ma Rainey's Black Bottom One Night in Miami... Gina Prince-Bythewood – The Old Guard David E. Talbert – Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey George C. Wolfe – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Radha Blank – The Forty-Year-Old Version Regina King – One Night in Miami...Outstanding Actor in a Motion PictureOutstanding Actress in a Motion Picture Chadwick Boseman – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Anthony Mackie– The Banker Delroy Lindo – Da 5 Bloods Forest Whitaker – Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey Will Smith – Bad Boys for Life Viola Davis – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Issa Rae – The Photograph Janelle Monáe – Antebellum Madalen Mills – Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey Tracee Ellis Ross – The High NoteOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion PictureOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Chadwick Boseman – Da 5 Bloods Aldis Hodge – One Night in Miami... Clarke Peters – Da 5 Bloods Colman Domingo – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Glynn Turman – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Phylicia Rashad – Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey Anika Noni Rose – Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey Gabourey Sidibe – Antebellum Nia Long – The Banker Taylour Paige – Ma Rainey's Black BottomOutstanding International Motion PictureOutstanding Independent Motion Picture Night of the Kings (France) Ainu Mosir (Japan) His House (United Kingdom) The Last Tree (United Kingdom) The Life Ahead (Italy) | width="50%" style="vertical-align:top" | The Banker Emperor Farewell Amor Miss Juneteenth The 24thOutstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion PictureOutstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture Madalen Mills – Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey Dayo Okeniyi – Emperor Dominique Fishback – Project Power Jahi Di'Allo Winston – Charm City Kings Jahzir Bruno – The Witches Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Da 5 Bloods Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey Soul The BankerOutstanding Animated Motion PictureOutstanding Character Voice Performance – Motion Picture Soul Onward Over the Moon Scoob! Trolls World Tour Jamie Foxx – Soul Ahmir Khalib Thompson – Soul Angela Bassett – Soul Chris Rock – The Witches Phylicia Rashad – SoulOutstanding Short Form (Live Action)Outstanding Short Form (Animated) Black Boy Joy Baldwin Beauty Gets Good Light Home & Mrs. Ellis Canvas Cops and Robbers Loop The Power of Hope WindupOutstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture)Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture Nadia Hallgren – Becoming Loira Limbal – Through the Nigh Melissa Haizlip – Mr. Soul! Radha Blank – The Forty-Year-Old Version Remi Weekes – His House Radha Blank – The Forty-Year-Old Version David E. Talbert – Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey Kemp Powers – One Night in Miami... Lee Isaac Chung – Minari Pete Docter, Kemp Powers, Mike Jones – Soul
Television and streaming Drama Outstanding Drama Series Power Book II: Ghost All Rise Bridgerton Lovecraft Country This Is Us Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series Regé-Jean Page – Bridgerton Sterling K. Brown – This Is Us Jonathan Majors – Lovecraft Country Keith David – Greenleaf Nicco Annan – P-Valley Viola Davis – How to Get Away with Murder Angela Bassett – 9-1-1 Simone Missick – All Rise Jurnee Smollett – Lovecraft Country Brandee Evans – P-Valley Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Cliff "Method Man" Smith – Power Book II: Ghost Delroy Lindo – The Good Fight Michael Kenneth Williams – Lovecraft Country Jeffrey Wright – Westworld J. Alphonse Nicholson – P-Valley Mary J. Blige – Power Book II: Ghost Lynn Whitfield – Greenleaf Susan Kelechi Watson – This Is us Aunjanue Ellis – Lovecraft Country Adjoa Andoh – Bridgerton Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series Hanelle Culpepper — Star Trek: Picard ("Remembrance") Cheryl Dunye — Lovecraft Country ("Strange Case") Misha Green — Lovecraft Country ("Jig-a-Bobo") Nzingha Stewart — Little Fires Everywhere ("The Uncanny") Steve McQueen — Small Axe ("Mangrove") Attica Locke – Little Fires Everywhere ("The Spider Web") Erika L. Johnson & Mark Richard – The Good Lord Bird ("A Wicked Plot") Jessica Lamour – Little Voice ("Love Hurts") Katori Hall – P-Valley ("Perpetratin") Tanya Barfield – Mrs. America ("Shirley")
Comedy Outstanding Comedy Series Insecure BlackAF Black-ish Grown-ish The Last O.G. Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series Anthony Anderson – Black-ish Cedric the Entertainer – The Neighborhood Don Cheadle – Black Monday Tracy Morgan – The Last O.G. Idris Elba – In the Long Run Issa Rae – Insecure Tracee Ellis Ross – Black-ish Regina Hall – Black Monday Folake Olowofoyeku – Bob Hearts Abishola Yara Shahidi – Grown-ish Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Deon Cole – Black-ish Andre Braugher – Brooklyn Nine-Nine Jay Ellis – Insecure Kenan Thompson – Saturday Night Live Laurence Fishburne – Black-ish Marsai Martin – Black-ish Tichina Arnold – The Neighborhood Jenifer Lewis – Black-ish Natasha Rothwell – Insecure Yvonne Orji – Insecure Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series Anya Adams — Black-ish ("Hair Day") Aurora Guerrero — Little America ("The Jaguar") Eric Dean Seaton — Black-ish ("Our Wedding Dre") Kabir Akhtar — Never Have I Ever ("... started a nuclear war") Sam Miller, Michaela Coel — I May Destroy You ("Ego Death") Michaela Coel — I May Destroy You ("Ego Death") Issa Rae — Insecure ("Lowkey Feelin' Myself") Lee Eisenberg, Emily V. Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani — Little America ("The Rock") Mindy Kaling & Lang Fisher — Never Have I Ever ("Pilot") Rajiv Joseph — Little America ("The Manager")
Television movie, limited-series or dramatic special Outstanding Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special Self Made Hamilton Little Fires Everywhere Sylvie's Love The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of GospelOutstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic SpecialOutstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special Blair Underwood – Self Made Chris Rock – Fargo Daveed Diggs – Hamilton Leslie Odom Jr. – Hamilton Nnamdi Asomugha – Sylvie's Love Octavia Spencer – Self Made Aunjanue Ellis – The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel Kerry Washington – Little Fires Everywhere Michaela Coel – I May Destroy You Tessa Thompson – Sylvie's LoveOutstanding Directing in a Television Movie or SpecialOutstanding Writing in a Television Movie or Special Eugene Ashe — Sylvie's Love Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Emmanuel Adeji, Blitz Bazawule & Kwasi Fordjour — Black Is King Christine Swanson — The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel Chuck Vinson & Alan Muraoka — The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special Kamilah Forbes — Between the World and Me Geri Cole — The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special Bashir Salahuddin, Diallo Riddle, Emily Goldwyn, Rodney Carter, Rob Haze, Will Miles & Zuri Salahuddin — Sherman's Showcase ("Black History Month Spectacular") Eugene Ashe — Sylvie's Love Lin-Manuel Miranda — Hamilton Sylvia L. Jones & Camille Tucker — The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel
Television or Motion Picture Outstanding Writing in a DocumentaryOutstanding Directing in a Documentary Melissa Haizlip – Mr. SOUL! Mary Mazzio, A Most Beautiful Thing Nile Cone, The Beat Don't Stop Royal Kennedy Rodgers, Hollywood's Architect: The Paul R. Williams Story Yoruba Richen, Elia Gasull Balada, Valerie Thomas, The Sit-In: Harry Belafonte Hosts the Tonight Show Keith McQuirter – By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem Muta'Ali, Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn Sam Pollard, Maro Chermayeff, Atlanta's Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children (Ep. 1 & 2) Simcha Jacobovici, Enslaved: The Lost History of the Transatlantic Slave Trade Yoruba Richen, The Sit-In: Harry Belafonte Hosts the Tonight Show
Overall acting Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited Series) Outstanding Guest Actor or Actress in a Television Series Marsai Martin – Black-ish Miles Brown – Black-ish Lexi Underwood – Little Fires Everywhere Alex R. Hibbert – The Chi Lyric Ross – This Is Us Loretta Devine – P-Valley Chris Rock – Saturday Night Live Issa Rae – Saturday Night Live Courtney B. Vance – Lovecraft Country Dave Chappelle – Saturday Night Live
Reality and variety Outstanding Talk SeriesOutstanding Reality Program, Reality Competition Series or Game Show Red Table Talk The Daily Show with Trevor Noah The Oprah Conversation The Shop: Uninteruppted The Tamron Hall Show Celebrity Family Feud Iyanla: Fix My Life Shark Tank United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell Voices of FireOutstanding News / Information – (Series or Special)Outstanding Host in a Talk or News / Information (Series or Special) The New York Times Presents "The Killing of Breonna Taylor" AM Joy: Remembering John Lewis Special Desus & Mero: The Obama Interview The Color of COVID The ReidOut Trevor Noah – The Daily Show with Trevor Noah LeBron James – The Shop: Uninterrupted Don Lemon – CNN Tonight with Don Lemon Jada Pinkett Smith – Red Table Talk Joy Reid – The ReidOutOutstanding Variety Show (Series or Special)Outstanding Host in a Reality, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special) Verzuz 8:46 Black is King The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion Yvonne Orji: Momma I Made It! Steve Harvey – Celebrity Family Feud Alfonso Ribeiro – America's Funniest Home Videos Iyanla Vanzant – Iyanla: Fix My Life W. Kamau Bell – United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell RuPaul – RuPaul's Drag Race
Other categories Outstanding Short-Form Series (Drama or Comedy)Outstanding Performance in a Short-Form Series #FreeRayshawn CripTales Lazor Wulf Mapleworth Murders Sincerely, Camille Laurence Fishburne – #FreeRayshawn Giancarlo Esposito – The Broken and the Bad