NAACP Image Awards nominees announced

by Lanford Beard

The nominations for the 43rd annual NAACP Image Awards were announced today. Leading the pack with eight nods, The Help is up for Best Picture, writing, and directing, as well as dominating the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress. TV faves Grey’s Anatomy and The Game tied for second place with six noms apiece. In music, Beyoncé and Jill Scott were the most honored, scoring two nods each. Other high-profile noms included two for Maya Rudolph (Bridesmaids, Up All Night), acknowledgements for Eddie Murphy and Tower Heist, and even a little love for Adele.

The Image Awards will be presented Feb. 17 on NBC. Select nominations are below. The full lists are available the Awards’ official site.

FILM
Outstanding Motion Picture
Jumping the Broom (TriStar Pictures)
Pariah (Focus Features)
The First Grader (National Geographic Entertainment)
The Help (DreamWorks Pictures/Participant Media/Touchstone Pictures)
Tower Heist (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
Eddie Murphy – Tower Heist
Laurence Fishburne – Contagion
Laz Alonso – Jumping the Broom
Oliver Litondo – The First Grader
Vin Diesel – Fast Five

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Adepero Oduye – Pariah
Emma Stone – The Help
Paula Patton – Jumping the Broom
Viola Davis – The Help
Zoë Saldana – Colombiana

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Anthony Mackie – The Adjustment Bureau
Charles Parnell – Pariah
Don Cheadle – The Guard
Jeffrey Wright – The Ides of March
Mike Epps – Jumping the Broom

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Bryce Dallas Howard – The Help
Cicely Tyson – The Help
Kim Wayans – Pariah
Maya Rudolph – Bridesmaids
Octavia Spencer – The Help

TELEVISION
Outstanding Comedy Series
Love That Girl! (TV One)
Modern Family (ABC)
Reed Between the Lines (BET)
The Game (BET)
Tyler Perry’s House of Payne (TBS)

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
Dulé Hill – Psych
Malcolm-Jamal Warner – Reed Between the Lines
Phil Morris – Love That Girl!
Pooch Hall – The Game
Terry Crews – Are We There Yet?

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
Tatyana Ali – Love That Girl!
Tia Mowry-Hardrict – The Game
Tracee Ellis Ross – Reed Between the Lines
Vanessa Williams – Desperate Housewives
Wendy Raquel Robinson – The Game

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Craig Robinson – The Office
Damon Wayans, Jr. – Happy Endings
J.B. Smoove – Curb Your Enthusiasm
Nick Cannon – Up All Night
Tracy Morgan – 30 Rock

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Amber Riley – Glee
Gabourey Sidibe – The Big C
Keshia Knight Pulliam – Tyler Perry’s House of Payne
Maya Rudolph – Up All Night
Sofia Vergara – Modern Family

Outstanding Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC)
The Good Wife (CBS)
Treme (HBO)

Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
Andre Braugher – Men of a Certain Age
Hill Harper – CSI: NY
LL Cool J – NCIS: Los Angeles
Taye Diggs – Private Practice
Wendell Pierce – Treme

Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
Chandra Wilson – Grey’s Anatomy
Khandi Alexander – Treme
Regina King – SouthLAnd
Sandra Oh – Grey’s Anatomy
Taraji P. Henson – Person of Interest

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Corey Reynolds – The Closer
Ice-T – Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
James Pickens Jr. – Grey’s Anatomy
Nelsan Ellis – True Blood
Omar Epps – House M.D.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Alfre Woodard – Memphis Beat
Anika Noni Rose – Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Archie Panjabi – The Good Wife
Diahann Carroll – White Collar
Loretta Devine – Grey’s Anatomy

MUSIC
Outstanding Album
4 – Beyoncé
F.A.M.E. – Chris Brown
I Remember Me – Jennifer Hudson
Lasers – Lupe Fiasco
The Light of the Sun – Jill Scott

Outstanding Song
“Best Thing I Never Had” – Beyoncé
“Fool for You” – Cee Lo Green feat. Melanie Fiona
“I Smile” – Kirk Franklin
“So in Love” – Jill Scott feat. Anthony Hamilton
“Someone Like You” – Adele

Outstanding Male Artist
Anthony Hamilton
Bruno Mars
Cee Lo Green
Chris Brown
Common

Outstanding Female Artist
Beyoncé
Jennifer Hudson
Jill Scott
Ledisi
Mary J. Blige

Outstanding Duo, Group, or Collaboration
Boyz II Men
Cee Lo Green feat. Melanie Fiona
Mary J. Blige feat. Drake
Sounds of Blackness
The Roots

Outstanding New Artist
Committed
Diggy Simmons
Landau Eugene Murphy Jr.
Mindless Behavior
Wynter Gordon