The 47th annual NAACP Image Awards will air tonight, February 5, on TV One.
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Creed star Michael B. Jordan won entertainer of the year and outstanding actor in a motion picture for his role as Apollo Creed’s son at the NAACP Image Awards. The awards ceremony, which honours people of colour in the entertainment industry, was held at Pasadena Civic Auditorium amid a widespread debate over racial inequality, reports latimes.com.
Actress Danielle Nicolet (L) and actor Guillermo Diaz speak during the 47th NAACP Image Awards Nominations Press Conference at The Paley Center for Media on December 8, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California.
At the beginning of last year’s Image Awards, host Anthony Anderson opened the show with a musical number poking fun at other award shows’ lack of racial diversity set to the hit tune “Uptown Funk”.
He later joked that he didn’t want the Academy Awards to go overboard in response to the #OscarsSoWhite controversy by handing out Kevin Harts instead of Oscars.
Hollywood needs to know that this is what diversity is supposed to look like.
“I certainly didn’t expect that”, said the Rocky star, who forgot to thank co-star Michael and Creed filmmaker Ryan Coogler in his acceptance speech after winning a Golden Globe as best supporting actor. But Leonard James, who serves as chairman for the Image Awards at the NAACP, says that’s been the goal for years.
Returning as this year’s host is actor/comedian Anthony Anderson, who’s sitcom, Black-Ish, is among the top leading shows nominated in multiple categories this year; along with How To Get Away With Murder, Scandal, American Crime and Empire, according to News One.
Speaking of Empire, Fox’s juggernaut series won for Outstanding Drama Series, while Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson nabbed trophies for Outstanding Actor and Actress, respectively.
The NAACP Image Awards celebrates the accomplishments of people of color in the fields of television, music, literature and film, and also honors individuals or groups who promote social justice through creative endeavors.
Legend called for “radical change” after winning the NAACP President’s Award.
Take a look at the photographic highlights from the 2016 NAACP Image Awards.
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“I think Hollywood should take notes from this awards show”, said “Scandal” actor Guillermo Diaz on the red carpet before the show.
