2026 NAACP Image Awards: Sinners, Teyana Taylor, Kendrick Lead Nominations

The nominees for the 2026 NAACP Image Awards have been announced, and Sinners is dominating alongside a top-tier TV series, Teyana Taylor and two raucous rappers.

The annual ceremony with a theme of “We See You” celebrates Black achievement across multiple spaces and will air during a two-hour LIVE TV special, airing Saturday, February 28, 2026, from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, at 8 PM ET/ 8 PM PT on BET and will simulcast on the CBS Television Network.

Ryan Coogler’s Sinners leads all motion picture contenders with 18 nominations, followed by Highest 2 Lowest with nine.

Television standouts include Bel-Air with seven nominations, while Abbott Elementary, Reasonable Doubt, and Ruth & Boaz each earned six nods; Forever follows with five.

Netflix topped all platforms with an industry-leading 47 nominations, while Cynthia Erivo, Doechii, Kendrick Lamar, Michael B. Jordan, and Teyana Taylor will compete for Entertainer of the Year.

Speaking of Teyana, she is one of the most-nominated artists overall, collecting six nods, including Entertainer of the Year and recognition for her roles in One Battle After Another and Tyler Perry’s Straw, and her album Escape Room.

Similarly, Cynthia Erivo scored four nominations, including Entertainer of the Year and acting recognition for Wicked: For Good.

In music recording categories, Kendrick Lamar led the field with six nominations, while Cardi B and Leon Thomas earned four apiece; Doechii and Taylor followed closely with three each. RCA Records paced labels with eight nominations, while HarperCollins led literary publishers with eight, ahead of Penguin Random House’s six.

The NAACP is also debuting two new categories this year: Outstanding Literary Work – Journalism, honoring nationally distributed journalism centered on racial equity, social justice, or community impact, and Outstanding Editing in a Motion Picture or Television Series, Movie, or Special, recognizing excellence in post-production storytelling.

Nominations were announced live on CBS Mornings by Image Awards host Deon Cole and NAACP president and CEO Derrick Johnson, with additional reveals on YouTube/NAACPPlus by Gail Bean and Marcel Spears.

“The NAACP Image Awards is our declaration to our community that ‘We See You,’ affirming Black creativity, excellence and humanity across every space where our stories are told,” Johnson said. “From film, television and music to literature and beyond, the voices of all of our nominees tell stories that honor our past, celebrate our identity and remind us that storytelling has the power to move culture forward.”

BET president Louis Carr added,

“The NAACP Image Award nominations underscore what we’ve always known to be true—our people are the heartbeat of culture. Their creativity, excellence, and commitment to telling our stories with authenticity and purpose continue to set the standard.”

Public voting is now open in select categories at NAACPImageAwards.net through Feb. 7 at midnight ET. Winners will be announced during the Feb. 28 telecast, while non-televised categories will be honored at the Creative Honors on Thursday, Feb. 26, and virtually on YouTube/NAACPPlus from Feb. 23–25.

The full list of nominees can be found on the flip!

Entertainer of the Year

• Cynthia Erivo
• Doechii
• Kendrick Lamar
• Michael B. Jordan
• Teyana Taylor

Outstanding Comedy Series

• Abbott Elementary (ABC)
• Harlem (Prime Video)
• Survival of the Thickest (Netflix)
• The Residence (Netflix)
• The Upshaws (Netflix)

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series

• Cedric The Entertainer – “The Neighborhood” (CBS)
• David Alan Grier – “St. Denis Medical” (NBC)
• David Oyelowo – “Government Cheese” (Apple TV)
• Mike Epps – “The Upshaws” (Netflix)
• Vince Staples – “The Vince Staples Show” (Netflix)

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series

• Ayo Edebiri – “The Bear” (FX/Hulu)
• Maya Rudolph – “Loot” (Apple TV)
• Michelle Buteau – “Survival of the Thickest” (Netflix)
• Quinta Brunson – “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
• Uzo Aduba – “The Residence” (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

• Colman Domingo – “The Four Seasons” (Netflix)
• Giancarlo Esposito – “The Residence” (Netflix)
• Josh Johnson – “The Daily Show” (Comedy Central)
• Wendell Pierce – “Elsbeth” (CBS)
• William Stanford Davis – “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

• Edwina Finley – “The Residence” (Netflix)
• Ego Nwodim –  “Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
• Janelle James – “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
• Jerrie Johnson – “Harlem” (Prime Video)
• Wanda Sykes – “The Upshaws” (Netflix)

Outstanding Drama Series

• Bel-Air (Peacock)
• Beyond The Gates (CBS)
• Forever (Netflix)
• Paradise (Hulu)
• Reasonable Doubt (Hulu)

Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series

• Forest Whitaker – “Godfather of Harlem” (MGM+)
• Jabari Banks – “Bel-Air” (Peacock)
• Michael Cooper Jr. – “Forever” (Netflix)
• Morris Chestnut – “Watson” (CBS)
• Sterling K. Brown – “Paradise” (ABC)

Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series

• Angela Bassett – “9-1-1” (ABC)
• Emayatzy Corinealdi – “Reasonable Doubt” (Hulu)
• Lovie Simone – “Forever” (Netflix)
• Patina Miller – “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” (STARZ)
• Queen Latifah – “The Equalizer” (CBS)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

• Adrian Holmes – “Bel-Air” (Peacock)
• Ato Essandoh – “The Diplomat” (Netflix)
• Caleb McLaughlin – “Stranger Things” (Netflix)
• Jacob Latimore – “The Chi” (Showtime)
• Wood Harris – “Forever” (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

• Aisha Hinds – “9-1-1” (ABC)
• Audra McDonald – “The Gilded Age” (HBO Max)
• Karen Pittman – “Forever” (Netflix)
• Karen Pittman – “The Morning Show” (Apple TV)
• Nicole Beharie – “The Morning Show” (Apple TV)

Outstanding Limited Television (Series, Special, or Movie)

• G20 (Prime Video)
• Ironheart (Disney+)
• Ruth & Boaz (Netflix)
• Straw (Netflix)
• Washington Black (Hulu)

Outstanding Actor in a Limited Television (Series, Special, or Movie)

• Brian Tyree Henry – “Dope Thief” (Apple TV)
• Giancarlo Esposito – “Please Don’t Feed The Children”( Tubi)
• Idris Elba – “Heads of State” (Prime Video)
• Taye Diggs – “Terry McMillan Presents: His, Hers & Ours” (Lifetime)
• Tyler Lepley – “Ruth & Boaz” (Netflix)

Outstanding Actress in a Limited Television (Series, Special, or Movie)

• Brandy Norwood – “Christmas Everyday” (Lifetime)
• Dominique Thorne – “Ironheart” (Disney+)
• Serayah – “Ruth & Boaz” (Netflix)
• Taraji P. Henson – “Straw” (Netflix)
• Viola Davis – “G20” (Prime Video)

Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)

• CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip (CNN)
• Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (PBS)
• Hurricane Katrina: 20 Years After the Storm With Robin Roberts (ABC)
• Michelle Obama: The Style, The Power, The Look:  A Conversation with Robin Roberts (ABC)
• The Don Lemon Show (YouTube)

Outstanding Talk Series

• House Guest (YouTube TV)
• Sherri (Syndicated)
• Tamron Hall Show (ABC)
• The Jennifer Hudson Show (Syndicated)
• The View (ABC)

Outstanding Reality Program/Reality Competition Services/Game Show

• Celebrity Family Feud (ABC)
• Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
• Full Court Press (ESPN, ESPN+)
• Love & Marriage: Huntsville (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
• Ready to Love (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Outstanding Variety (Series or Special)

• Tiny Desk Concerts Celebrates Black Music Month 2025 (NPR)
• HBCU Honors (BET Networks)
• BET Awards 2025 (BET Networks)
• Wicked: One Wonderful Night (NBC)
• Ali Siddiq: My Two Sons (YouTube/Moment PPV)

Outstanding Children’s Program

• Eyes of Wakanda (Disney+)
• Gracie’s Corner (YouTube TV)
• Iyanu (Cartoon Network)
• Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Disney+)
• Reading Rainbow (KidZuko)

Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited–Series)

• Amanda Christine – IT: Welcome to Derry (HBO Max)
• Blake Cameron James – IT: Welcome to Derry (HBO Max)
• Jeremiah Felder – The Residence (Netflix)
• Leah Sava Jeffries – Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Disney+)
• Percy Daggs IV – Paradise (Hulu)

Outstanding Host in a Talk or News/Information (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble

• Abby Phillip – CNN