The 2026 NAACP Image Awards is taking place Saturday night.
Deon Cole is hosting the ceremony airing live on BET and CBS from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, where winners will be announced in various categories spanning film and TV.
Saturday’s awards took place just hours after the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran, with President Donald Trump saying that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the attacks.
While Cole didn’t mention the Iran attacks in his monologue, he still offered timely commentary on Trump, ICE and Nicki Minaj. He even offered the first of two allusions early in the show to last Sunday’s BAFTA Awards controversy involving guest John Davidson, who has Tourette Syndrome, and could be heard shouting the N-word while Sinners stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting an award. BAFTA has since offered a full apology for the incident and vowed to launch a full investigation.
During a segment about humorous prayers that he offered for Teyana Taylor, 50 Cent and Minaj, Cole offered a prayer for anyone in the audience with Tourette’s to “read the room.”
Later, presenting the first award, to Sinners‘ Miles Caton, Regina Hall took a moment to recognize “kings” Jordan and Lindo for their “class,” comments that led to a standing ovation.
Special honorees include Chairman’s Award recipient Viola Davis and President’s Award recipient Colman Domingo. Additionally, Salt-n-Pepa and DJ Spinderella will be inducted into the NAACP Image Awards’ Hall of Fame.
Numerous winners were already revealed in non-televised ceremonies earlier this week, including virtual ceremonies on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
In the virtual ceremonies, Michelle Obama, Will Packer and Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show were among the winners on night one. Lamar, SZA and Cardi B were among the night two winners. And Sinners, Gracie’s Corner, Ironheart, Celebrity Family Feud and Straw were among the multiple award winners on night three.
Additional winners were revealed at the NAACP Image Awards Creative Honors, where Sinners, which leads this year’s NAACP Image Awards nominees with 18 nods, racked up four wins, in addition to the three trophies it received during the virtual ceremonies. Even more winners were revealed Friday, during the NAACP Image Awards’ Reception & Fashion Show, where A$AP Rocky was honored with the Vanguard Award for Fashion. There, Sinners‘ Ruth E. Carter won best costume design.
And on Saturday, Sinners breakout Miles Caton won the first award of the evening for best breakthrough performance in a motion picture.
Other Friday awards included best hairstyling for TV or film, which went to Reasonable Doubt; best makeup for TV or film, which went to Bel-Air; and best digital content creator – fashion/beauty, which went to Wisdom Kaye.
Going into Saturday night’s ceremony, Sinners has already won eight awards.
A complete list of the categories set to be presented Saturday night follows. Winners will be updated as they’re announced live. Refresh for the latest.
Entertainer of the Year
- Cynthia Erivo
- Doechii
- Kendrick Lamar
- Michael B. Jordan
- Teyana Taylor
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) (WINNER)
- Uzo Aduba – The Residence (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 Motion Picture
- Highest 2 Lowest (A24)
- One of Them Days (Sony Pictures Releasing)
- Sarah’s Oil (Amazon MGM Studios)
- Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)
- Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
- André Holland – Love, Brooklyn (Greenwich Entertainment)
- Denzel Washington – Highest 2 Lowest (A24)
- Michael B. Jordan – Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)
- Nnamdi Asomugha – The Knife (Relatively Media)
- Tyriq Withers – HIM (Monkeypaw Productions)
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
- Cynthia Erivo – Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)
- Danielle Deadwyler – 40 Acres (Magnolia Pictures)
- Keke Palmer – One Of Them Days (Sony Pictures Releasing)
- Kerry Washington – Shadow Force (Lionsgate)
- Tessa Thompson – Hedda (Amazon MGM Studios)
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture
- A$AP Rocky – Highest 2 Lowest (A24)
- Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros. Pictures)
- Miles Caton – Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures) (WINNER)
- Tabitha Brown – Unexpected Christmas (3 Diamonds Films)
- Tyriq Withers – HIM (Monkeypaw Productions)
