28th Annual Los Angeles Women's Theatre Festival Announces Director and Line-Up of Host

Juliette Jeffers

The 28TH Annual Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival (LAWTF) has a roster of distinguished artists who will co-host six evenings of programs virtually. This year’s overall theme is And Still, We Rise!  

The six evenings of Festival shows this year will be directed by Fay Hauser-Price. A member of the Directors Guild of America, her directing credits include Where There’s Smoke, 5150, Paris in Search of a Dream, Read to M, L.A., The Emerging Artists Showcase, Story of a People,  24/Seven; A Gift of Son; and The Other Side of Victory. She is also a producer, writer, and actor.

Thursday, March 25, 2021, at 7 p.m., The Champagne GALA and Awards Ceremony honors five distinguished women for their contributions to theatre and presents song and dance performances.  

Theme of the GALA: Empowered Women.

Hosts are Hattie Winston and Ted Lange.

Hattie Winston has starred on Broadway (The Tap Dance Kid, The Me Nobody Knows, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Hair, Scapino!, I Love My Wife), on television (Becker, The Electric Company, Homefront), and feature films (The Battle of Shaker Heights, Beverly Hills Cop III, and Jackie Brown). She is a founding member of the Negro Ensemble Company.

Ted Lange is known internationally for his portrayal of Isaac Washington on the long-running TV series The Love Boat. Lange received the Renaissance Man Theatre Award from the NAACP for his stage accomplishments as an actor both on Broadway and in Los Angeles, playwright (23 plays), and director. His one-man show in which he portrays Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Behind the Mask, tours worldwide.

Friday, March 26 at 7 p.m.

Theme: Balancing Acts.

Hosts are Margaret Avery and Dawn Didawick.

Margaret Avery was the recipient of an Academy Award ® nomination for The Color Purple, Ms. Avery appeared regularly on the BET TV series Being Mary Jane. She starred in the acclaimed Robey Theatre Company production of The River Niger, and won the L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award for her performance in Does The Tiger Wear a Necktie?

Dawn Didawick is a founding member of Antaeus Theatre Company. Her long, varied career has taken her from New York to Europe in the classics and new works.  At Antaeus, her credits include: The Man Who Had All the Luck, The Bear, Pera Palas, Autumn Garden, The Seagull, The Crucible, and multiple roles in ClassicsFest including Amanda in The Glass Menagerie and Big Mama in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof {Stage Raw Award).

Saturday, March 27 at 7 p.m.

Theme: Truth to Power.

Hosts are Florence LaRue and Rosie Lee Hooks.

Florence LaRue is an original member of the legendary, Grammy® Award-winning pop singing group The 5th Dimension. The last remaining original member of the group that originated the genre called “Champagne Soul,” she still tours with the current version of the group today, singing the group’s original songs, and more. She also appeared in the national tour of the Broadway hit Ain’t Misbehavin’, and tours with Just As I Am.

Rosie Lee Hooks - A founding member of the musical performance ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock, she more recently appeared in the acclaimed Robey Theatre Company productions of Knock Me a Kiss and Transitions.  She is currently Director of Watts Towers Arts Center and Charles Mingus Youth Arts Center. She was also a founding member of the D.C. Black Repertory Theatre Company.

Sunday, March 28 at 7 p.m.

Theme: Secrets.

Hosted by Juliette Jeffers and Jessica Lynn Johnson.

Juliette Jeffers is a Caribbean-American writer and performer. Her plays include Judgment Day, Chocolate Match,  Pan Gyul,  Batman and Robin in the Boogie Down (Bronx Council on the Arts Award), and Tio Pablo (Hollywood Short and Sweet Festival Award)). She has also appeared in film and TV roles and over sixty national commercials. Additionally, she is a director and producer. She is also the Curator of the Black Voices Solo Theatre Festival at the Whitefire Theatre.

Jessica Lynn Johnson is acclaimed both as a solo performer and as a director of solo artists. She is the founder of the company Soaring Solo LLC. Her directing credits include Unemployed Finally, The Mermaid Who Learned How to Fly, 365 Days of Crazy, Triangles Are My Favorite Shape, Bully-mia, Not My Show, Answers Outta The Blue, Dear Yoko, and more. She received the award for Best National Solo Artist and multiple awards from the Hollywood Fringe Festival.

Monday, March 29 at 7 p.m

Theme: Boxed In, Set Free.

Hosts are Kat Kramer and Iona Morris.

Kat Kramer founded Kat Kramer's Films That Change the World to showcase motion pictures that raise awareness about important social issues.  She has starred in two popular one-woman shows, The Colors of Myself and Kriss Krossing. Kat has played the classic roles in The Miracle Worker, The Diary Of Anne Frank, Great Expectations, David and Lisa, and The Lark. She can be seen in the indie feature film Turnover.

Iona Morris is a director/writer/actor. who wrote and directed the short film, Celeste’s Dreams, which is making the Film Festival rounds with 16 Festivals screening her film. Ms. Morris’ won awards for her theatre directing and as an actress as well. She has directed and helped many celebrities create their one-person shows; Jenifer Lewis, Blair Underwood, Penny Johnson Jerald, and Kim Wayans to name a few. She is currently the Acting/Dialogue Coach on the comedy Black-ish.

Tuesday, March 30 at 7 p.m.

Theme: Unbound.

Hosts are Angela Gibbs and Jahna Houston.

Angela Gibbs produced the plays 227 (subsequently developed as a TV series) and Checkmates, starring Denzel Washington and Ruby Dee. Ms. Gibbs has a diverse background in the entertainment industry that spans four decades. As an actor, her credits include films (Love Jacked, Straight Outta Compton) and TV shows (recently On My Block and a series regular role on Black Jesus).

Jahna Houston is an actor, producer, and writer. She has appeared on stage in Undertow,  I Feel Like Going On, and Guess Who’s Coming for Me? She performed on television in Hollywood Fiction, Get Thee Behind M,e and the mini-series Wicked. She has performed roles in the feature films Triumphant: She Fights to Win,  A Fatal Friend,  and A Little Problem.

Festival performers and honorees are the subjects of separate releases. For more information about Festival programming and tickets, please go to www.lawtf.org or call (818) 760-0408.

'Soul" Arrives on 4K Ultra DVD on March 23

An all-new In-Home trailer for Disney and Pixar’s “Soul” is now available celebrating the meaning of life. Add some “Soul” to your Disney and Pixar collection. Disney and Pixar’s “Soul” arrives on 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™, DVD, and Digital on March 23 with exclusive bonus features for the whole family.

About “Soul”

Jamie Foxx leads an all-star cast in this hilarious, heart-filled adventure. Disney and Pixar’s “Soul” introduces Joe, who lands the gig of his life at the best jazz club in town. But one misstep lands Joe in a fantastical place: The Great Before. There, he teams up with soul 22 (Tina Fey), and together they find the answers to some of life’s biggest questions.

About Pixar Animation Studios

Pixar Animation Studios, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is an Academy Award®-winning film studio with world-renowned technical, creative, and production capabilities in the art of computer animation. The Northern California studio has created some of the most successful and beloved animated films of all time, including “Toy Story,” “Monsters, Inc.,” “Cars,” “The Incredibles,” “Ratatouille,” “WALL•E,” “Up,” “Toy Story 3,” “Brave,” “Inside Out,” and “Coco.” Its movies have won 37 Academy Awards® and have grossed more than $14 billion at the worldwide box office. "Soul," Pixar's 23rd feature, is currently streaming on Disney+. 

The 28th Annual Los Angeles Women's Theater Festival Announces Honorees

Diahann Carroll

The 28th Annual Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival (LAWTF) will honor five women for their exceptional career and life achievements in the Opening Night Champagne GALA and Awards Ceremony on March 25, 2021, at 7 p.m. in a virtual presentation (due to the ongoing pandemic).  The deserving honorees who have made laudable contributions to the world of theatre are listed here:

Diahann Carroll is this year’s recipient of the Infinity Award, memorializing the exceptional achievements of a theatre artist. An icon and a trailblazer on stage, on-screen and on television, Ms. Carroll made her Broadway debut in the Harold Arlen/ Truman Capote musical House of Flowers, starring subsequently and becoming the first African American female actor to win a Tony® Award for Richard Rodgers’ No Strings, followed by Agnes of God, Black Broadway, the national touring company of Same Time Next Year, the Canadian production of Sunset Boulevard, Bubbling Brown Suga, Love Letters, and more.  Her film career spanned over six decades and included an Oscar®-nominated performance in Claudine, Carmen Jones, Paris Blues, and more. As the first African American female star of a dramatic television series, Julia, she won a Golden Globe Award. She subsequently became the first Black female to star in a nighttime soap opera, Dynasty.

Paula Donnelly will receive the Rainbow Award, bestowed on an artist or individual for her diverse contributions in fostering non-traditional and multicultural theatre works. Paula Donnelly began working with Cornerstone Theatre Company (famed for creating theatre works in collaboration with people in the community) in 1998 as a stage manager and joined Cornerstone’s Ensemble in 2000. Her credits for Cornerstone include Los Biombos, AKA, For Here or to Go?, Peter Pan, and Crossings. As Director of Engagement, Paula teaches and shares Cornerstone’s methodology, works to strengthen community relationships post-production, and to contributes to the expansion of community-engagement practices in theatre. She helps imagine and implement engagement values in all aspects of Cornerstone’s work. Ms. Donnelly loves the state of California, her home city of Los Angeles, and the many people and stories contained therein.

Akuyoe Graham will be the recipient of the Integrity Award, presented to an artist or individual who has brought credibility and dignity to her work. Award-winning actor/author/educator Akuyoe Graham possesses an extraordinary gift – the ability to sit with society’s outcasts and rapidly guide them to a life-changing experience of their own beauty of being. Akuyoe’s personal encounter with her transcendent inner beauty was the culmination of a long journey, which she re-enacts in her highly acclaimed one-woman play, Spirit Awakening. By animating the pivotal characters who influenced her along the way, Akuyoe takes audiences on her odyssey of self-discovery. Whether in a prison classroom with a dozen inmates – or on stage before hundreds of students or regular playgoers – Akuyoe’s archetypal journey electrifies audiences and inspires them to look beneath their own social masks to their unchanging inner essence. 

Shigemi Matsumoto will be bestowed with the Eternity Award, given to an artist or individual whose lifetime achievements have made a lasting contribution to the world of theatre. Ms. Matsumoto has performed with over 50 national and international opera companies including those in San Francisco, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Brussels, Wolf Trap, Portland, Kansas City, San Antonio and Tucson. Her opera roles include Mimi, Musetta, Susanna, Micaela, Norina, Edina,  Pamina, Despina, Rosina, Nanetta, Lauretta, Violetta, Abigail, Adelw, Zerlina, Yolanda, and Frasquita. She has made recordings with Luciano Pavarotti and with the NBC Orchestra. She has worked individually with all of The Three Tenors (Pavarotti, Carreras, Domingo). Her honors include the Distinguished Alumni Award from her alma mater Cal State Northridge; and the Hans von Leden Award (for World Voice Day). She is the founder of the Classical Singers Association, which has been a mainstay in helping young singers become better educated in the musical requirements necessary to become a professional singer.

Rose Portillo will receive the Maverick Award, presented to an artist or individual whose work has set a high standard of individuality and self-styled creativity. Ms. Portillo is an accomplished actor/writer/director/educator and visual artist whose stage and film career began with a lead role in Luis Valdez's Zoot Suit, (original LA production, Broadway, film), and the role of the Mother in the 2017 revival. She was Associate Director of About Productions, now celebrating 33 years of creating original theater works, and founded the company's Young Theaterworks which serves students primarily in East Los Angeles. Since appearing in Theresa Chavez's solo play, L.A. Real, she has partnered with Chavez, the company's Artistic Director, on more than nine critically acclaimed productions. As an actor, Rose has extensive credits in regional theatre, film, and television.   Rose has been honored with the Lee Melville Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Los Angeles Theatre Community.

There will be special live performances at the GALA in addition to the awards presentation. Performers include:

Jacquelyn Brown-Benefield. Rise Up and I Am Enough. These two uplifting songs celebrate personal empowerment.

Juli Kim in Abandon. In this dance piece, the woman abandons both beauty and docility in favor of inner strength and power.

Founded by Executive Producer Adilah Barnes and Miriam Reed, the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival is an annual event unique among Los Angeles cultural institutions and should not be missed as LAWTF celebrates its 288h year.

The Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival is a non-profit organization. The Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival organization is made possible this year in part by Los Angeles County Arts and Culture; Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of Los Angeles; City National Bank; Women in Media;  KPFK 90.7; and Adilah Barnes Productions.

Festival Director: Fay Hauser-Price. Festival Managing Producer: Kelly McMahon.

Admission to the GALA is $25.   For the other programs, ticket prices this year include general admission single show tickets at $15 until March 18 or $20 thereafter. A VIP all-access pass for the entire virtual Festival is available for $90. Reservations: (818) 760-0408 or go to http://www.lawtf.org To join and follow LAWTF on Facebook and Twitter, click on their links at http://www.lawtf.org

28th Annual Los Angeles Women's Theatre Festival 'And Still We Rise' Set To Open March 25-30

 

          Last March, the Annual Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival was just two weeks away from opening when we were forced to postpone because of the emerging coronavirus pandemic, which shuttered live performance venues across the country. The pandemic is still with us for a while longer, so we’re coming back in March 2021 with six consecutive dates of virtual presentations. The overall theme of the Festival this year is AND STILL WE RISE!….because we do.

 

          The Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival (LAWTF) marks 28 years of producing well over 600 extraordinary multicultural and multidisciplinary solo performers from around the globe.

 

          The longest-running Annual Solo Festival for women in Los Angeles, LAWTF will take place

March 25- March 30, 2021, online.

 

          The virtual Champagne GALA and Awards Ceremony will take place Thursday, March 25, 2021, at 7:00 p.m.PST and will be hosted by Ted Lange (The Love Boat) and Hattie Winston (Becker). WITH Fay Hauser-Price (Hope Builders) at the helm as Festival Director. The event will honor five women of exceptional achievement and contribution to the world of theatre:

Infinity Awardee- Diahann Carroll (awarded posthumously);

Rainbow Awardee- Paula Donnelly;

 Integrity Awardee- Akuyoe Graham;

Eternity Awardee- Shigemi Matsumoto;

Maverick Awardee- Rose Portillo.

There will be live performances in addition to the awards presentation. Theme: Empowered Women.. Performers include:

Jacquelyn Brown-Benefield. Rise Up and I Am Enough. These two uplifting songs celebrate personal empowerment.

Juli Kim in Abandon. In this dance piece, the woman abandons both beauty and docility in favor of inner strength and power.

The rest of the schedule is as follows:

Friday, March 26, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. Theme: Balancing Acts. Hosted by Margaret Avery (The Color Purple) and Dawn Didawick (Hart of Dixie):

Heather Dowling in Fertile. Explores the expectation and ultimate resolution of procreation.

Lynne Jassem in Tapping My Way to the Nuthouse. One child dancer's story of mental pain and ultimately mental health is told through the lenses of multi-media, tap dance, mime, music, and humor.

Dagmar Stansova in Loose Underwear. . From exorcisms to orgasms, the daughter of a New Age Holocaust survivor is compelled to “cha-cha” away the wounds of her ancestors.

Karen A. Clark in The Women. In this excerpt, through music, poetry, and storytelling, Karen A. reflects on the women in her family, particularly her mother, who provided a “wow” factor.

Saturday, March 27, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. Theme: Truth to Power. Hosted by Florence LaRue (The 5^th Dimension) and Rosie Lee Hooks (Knock Me a Kiss):

              Roxanne Beckford in Walk Good: A Jamerican Journey. How the littlest Head Girl at St. Andrews Preparatory in Kingston, Jamaica became a driver in a presidential motorcade for the leader of the free world...after pit stops as a beauty queen, a mother of four, and an actress. 

 

Cynthia Ling Lee in Lost Chinatowns. A dance-theatre work that explores the destruction, lost vibrancy, and historic erasure of Chinatowns in Santa Cruz, CA from 1860-1955.

Miriam Reed in Susan B. Anthony Says a Word. A young Susan B. Anthony discovers why women MUST have the vote.

Sharon Nyree Williams in Dare to Claim the Sky. . Based on her self-published anthology of the same name, Dare to Claim the Sky is an honest and unfiltered spoken word journey of one woman that addresses family, religion, depression, and being Black in this society.Sunday, March 28, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. Theme: Secrets. Hosted by Juliette Jeffers (Chicago Med) and Jessica Lynn Johnson (Soaring Solo LLC):

            Barbara Brownell in Finding My Light. It’s not the cards you are dealt but the attitude that makes all the difference.

 

Dee Freeman in The Poison Gun. Dee, a naïve 6-year-old Black girl from rural Louisiana becomes a key witness in a murder investigation as she fights to keep a secret from a racist cop who has his own agenda for finding out the truth.

Pamela Najera in Too Old, Too Asian, Too Short. Through storytelling, dance, and multimedia, Pamela recounts growing up in a family with secrets and lies and connects the dots of a life that land her a career as a production dancer and magician’s assistant on a cruise ship.

Monday, March 29, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. Theme: Boxed In, Set Free. Hosted by Iona Morris (Celeste’s Dreams) and Kat Kramer (Turnover):

Petal d’Avril in Forgetting, Not Forgotten. Petal’s life is abruptly interrupted when her mother is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in this story of triumph in a shattered world.

Vanessa Boss in Uprooted. Buckle your seat belts as the creatures of Vanessa’s inner world take you on the flight of her life amidst disturbances that trigger violent weather on a journey that ultimately safely lands on Vanessa’s strength.

Tuesday, March 30, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. Theme: Unbound. Hosted by Angela Gibbs (This Is Us) and Jahna 

Houston (Triumphant: She Fights to Win!)):

Jacquelyn Brown-Benefield. (See March 25 description).

Crystal Bush in Chrissy Meth.  Somehow, from the depths of drug addiction, Chrissy Meth finds hope, and through spirituality and yoga begins to put the pieces of her life back together.

Jannica Olin in (Im0Perfekt. A solo show that takes a look at identity, beauty, and labels, and how you sometimes need to (literally) lose a part of yourself in order to discover who you truly are.

Founded by Executive Producer Adilah Barnes and Miriam Reed, the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival is an annual event unique among Los Angeles cultural institutions and should not be missed as LAWTF celebrates its 28TH Anniversary.

Festival 2021 Managing Producer: Kelly McMahon.

The Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival is a non-profit organization. The Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival organization is supported this year in part by Los Angeles County Arts and Culture; Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of Los Angeles; City National Bank; Women in Media; KPFK 90.7; and Adilah Barnes Productions.

Admission to the GALA on March 25 is $25. For the other programs, ticket prices this year include general admission single show tickets at $15 until March 18 or $20 thereafter. A VIP all-access pass for the entire Festival is available for $90. Reservations: (818) 760-0408 or go to http://www.lawtf.org To join and follow LAWTF on Facebook and Twitter, click on their links at http://www.lawtf.org

'Judas And The Black Messiah,' Opens February 12

 

By Darlene Donloe

The story of Fred Hampton, chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party, and his fateful betrayal by FBI informant William O'Neal, is a little known one, but no less an affecting and important moment in Black history. 

At only 21, Chairman Fred Hampton was assassinated by the FBI, who offered a plea deal and coerced a petty criminal named William O’Neal to help them silence him, and the Black Panther Party.  

Chairman Hampton, or comrade as they called each other, was quickly growing popular and too powerful. People started paying attention and more importantly were becoming inspired by his words.  That greatly scared the FBI and the Chicago Police who were growing weary of his ability to fire up a new generation of revolutionaries.

So the government sent in William O’Neal, a petty criminal who was offered a deal by the FBI. If he would infiltrate the Black Panthers and provide intel on Hampton, he would walk free.  O’Neal took the deal.

It’s all being told in the biopic, Judas and the Black Messiah, set in the 1960s and also set for nationwide release on February 12, 2021.

Judas and the Black Messiah, directed by Shaka King, stars Daniel Kaluuya, LeKeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons, Dominique Fishback, Ashton Sanders, and Martin Sheen. 

Kaluuya as Hampton and Stanfield as O’Neal is a force to be reckoned with. Together they have authentic cinematic chemistry.

Kaluuya, who made his bones in the Jordan Peele thriller, Get Out, is known for engulfing whatever character he is playing. He throws himself into the roles with his body, his eyes, and his sensibility. There is a clear authenticity to his performance in Judas and the Black Messiah that reveals the many layers of a leader in the making. 

Stanfield as O’Neal is amazing to watch. He plays off Kaluuya so brilliantly with his subtle nuances and strength of character. All at once, he shows the vulnerability, strength, confusion, and complexity of a man who had clearly lost his soul.  This is, without a doubt, a career-best performance.

Dominique Fishback is a joy to watch. Although hers is a supporting role, she delivers a standout performance as Hampton’s girlfriend, Deborah Johnson. Johnson, who bore Hampton’s only child, Fred Hampton, Jr., is the one that brought out Hampton’s soft side.   

Judas and the Black Messiah will surely get under your skin. It will incense you to the 10th power.  There are moments of intensity that will surely make you anxious.   The movie, which exposes a piece of civil rights history, does exactly what it’s supposed to do. It pulls the curtain back on a U.S. government that by any means necessary would silence the voices of leaders in the Black community who were becoming too powerful. 

The government was so scared of the possibilities of the Illinois Black Panther Party, that they tried to kill not only its members but the spirit of the movement. 

In actuality, Hampton was trying to unite other oppressed ethnic groups so that, they too, would stand up for their rights.  Hampton started the Rainbow Coalition and was excited and dedicated to his school breakfast program.

In trying to assassinate a dream, the U.S. government ignited a movement that was emboldened after Hampton’s vile American-sanctioned murder. 

This is clearly one of the best films of 2021.

On the DONLOE SCALE: D (don’t bother), O (oh, no), N (needs work), L (likable), O (oh, yeah) and E (excellent), Judas and the Black Messiah gets an E (excellent).

Peacock Announces Season 3 Of 'Mr. Mercedes'

Based on the best-selling Bill Hodges trilogy (Mr. Mercedes, Finders Keepers, and End of Watch) by Stephen King, MR. MERCEDES returns for its much-anticipated third season. When beloved local author John Rothstein is found murdered, Hodges, Holly, and Jerome, along with local police, must track down his killer. But this case is more complex than the cold-blooded killing of an American icon. Unpublished novels of Rothstein’s were stolen from his home, and they are worth millions. As the case unfolds, the trio learns that although Brady Hartsfield may be gone, his depravity lives on in the lives of his victims.

Season three of MR. MERCEDES premieres on Thursday, March 4 on Peacock. All 10 episodes will drop at once. Seasons one and two are now streaming on Peacock.

MR. MERCEDES season three cast includes Brendan Gleeson, Justine Lupe, Jharrel Jerome, Breeda Wool, Holland Taylor, Kate Mulgrew, Gabriel Ebert, Maximiliano Hernandez, Rarmian Newton, Josh Daugherty, Claire Bronson, Brett Gelman, Bruce Dern, Glynn Turman, Natalie Paul, Patch Darragh, and Meg Steedle.

MR. MERCEDES is produced by Sonar Entertainment and Temple Hill Entertainment.

David E. Kelley wrote and executive produced season three with Stephen King, along with executive producer Jonathan Shapiro. Jack Bender serves as director and executive producer.

The 78th Annual Golden Globe Awards Announced

The nominations for the 78th annual Golden Globe Awards were announced Wednesday morning.

The announcement took place virtually, with previous Golden Globe winners Sarah Jessica Parker and Taraji P. Henson hosting. It aired at 5:35 a.m. PT on NBC's Today. 

Nominees were announced across 25 categories encompassing film and TV. Overall, Netflix leads all networks and streamers with a total of 42 nominations — 22 in film (followed by Amazon Studios with seven) and 20 in TV (followed by HBO with seven).

The Golden Globe nominations announcement comes a day after it was revealed that Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will return as hosts of the ceremony. 

The show will be bicoastal for the first time in history, with the duo splitting duties from their respective home bases. Fey will be in New York at the Rainbow Room, and Poehler will host from inside the Beverly Hilton, where the show is typically held. Nominees are expected to appear from various locations around the world.

This will mark Fey and Poehler's fourth time hosting the Golden Globes; they previously served as hosts for three consecutive years, from 2013-15.

This year's Golden Globe Awards ceremony airs live Sunday, Feb. 28, at 5 p.m. PT on NBC. (The show is produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is also a division of MRC.)

Best Motion Picture, Drama

The Father

Mank

Nomadland

Promising Young Woman

The Trial of the Chicago 7 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama

Viola Davis, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Andra Day, The United States vs. Billie Holiday

Vanessa Kirby, Pieces of a Woman

Frances McDormand, Nomadland

Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama

Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal

Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Anthony Hopkins, The Father

Gary Oldman, Mank

Tahar Rahim, The Mauritanian

Best Picture, Musical or Comedy

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

Hamilton

Music

Palm Springs

The Prom

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

Maria Bakalova, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

Kate Hudson, Music

Michelle Pfeiffer, French Exit

Rosamund Pike, I Care a Lot

Anya Taylor-Joy, Emma

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

Sacha Baron Cohen, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

James Corden, The Prom

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton

Dev Patel, The Personal History of David Copperfield

Andy Samberg, Palm Springs

Best Supporting Actress, Motion Picture

Glenn Close, Hillbilly Elegy

Olivia Colman, The Father

Jodie Foster, The Mauritanian

Amanda Seyfried, Mank

Helena Zengel, News of the World

Best Supporting Actor, Motion Picture

Sacha Baron Cohen, The Trial of the Chicago 7

Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah

Jared Leto, The Little Things

Bill Murray, On the Rocks

Leslie Odom Jr., One Night in Miami

Best Director, Motion Picture

Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman

David Fincher, Mank

Regina King, One Night in Miami

Aaron Sorkin, The Trial of the Chicago 7

Chloé Zhao, Nomadland

Best Screenplay, Motion Picture

Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman

Jack Fincher, Mank

Aaron Sorkin, The Trial of the Chicago 7

Florian Zeller and  Christopher Hampton, The Father

Chloé Zhao, Nomadland

Best Motion Picture, Animated

The Croods: A New Age

Onward

Over the Moon

Soul

Wolfwalkers

Best Picture, Foreign Language

Another Round

La Llorona

The Life Ahead

Minari

Two of Us 

Best Original Score, Motion Picture

Alexandre Desplat, The Midnight Sky

Ludwig Göransson, Tenet

James Newton Howard, News of the World

Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Mank

Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Jon Batiste, Soul

Best Original Song, Motion Picture

"Fight for You," Judas and the Black Messiah

"Hear My Voice," The Trial of the Chicago 7

"Is Si (Seen)," The Life Ahead

"Speak Now," One Night in Miami

"Tigress & Tweed," The United States vs. Billie Holiday

Best Television Series, Drama

The Crown

Lovecraft Country

The Mandalorian

Ozark

Ratched

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Drama

Olivia Colman, The Crown

Jodie Comer, Killing Eve

Emma Corrin, The Crown

Laura Linney, Ozark

Sarah Paulson, Ratched

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series, Drama

Jason Bateman, Ozark

Josh O'Connor, The Crown

Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul

Al Pacino, Hunters

Matthew Rhys, Perry Mason

Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy

Emily in Paris

The Flight Attendant

The Great

Schitt's Creek

Ted Lasso

Best Actress in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy

Lily Collins, Emily in Paris

Kaley Cuoco, The Flight Attendant

Elle Fanning, The Great

Jane Levy, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist

Catherine O'Hara, Schitt's Creek

Best Actor in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy

Don Cheadle, Black Monday

Nicholas Hoult, The Great

Eugene Levy, Schitt's Creek

Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso

Ramy Youssef, Ramy

Best Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television

Normal People

The Queen's Gambit

Small Axe

The Undoing

Unorthodox

Best Performance by an Actress, Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television

Cate Blanchett, Mrs. America

Daisy Edgar-Jones, Normal People

Shira Haas, Unorthodox

Nicole Kidman, The Undoing

Anya Taylor-Joy, The Queen's Gambit

Best Performance by an Actor, Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Bryan Cranston, Your Honor

Jeff Daniels, The Comey Rule

Hugh Grant, The Undoing

Ethan Hawke, The Good Lord Bird

Mark Ruffalo, I Know This Much Is True

Best Supporting Actress, Television

Gillian Anderson, The Crown

Helena Bonham Carter, The Crown

Julia Garner, Ozark

Annie Murphy, Schitt's Creek

Cynthia Nixon, Ratched

Best Supporting Actor, Television

John Boyega, Small Axe

Brendan Gleeson, The Comey Rule

Daniel Levy, Schitt's Creek

Jim Parsons, Hollywood

Donald Sutherland, The Undoing

"She's The Boss' Set To Premiere February 25

 

USA Network welcomes entrepreneurial power-player, Nicole Walters, and her family to its air when the new docu-comedy “She’s The Boss” premieres on Thursday, February 25 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT, joining USA’s growing unscripted lineup.

“She’s The Boss” follows Nicole Walters, an ambitious, jet-setting entrepreneur who runs a multi-million dollar marketing empire, and her husband, Josh Walters, a quirky and devoted stay-at-home lawyer. The modern-day family is made complete with the couples’ three lovely adopted daughters and Eddie, Nicole’s over-the-top executive assistant and best friend. Although Nicole has conquered the business world, she and Josh are learning on-the-fly that parenthood isn’t always as easy as it seems, and the Walters work to juggle family, careers, obstacles, laughter, and love. Faced with the never-ending entrepreneur laundry list and all the demands that come with being a wife and mother of three, can Nicole learn to find the perfect balance and truly have it all?

The series is produced by Line By Line Media and executive produced by Justin Tucker, Amanda Scott, Sam Sarkoob, and Bob Unger.

 In addition to “She’s The Boss,” USA’s unscripted roster includes family docu-comedies “Chrisley Knows Best,” “Growing Up Chrisley” and “The Rev,” WWE-related series “Miz & Mrs.” and “Straight Up Steve Austin,” and the buzzy “Temptation Island” reboot.

'One Night In Miami' Cast Talks About The Film

 

The cast of 'One Night In Miami'

By Darlene Donloe

Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, Jim Brown, and Cassius Clay walk into a motel room and what ensues is pure magic.  

That’s the premise of the much-ballyhooed fictionalized drama, ‘One Night In Miami,’ which takes place February 25, 1964, in Miami Beach, right after Clay wins the heavyweight championship against Sonny Liston.  It’s the same night he decides to officially become a Muslim, join the Nation of Islam and eventually become known as the legendary Muhammad Ali.

Most of the film takes place in a motel room. The story spans what happened before and after Clay’s championship fight.

The audience is like a fly on the wall observing what goes on naturally between four larger than life, extremely famous, black men who are at their core, good friends and just want to get together, celebrate Clay’s win, and have a good time with each other. 

As friends, they laugh and rib each other, but most of all they are fearless when it comes to challenging each other’s views on everything including the present and future of Black America. It’s not always pretty with each man unleashing a sometimes merciless barrage of ‘truths.’

The movie, adapted from a one-room play, is Regina King’s directorial debut and by all accounts, she nailed it. It's full of thought-provoking moments and memorable performances from an exceptional cast.

I recently caught up with the cast, director, and screenwriter who were all eager to talk about the captivating film. 

The film, directed by King and adapted by screenwriter Kemp Powers, stars Aldis Hodge (Jim Brown), Eli Goree (Cassius Clay), Leslie Odom Jr. (Sam Cooke), and Kingsley Ben-Adir (Malcolm X).

Q: This started with a stage play. How did you expand on that world to make this movie version? 

POWERS: I wanted to retain the theme of the stage play. I’m not precious about my own writing.  Everything else was open to being reimagined. We don’t even get to a moment that exists in the play until 45 minutes into the movie.

Q: What did you think of the reimaging, Regina?  What are some of them?

KING: The script was our Bible. It was on the page. It brought us to the table to be a part of it. We all had to audition for the job. I understood Kemp’s intention with the play and screenplay. Through vulnerability you find strength. It was me trying to push that theme even further. Expanding the prayer scene and creating moments with Malcolm where we got to see him as a father. Also, we made some choices to remove some scenes that didn't play through ‘vulnerability you find strength’ theme.  That allowed us to really dig in and capture that. What’s beautiful about the performances is, each actor understood how important the nuance moments were.

Q: Hodge, how did you come to the project? Any reservations about playing the icon Jim Brown? 

HODGE: Regina is right. We all had to audition. I had reservations because when you’re stepping into the shoes of someone who has accomplished great feats that affected your life, you want to be ready to pay homage to the person. Plus, he’s still here. He’s going to see this. Whatever I put down, it had to reflect what he thought was an honest journey.  You gotta find the honest thread of who the person is.  We worked on it daily. I was nervous, but I had help in Regina. Kemp – the words were right there and the work ethic on the fellas eased my fears.

Q: How much research did you do, Eli? When did you know it’s time to step back?

GOREE: When we wrapped. It was a long preparation process. I was going to do a play. When I was preparing that’s when I found out Regina was looking for a Cassius. There was never a time I felt that I got it. It was about being reverent. I was playing the greatest athlete of all time.

Q: Same question to you Leslie Odom.

ODOM JR: The music was a real gift for me. It was the doorway for me. It's a psychological profile on who they are. Once you marry our research with listening to the recordings, you learn more. It starts to make sense. I had to go in and recreate some of the needle drops.  I recorded “You Send Me” and “For Sentimental Reasons”. That process of listening and trying to get as close as I could, that process brought me closer to Sam. That, and watching videos. The music was the most beneficial. 

Q: Was there time to rehearse the chemistry you all had in the film?

BEN-ADIR: I think the chemistry I believe that it came down to the fact that we had Regina directing us. We were allowed to play and figure out. It was a wonderful opportunity to flow together and play together and never feel bombarded with too many technical things. Regina, because she understood what we needed, we benefited from that. We were in a relaxed flow state. We got to shoot a whole movie and stay in a rehearsal state. It was a unique experience for me. We didn't know each other at all.

Q: Was that a product of her being a performer?

BEN-ADIR: One hundred percent. It took an actor to cast me in a leading role. It took an actor to cast me in a leading role. We connected as actors. Her understanding of truth. I’ve never had the pleasure of working with someone so in tune with humanity. It was all vulnerable. It’s about real human behavior. It was like an extended rehearsal.  Staying in that state of play. It's a constant discovery, a bottomless state of ideas. You trust and let go fully. If you cant do that, you don't get this film.  

Q: How was the process - being in a confined space with limited movement and angles?

KING: We made creative choices that weren’t authentic. If we had kept it the actual size, we would have suffocated. I’m one of these people, I have to build a story in my head. If someone asked a question, I would always have an answer. The Hampton house made a suite out of two rooms for important people who came to stay. We would have the depth when I needed it and also be able to be claustrophobic when we needed to.  We had a table read and then a rehearsal the night before all of the men were in the room. I didn’t want to over-rehearse. It came down to everybody being on board. Everyone had to know the script well. This was a band. 

This quartet of musicians understood we only have this much time to make this song sing.   Everyone was game to go that extra mile.

NAACP Image Awards Releases Nominations

By Darlene Donloe

The NAACP Image Awards released its nominations on February 2 with several top films taking center stage. 

There are multiple nods for 'Soul,' 'Da 5 Bloods,' 'One Night in Miami,' 'The Banker' and 'Sylvie's Love'; TV series 'Insecure,' 'Lovecraft Country,' 'P-Valley,' 'Little Fires Everywhere'; 'The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel'; and the filmed version of 'Hamilton.'

The Netflix holiday movie, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, earned 10 nominations, the most of any film. 

Other top film nominees include Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and Soul (nine nominations each with Ma Rainey star Viola Davis also up for Entertainer of the Year), Da 5 Bloods and Sylvie's Love (five nods each), and four-time nominees One Night in Miami, The Banker and Hamilton, the filmed version of the hit Broadway musical that debuted on Disney+ over the summer. One Night in Miami director Regina King is also up for Entertainer of the Year.

Best Motion Picture nods went to Jingle Jangle, Da 5 Bloods, Ma Rainey, Bad Boys for Life, and One Night in Miami.

On the TV side, Black-ish leads with 11 nominations, followed by Lovecraft Country with eight nods, Insecure with seven, P-Valley and The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel with six each, and Little Fires Everywhere with five nods.

Entertainer of the Year nominees includes D-Nice, Viola Davis, Regina King, Trevor Noah, and Tyler Perry. Social Justice Impact award nominees are April Ryan, Debbie Allen, LeBron James, Stacey Abrams, and Tamika Mallory.

Beyoncé was nominated for seven awards, six in the music categories. 

Netflix has 48 nominations, followed by HBO with 25 nods.

“We are excited to recognize and celebrate this year’s nominees, who at times throughout this unprecedented year have provided moments of levity, brought our communities together, and lifted our spirits through culture when we needed it the most,” NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson said in a statement.

The NAACP Image Awards — recognizing the achievements of people of color in TV, music, literature and film and those who promote social justice through creative endeavors — is set to air live on BET and across ViacomCBS' networks including CBS, VH1, and MTV on Saturday, March 27 at 8 p.m., with winners in non-televised categories set to be announced virtually March 22-26.

Below is a complete list of this year's Image Awards nominees.

SPECIAL AWARD CATEGORIES

Social Justice Impact

April Ryan

Debbie Allen

Lebron James

Stacey Abrams

Tamika Mallory

Entertainer of the Year

D-Nice

Regina King

Viola Davis

Trevor Noah

Tyler Perry

TELEVISION + STREAMING CATEGORIES

Outstanding Comedy Series

#blackAF (Netflix)

Black-ish (ABC)

grown-ish (Freeform)

Insecure (HBO)

The Last O.G. (TBS)

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series

Anthony Anderson - Black-ish (ABC)

Cedric The Entertainer - The Neighborhood (CBS)

Don Cheadle - Black Monday (Showtime)

Idris Elba - In the Long Run (Starz)

Tracy Morgan - The Last O.G. (TBS)

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series

Issa Rae - Insecure (HBO)

Folake Olowofoyeku - Bob Hearts Abishola (CBS)

Regina Hall - Black Monday (Showtime)

Tracee Ellis Ross - Black-ish (ABC)

Yara Shahidi - Grown-ish (Freeform)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Andre Braugher - Brooklyn Nine-Nine (NBC)

Deon Cole - Black-ish (ABC)

Jay Ellis - Insecure (HBO)

Kenan Thompson - Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Laurence Fishburne - Black-ish (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Jenifer Lewis - Black-ish (ABC)

Marsai Martin - Black-ish (ABC)

Natasha Rothwell - Insecure (HBO)

Tichina Arnold - The Neighborhood (CBS)

Yvonne Orji - Insecure (HBO)

Outstanding Drama Series

All Rise (CBS)

Bridgerton (Netflix)

Lovecraft Country (HBO)

Power Book II: Ghost (Starz)

This Is Us (NBC)

Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series

Jonathan Majors - Lovecraft Country (HBO)

Keith David - Greenleaf (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Nicco Annan - P-Valley (Starz)

Regé-Jean Page - Bridgerton (Netflix)

Sterling K. Brown - This Is Us (NBC)

Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series

Angela Bassett - 9-1-1 (FOX)

Brandee Evans - P-Valley (Starz)

Jurnee Smollett - Lovecraft Country (HBO)

Simone Missick - All Rise (CBS)

Viola Davis - How To Get Away With Murder (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Clifford “Method Man” Smith - Power Book II: Ghost (Starz)

Delroy Lindo - The Good Fight (CBS All Access)

J. Alphonse Nicholson - P-Valley (Starz)

Jeffrey Wright - Westworld (HBO)

Michael Kenneth Williams - Lovecraft Country (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Adjoa Andoh - Bridgerton (Netflix)

Aunjanue Ellis - Lovecraft Country (HBO)

Lynn Whitfield - Greenleaf (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Mary J. Blige - Power Book II: Ghost (Starz)

Susan Kelechi Watson - This Is Us (NBC)

Outstanding Television Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special

Hamilton (Disney+)

Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu)

Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker (Netflix)

Sylvie’s Love (Amazon Studios)

The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel (Lifetime)

Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special

Blair Underwood - Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker (Netflix)

Chris Rock - Fargo (FX)

Daveed Diggs - Hamilton (Disney+)

Leslie Odom, Jr. - Hamilton (Disney+)

Nnamdi Asomugha - Sylvie’s Love (Amazon Studios)

Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special

Aunjanue Ellis - The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel (Lifetime)

Kerry Washington - Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu)

Michaela Coel - I May Destroy You (HBO)

Octavia Spencer - Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker (Netflix)

Tessa Thompson - Sylvie’s Love (Amazon Studios)

Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)

AM Joy: Remembering John Lewis Special (MSNBC)

Desus & Mero: The Obama Interview (Showtime)

The Color of Covid (CNN)

The New York Times Presents "The Killing of Breonna Taylor" (FX)

The Reidout (NBC)

Outstanding Talk Series

Red Table Talk (Facebook Watch)

Tamron Hall (Syndicated )

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)

The Oprah Conversation (Apple TV+)

The Shop: Uninterrupted (HBO)

Outstanding Reality Program, Reality Competition or Game Show (Series)

Celebrity Family Feud (ABC)

Iyanla: Fix My Life (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Shark Tank (ABC)

United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell (CNN)

Voices of Fire (Netflix)

Outstanding Variety Show (Series or Special)

8:46 (Netflix)

Black Is King (Disney+)

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion (HBO Max)

VERZUZ (APPLE TV)

Yvonne Orji: Momma I Made It! (HBO)

Outstanding Children’s Program

Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices (Netflix)

Craig of the Creek (Cartoon Network)

Family Reunion (Netflix)

Raven's Home (Disney Channel)

We Are the Dream: The Kids of the Oakland MLK Oratorical (HBO)

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

Alex R. Hibbert - The Chi (Showtime)

Lexi Underwood - Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu)

Lyric Ross - This Is Us (NBC)

Marsai Martin - Black-ish (ABC)

Miles Brown - Black-ish (ABC)

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

Don Lemon - CNN Tonight with Don Lemon (CNN)

Jada Pinkett Smith - Red Table Talk (Facebook Watch)

Joy Reid - The Reidout (NBC)

LeBron James - The Shop: Uninterrupted (HBO)

Trevor Noah - The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)

Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble

Alfonso Ribeiro - America's Funniest Home Videos (ABC)

Iyanla Vanzant - Iyanla: Fix My Life (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Steve Harvey - Celebrity Family Feud (ABC)

W. Kamau Bell - United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell (CNN)

RuPaul - RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1)

Outstanding Guest Performance - Comedy or Drama Series

Chris Rock - Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Courtney B. Vance - Lovecraft Country (HBO)

Dave Chappelle - Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Issa Rae - Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Loretta Devine - P-Valley (Starz)

Outstanding Animated Series

Big Mouth (Netflix)

Central Park (Apple TV+)

Doc McStuffins (Disney Junior)

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (Netflix)

Star Trek: Lower Decks (CBS All Access)

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television)

Aisha Tyler - Archer (FX)

Courtney B. Vance - Hollywood's Architect: The Paul R. Williams Story (PBS)

Dawnn Lewis - Star Trek: Lower Decks (CBS All Access)

Deon Cole - Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts (Netflix)

Laya DeLeon Hayes - Doc McStuffins (Disney Junior)

Outstanding Short-Form Series - Comedy or Drama

#FreeRayshawn (Quibi)

CripTales (BBC America)

Lazor Wulf (Adult Swim)

Mapleworth Murders (Quibi)

Sincerely, Camille (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Outstanding Performance in a Short-Form Series

Giancarlo Esposito - The Broken and the Bad (AMC.com )

J.B. Smoove - Mapleworth Murders (Quibi)

Jasmine Cephas Jones - #FreeRayshawn (Quibi)

Laurence Fishburne - #FreeRayshawn (Quibi)

Stephan James - #FreeRayshawn (Quibi)

Outstanding Short-Form Series - Reality/Nonfiction

American Masters - Unladylike2020 (PBS)

Benedict Men (Quibi)

Between The Scenes - The Daily Show (Comedy Central)

In The Making (PBS)

Inspire Change Series (NFL Network)

Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television)

Katori Hall - P-Valley (Starz)

Keith Knight - Woke (Hulu)

Ramy Youssef - Ramy (Hulu)

Raynelle Swilling - Cherish the Day (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Teri Schaffer - Cherish the Day (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

RECORDING CATEGORIES

Outstanding New Artist

Chika - High Rises (Warner Records)

Doja Cat - Say So (RCA Records/Kemosabe )

D Smoke - Black Habits (WoodWorks Records / EMPIRE)

Giveon - When It's All Said And Done (Epic Records)

Skip Marley - Higher Place (Island Records/ Tuff Gong Records)

Outstanding Male Artist

Big Sean - Detroit 2 (Def Jam Recordings/G.O.O.D Music)

Black Thought - Streams of Thought, Vol. 3: Cane & Able (Republic Records)

Charlie Wilson - All of My Love (P Music Group/BMG)

Drake - Laugh Now, Cry Later (Republic Records)

John Legend - Bigger Love (Columbia Records)

Outstanding Female Artist

Beyoncé - Black Parade (Columbia Record/ Parkwood)

H.E.R. - I Can't Breathe (RCA Records/MBK Entertainment)

Jazmine Sullivan - Lost One (RCA Records)

Ledisi - Anything For You (Listen Back Entertainment/BMG)

Alicia Keys - Alicia (RCA Records)

Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album

I Can't Breathe - H.E.R. (RCA Records/MBK Entertainment)

Anything For You - Ledisi (Listen Back Entertainment/BMG)

Black is King - Beyonce´ (Columbia Record/ Parkwood)

Brown Skin Girl - Beyonce' feat WizKid, SAINt JHN, Blu Ivy Carter (Columbia Record/ Parkwood)

Do It - Chloe x Halle (Columbia Record/ Parkwood)

Outstanding Album

Alicia - Alicia Keys (RCA Records)

b7 - Brandy (Brand Nu/eOne)

Bigger Love - John Legend (Columbia Records)

Chilombo - Jhené Aiko (Def Jam Recordings)

The Wild Card - LEDISI (Listen Back Entertainment/BMG)

Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (Music from the Netflix Film) - Branford Marsalis (Milan)

Insecure: Music from the HBO Original Series - Various Artists (Atlantic Records)

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey - Various Artists (Atlantic Records )

Soul Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Jon Batiste and Tom MacDougall (Walt Disney Records)

The First Ladies of Gospel: The Clark Sisters Biopic Soundtrack - Donald Lawrence (Relevé Entertainment)

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album

Chosen Vessel - Marvin Sapp (RCA Inspiration)

Gospel According to PJ - PJ Morton (Morton Inspiration / Tyscot Records)

I Am - Koryn Hawthorne (RCA Inspiration)

Kierra - Kierra Sheard (Karew/RCA Inspiration)

The Return - The Clark Sisters (Karew/Motown)

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song

All in His Plan - PJ Morton (Morton Inspiration / Tyscot Records)

Never Lost - CeCe Winans (Pure Springs Gospel)

Something Has To Break - Kierra Sheard feat. Tasha Cobbs-Leonard (Karew/RCA Inspiration)

Strong God - Kirk Franklin (Fo Yo Soul/RCA Records)

Touch from You - Tamela Mann (TillyMann Inc.)

Outstanding Jazz Album - Instrumental

Be Water - Christian Sands (Mack Avenue Music Group)

Music From and Inspired By Soul - Jon Batiste (Walt Disney Records)

Omega - Immanuel Wilkins (Blue Note Records)

Reciprocity - George Burton (Inner Circle Music)

The Iconoclast - Barry Stephenson (Independent)

Outstanding Jazz Album - Vocal

Donny Duke and Wonder - Nathan Mitchell (ENM Music Group)

Holy Room - Live at Alte Oper - Somi (Salon Africana)

Pulling Off The Covers - Mike Phillips (Sono Recording Group)

Stronger - Jeff Bradshaw (Bone Deep Enterprises)

The Eddy (From The Netflix Original Series) - The Eddy (Arista Records)

Outstanding Soul/R&B Song

I Can't Breathe - H.E.R. (RCA Records/MBK Entertainment)

Anything For You - LEDISI (Listen Back Entertainment/BMG)

B.S. feat. H.E.R - Jhené Aiko (Def Jam Recordings)

Black Parade - Beyonce' (Columbia Record/ Parkwood)

Do It - Chloe x Halle (Columbia Record/ Parkwood)

Outstanding Hip Hop/Rap Song

Deep Reverence feat. Nipsey Hussle - Big Sean (Brand Nu/eOne)

Savage Remix - Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyoncé (300 Entertainment / 1501 Certified Ent. LLC)

Cool Off - Missy Elliott (Atlantic Records)

Laugh Now, Cry Later - Drake (Republic Records)

Life Is Good - Future & Drake (Epic Records)

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Traditional)

Alicia Keys feat. Jill Scott - Jill Scott (RCA Records)

Chloe x Halle - Wonder What She Thinks Of Me (Columbia Record/ Parkwood)

Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis feat. Babyface - He Don't Know Nothin' Bout It (BMG)

Kem feat. Toni Braxton - Live Out Your Love (Motown Records)

Ledisi and PJ Morton - Anything For You (Listen Back Entertainment/BMG)

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Contemporary)

Alicia Keys feat. Khalid - So Done (RCA Records)

Big Sean feat. Nipsey Hussle - Deep Reverence (Def Jam Recordings/G.O.O.D Music)

Chloe x Halle - Do It (Columbia Record/ Parkwood)

Jhené Aiko feat. H.E.R. - B.S. (Def Jam Recordings)

Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyoncé - Savage Remix (300 Entertainment / 1501 Certified Ent. LLC)

Outstanding International Song

Blessed - Buju Banton (Roc Nation Records)

Lockdown - Original Koffee (Promise Land Recordings)

Pressure (Remix) - Original Koffee feat. Buju Banton (Promise Land Recordings)

Tanana - Davido feat. Tiwa Savage (RCA Records/Sony Music U.K./Davido Worldwide Entertainment)

Temptation - Tiwa Savage (Motown Records)

Outstanding Producer of the Year

Donald Lawrence

Hit-Boy

Jathan Wilson

Sean Keys

TM88

LITERATURE CATEGORIES

Outstanding Literary Work - Fiction

Black Bottom Saints - Alice Randall (HarperCollins Publishers)

Lakewood - Megan Giddings (HarperCollins Publishers)

Riot Baby - Tochi Onyebuchi (TorDotCom Publishing, imprint of Tom Doherty Associates)

The Awkward Black Man - Walter Mosley (Grove Atlantic)

The Vanishing Half - Brit Bennett (Riverhead Books)

Outstanding Literary Work - Nonfiction

A Black Women’s History of the United States - Daina Berry (Beacon Press)

A Promised Land - Barack Obama (Crown)

Driving While Black - Gretchen Sorin (W. W. Norton & Company)

Long Time Coming: Reckoning with Race in America - Michael Eric Dyson (St. Martin's Press)

We're Better Than This - Elijah Cummings (HarperCollins Publishers)

Outstanding Literary Work - Debut Author

A Knock at Midnight - Brittany Barnett (Penguin Random House)

Greyboy: Finding Blackness in a White World - Cole Brown (Skyhorse)

Lakewood - Megan Giddings (HarperCollins Publishers)

The Compton Cowboys - Walter Thompson-Hernandez (HarperCollins Publishers)

We're Better Than This - Elijah Cummings (HarperCollins Publishers)

Outstanding Literary Work - Biography/Autobiography

A Most Beautiful Thing: The True Story of America's First All-Black High School Rowing Team - Arshay Cooper (Macmillan)

A Promised Land - Barack Obama (Crown)

Olympic Pride, American Prejudice - Deborah Draper (Simon & Schuster)

The Dead Are Arising - Les Payne, Tamara Payne (W. W. Norton & Company)

Willie: The Game-Changing Story of the NHL's First Black Player - Willie O'Ree (Penguin Canada)

Outstanding Literary Work - Instructional

Do Right by Me: Learning to Raise Black Children in White Space - Valerie Harrison (Temple University Press)

Living Lively - Haile Thomas (HarperCollins Publishers)

The Black Foster Youth Handbook - Ángela Quijada-Banks (Soulful Liberation)

The Woman God Created You to Be: Finding Success Through Faith--Spiritually, Personally, and Professionally - Kimberla Lawson Roby (Lenox Press)

Vegetable Kingdom - Bryant Terry (Penguin Random House)

Outstanding Literary Work - Poetry

Homie - Danez Smith (Graywolf Press)

Kontemporary Amerikan Poetry - John Murillo (Four Way Books)

Seeing the Body - Rachel Eliza Griffiths (W. W. Norton & Company)

The Age of Phillis - Honorée Jeffers (Wesleyan University Press)

Un-American - Hafizah Geter (Wesleyan University Press)

Outstanding Literary Work - Children

I Promise - LeBron James, Nina Mata (HarperCollins)

Just Like a Mama - Alice Faye Duncan, Charnelle Pinkney Barlow (Simon & Schuster)

Kamala Harris: Rooted in Justice - Nikki Grimes, Laura Freeman (Simon & Schuster)

She Was the First!: The Trailblazing Life of Shirley Chisholm - Katheryn Russell-Brown, Eric Velasquez (Lee & Low Books)

The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver - Gene Barretta, Frank Morrison (HarperCollins)

Outstanding Literary Work - Youth/Teens

Before the Ever After - Jacqueline Woodson (Penguin Random House)

Black Brother, Black Brother - Jewell Parker Rhodes (Hachette Book Group)

Dear Justyce - Nic Stone (Crown Books for Young Readers)

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning - Jason Reynolds (Hachette Book Group )

This is Your Time - Ruby Bridges (Delacorte Books for Young Readers)

MOTION PICTURE CATEGORIES

Outstanding Motion Picture

Bad Boys For Life (Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Entertainment)

Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (Netflix)

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (Netflix)

One Night In Miami… (Amazon Studios)

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture

Anthony Mackie - The Banker (Apple)

Chadwick Boseman - Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (Netflix)

Delroy Lindo - Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)

Forest Whitaker - Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (Netflix)

Will Smith - Bad Boys For Life (Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Entertainment)

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture

Issa Rae - The Photograph (Universal Pictures)

Janelle Monáe - Antebellum (Lionsgate)

Madalen Mills - Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (Netflix)

Tracee Ellis Ross - The High Note (Focus Features)

Viola Davis - Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

Aldis Hodge - One Night In Miami... (Amazon Studios)

Chadwick Boseman - Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)

Clarke Peters - Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)

Colman Domingo - Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (Netflix)

Glynn Turman - Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture

Anika Noni Rose - Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (Netflix)

Gabourey Sidibe - Antebellum (Lionsgate)

Nia Long - The Banker (Apple)

Phylicia Rashad - Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (Netflix)

Taylour Paige - Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (Netflix)

Outstanding Independent Motion Picture

Emperor (Universal Home Video)

Farewell Amor (IFC Films)

Miss Juneteenth (Vertical Entertainment)

The 24th (Vertical Entertainment)

The Banker (Apple)

Outstanding International Motion Picture

Ainu Mosir (ARRAY)

His House (Netflix)

Night of the Kings (Neon)

The Last Tree (ArtMattan Productions)

The Life Ahead (La vita davanti a se) (Netflix)

Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture

Dayo Okeniyi - Emperor (Universal Home Video)

Dominique Fishback - Project Power (Netflix)

Jahi Di’Allo Winston - Charm City Kings (HBO Max)

Jahzir Bruno - The Witches (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Madalen Mills - Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (Netflix)

Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture

Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (Netflix)

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (Netflix)

Soul (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

The Banker (Apple)

Outstanding Animated Motion Picture

Onward (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Over the Moon (Netflix)

Scoob! (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Soul (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Trolls World Tour (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance - Motion Picture

Ahmir-Khalib Thompson aka Questlove - Soul (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Angela Bassett - Soul (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Chris Rock - The Witches (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Jamie Foxx - Soul (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Phylicia Rashad - Soul (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Outstanding Short-Form. (Live Action)

Baldwin Beauty (Powderkeg Media)

Black Boy Joy (Film Independent Project Involve )

Gets Good Light

Home

Mr. & Mrs. Ellis (AMB Productions)

Outstanding Short-Form (Animated)

Canvas (Netflix)

Cops and Robbers (Netflix)

Loop (Pixar Animation Studios)

The Power of Hope (The Power Of Hope)

Windup (Unity Technologies)

Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture)

Loira Limbal - Through the Night (Third Shift Media, Inc.)

Melissa Haizlip - Mr. Soul! (Shoes In The Bed Productions)

Nadia Hallgren - Becoming (A Higher Ground Productions and Big Mouth Productions Film for Netflix)

Radha Blank - The Forty-Year-Old Version (Netflix)

Remi Weekes - His House (Netflix)

DOCUMENTARY CATEGORIES

Outstanding Documentary (Film)

All In: The Fight For Democracy (Amazon Studios)

Coded Bias (7th Empire Media)

John Lewis: Good Trouble (Magnolia Pictures/Participant)

Mr. Soul! (Shoes in the Bed Productions)

On the Record (HBO Max)

Outstanding Documentary (Television)

And She Could Be Next (PBS)

Black Love (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Enslaved: The Lost History of the Transatlantic Slave Trade (EPIX)

The Last Dance (ESPN / Netflix)

Unsung (TV One)

WRITING CATEGORIES

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series

Issa Rae - Insecure - "Lowkey Feelin' Myself" (HBO)

Lee Eisenberg, Kumail Nanjiani, Emily V. Gordon - Little America - "The Rock" (Apple TV+)

Michaela Coel - I May Destroy You - "Ego Death" (HBO)

Mindy Kaling, Lang Fisher - Never Have I Ever "Pilot" (Netflix)

Rajiv Joseph - Little America - "The Manager" (Apple TV+)

Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series

Attica Locke - Little Fires Everywhere - "The Spider Web" (Hulu)

Erika L. Johnson, Mark Richard - The Good Lord Bird - "A Wicked Plot" (Showtime)

Jessica Lamour - Little Voice - "Love Hurts" (Apple TV+)

Katori Hall - P-Valley - "Perpetratin'" (Starz)

Tanya Barfield - Mrs. America - "Shirley" (FX)

Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie or Special

Diallo Riddle, Bashir Salahuddin, D. Rodney Carter, Emily Goldwyn, Rob Haze, Zuri Salahuddin, Bennett Webber, Evan Williams, Will Miles - Sherman's Showcase Black History Month Spectacular (IFC)

Eugene Ashe - Sylvie's Love (Amazon Studios)

Geri Cole - The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special (HBO Max)

Lin-Manuel Miranda - Hamilton (Disney+)

Sylvia L. Jones, Camille Tucker - The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel (Lifetime)

Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture

David E. Talbert - Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (Netflix)

Kemp Powers - One Night in Miami... (Amazon Studios)

Lee Isaac Chung - Minari (A24)

Pete Docter, Kemp Powers, Mike Jones - Soul (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Radha Blank - The Forty-Year-Old Version (Netflix)

Outstanding Writing in a Documentary (Television or Motion Picture)

Mary Mazzio - A Most Beautiful Thing (Peacock)

Melissa Haizlip - Mr. Soul! (Maysles Documentary Center)

Nile Cone - The Beat Don't Stop (TV One)

Royal Kennedy Rodgers - Hollywood's Architect: The Paul R. Williams Story (PBS)

Yoruba Richen, Elia Gasull Balada, Valerie Thomas - The Sit-In: Harry Belafonte Hosts the Tonight Show (Peacock)

DIRECTING CATEGORIES

Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series

Anya Adams - Black-ish - "Hair Day" (ABC)

Aurora Guerrero - Little America - "The Jaguar" (Apple TV+)

Eric Dean Seaton – Black-ish - "Our Wedding Dre" (ABC)

Kabir Akhtar - Never Have I Ever - "… started a nuclear war" (Netflix)

Sam Miller, Michaela Coel - I May Destroy You - "Ego Death" (HBO)

Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series

Cheryl Dunye - Lovecraft Country - "Strange Case" (HBO)

Hanelle Culpepper - Star Trek: Picard - "Remembrance" (CBS All Access)

Misha Green - Lovecraft Country - "Jig-a-Bobo" (HBO)

Nzingha Stewart - Little Fires Everywhere - "The Uncanny" (Hulu)

Steve McQueen - Small Axe - "Mangrove" (Amazon Studios)

Outstanding Directing in a Television Movie or Special

Beyoncé Knowles Carter, Emmanuel Adeji, Blitz Bazawule, Kwasi Fordjour - Black Is King (Disney+)

Christine Swanson - The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel (Lifetime)

Chuck Vinson, Alan Muraoka - The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special (HBO Max)

Eugene Ashe - Sylvie’s Love (Amazon Studios)

Kamilah Forbes - Between The World And Me (HBO)

Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture

David E. Talbert - Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (Netflix)

George C. Wolfe - Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (Netflix)

Gina Prince-Bythewood - The Old Guard (Netflix)

Radha Blank - The Forty-Year-Old Version (Netflix)

Regina King - One Night in Miami… (Amazon Studios)

Outstanding Directing in a Documentary (Television or Motion Picture)

Keith McQuirter - By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem (EPIX)

Muta'Ali - Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn (HBO)

Sam Pollard, Maro Chermayeff - Atlanta's Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children (Ep. 1 & 2) (HBO)

Simcha Jacobovici - Enslaved: The Lost History of the Transatlantic Slave Trade (EPIX)

Yoruba Richen - The Sit-In: Harry Belafonte Hosts the Tonight Show (Peacock)