Today the NAACP announced this year’s nominees for the Image Awards, and they feature many of the nominees you might expect. The sad truth is that there is still a lack of diversity on television, and these nominations only serve to highlight that by nominating nearly every African-American actor on TV, regardless of actual quality.
However, there are alsoa few omissions and weird nominees. Below you can find a list of the major TV and film nominations, but first, allow me to walk through the 10 strangest nominations (or lack thereof( at this year’s NAACP Image Awards.
Modern Family
I guess Sofia Vergara’s appearance counts as ethnic diversity, but I’ve seen every episode and I can’t remember a single African-American character. As great as Modern Family is, I’m not sure it deserves to be nominated for Best Comedy.
Tracy Morgan
I love Tracy Morgan, but how is he nominated as a supporting actor when people like Dule Hill and Vanessa Williams are nominated as lead actors? The category placement is what I find strange, not the actual nominations.
Chandra Wilson
Speaking of strange category placement, Wilson is nominated as a lead actress while Sandra Oh and Sara Ramirez are listed as supporting actresses. Ignoring the fact that neither Oh nor Ramirez are black, there’s no way anyone who watches the show can think Wilson is more of a lead than either of the other two actresses, both of whom have had more screentime and bigger storylines over the past year.
Treme
I’m thrilled that Treme is nominated for Best Drama, but how on Earth are none of its actors nominated? The show has the strongest African-American ensemble on TV. It was a crime that Wendell Pierce, Clarke Peters and Khandi Alexander were all ignored at the Emmys, but to get shut out at the Image Awards is ridiculous.
Boris Kodjoe
Gugu Mbatha-Raw got nominated for the NBC series Undercovers, but Kodjoe, who is every bit as good, was not. I love Blair Underwood too, but The Event is terrible and Kodjoe was robbed.
Lifetime Original Movies
In the categories for Best TV Movie, Actor and Actress, 10 of the nominees come from Lifetime Original Movies, including eight of the 10 acting nominations. Do I even need to explain why that’s absurd?
Tia and Tamara Mowry
In perhaps my favorite category, twin sisters Tia and Tamara Mowry are nominated against one another for the TV movie Double Wedding. It would be hilarious if one of them won.
Jaden Smith
In the movie category, Will Smith’s son is nominated for Best Actor, next to stars like Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington. That makes me die a little inside.
For Colored Girls
The film nominees for Best Supporting Actress feature four women from this film, which seems a bit excessive to me. But if you’re going to do it, why not just pick all five nominees from the one movie?
Justin Timberlake
I saved the strangest and craziest for last. For Best Supporting Actor in a Film, the nominees are Idris Elba, Michael Ealy, Samuel L. Jackson, Don Cheadle and … Justin Timberlake? I know he’s super cool and I understand why the African-American community wants to claim him as one of their own, but the guy is white and he starred in a movie about a bunch of nerds creating Facebook. Why is he even remotely eligible for this award?
Those are my favorite weird nominations, but here’s the list to see for yourself.
TELEVISION
Outstanding Comedy Series
30 Rock
Are We There Yet?
Glee
Modern Family
Tyler Perry’s House of Payne
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
David Mann, Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns
Dule Hill, Psych
LaVan Davis, Tyler Perry’s House of Payne
Phil Morris, Love That Girl!
Terry Crews, Are We There Yet?
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
Cassi Davis, Tyler Perry’s House of Payne
Essence Atkins, Are We There Yet?
Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Eureka
Tatyana Ali, Love That Girl!
Vanessa Williams, Desperate Housewives
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Craig Robinson, The Office
Ice Cube, Are We There Yet?
Lamman Rucker, Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns
Lance Gross, Tyler Perry’s House of Payne
Tracy Morgan, 30 Rock
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Amber Riley, Glee
Anna Deavere Smith, Nurse Jackie
Keshia Knight Pulliam, Tyler Perry’s House of Payne
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Viola Davis, United States of Tara
Outstanding Drama Series
Detroit 1-8-7
Grey’s Anatomy
HawthoRNe
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Treme
Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
Anthony Anderson, Law & Order
Blair Underwood, The Event
Hill Harper, CSI: NY
Laurence Fishburne, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
LL Cool J, NCIS: Los Angeles
Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
Chandra Wilson, Grey’s Anatomy
Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Undercovers
Jada Pinkett Smith, HawthoRNe
Regina King, Southland
Wendy Davis, Army Wives
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Andre Braugher, Men of a Certain Age
Giancarlo Esposito, Breaking Bad
James Pickens, Jr., Grey’s Anatomy
Nelsan Ellis, True Blood
Terrence Howard, Law & Order: Los Angeles
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Alfre Woodard, Memphis Beat
Sandra Oh, Grey’s Anatomy
Sara Ramirez, Grey’s Anatomy
S. Epatha Merkerson, Law & Order
Vanessa Bell Calloway, HawthoRNe
Outstanding Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
America: The Story of Us (Part 4)
Filling the Gap
Luther
Sins of the Mother
The Wronged Man
Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
Benito Martinez, Lies in Plain Sight
Idris Elba, Luther
Jon Seda, The Pacific
Mahershalalhashbaz Ali, The Wronged Man
Michael Jai White, One Angry Juror
Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
Jill Scott, Sins of the Mother
Lucy Liu, Marry Me
Rosie Perez, Lies in Plain Sight
Tamera Mowry, Double Wedding
Tia Mowry, Double Wedding
Outstanding Reality Series
American Idol
America’s Next Top Model
Dancing with the Stars
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Sunday Best
Outstanding Children’s Program
Brave New Voices 2010
Dora the Explorer
The Backyardigans
True Jackson, VP
Wizards of Waverly Place
Outstanding Performance in a Youth/ Children’s Program (Series or Special)
Keke Palmer, True Jackson, VP
Lance Robertson, Yo Gabba Gabba: Baby
Nick Cannon, TeenNick Halo Awards 2010
Selena Gomez, Wizards of Waverly Place
Victoria Justice, Victorious
MOVIES
Outstanding Motion Picture
For Colored Girls
Just Wright
The Book of Eli
The Kids Are Alright
Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Too?
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
Anthony Mackie, Night Catches Us
Common, Just Wright
Denzel Washington, The Book of Eli
Jaden Smith, The Karate Kid
Morgan Freeman, Red
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Halle Berry, Frankie & Alice
Janet Jackson, Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Too?
Kerry Washington, Night Catches Us
Queen Latifah, Just Wright
Zoe Saldana, The Losers
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Don Cheadle, Brooklyn’s Finest
Idris Elba, Takers
Justin Timberlake, The Social Network
Michael Ealy, For Colored Girls
Samuel L. Jackson, Mother and Child
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Anika Noni Rose, For Colored Girls
Kimberly Elise, For Colored Girls
Phylicia Rashad, For Colored Girls
Jill Scott, Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Too?
Whoopi Goldberg, For Colored Girls
Click HERE for a complete list of nominees.
(Image courtesy of ABC)
Senior Writer, BuddyTV
John watches nearly every show on TV, but he specializes in sci-fi/fantasy like The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural and True Blood. However, he can also be found writing about everything from Survivor and Glee to One Tree Hill and Smallville.
