LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥 鈥淏lack Panther: Wakanda Forever鈥 earned 12 NAACP Image Awards nominations on Thursday, while 鈥淭he Woman King鈥 and 鈥淎bbott Elementary鈥 will enter next month鈥檚 ceremony as other top nominees.
The 鈥淏lack Panther鈥 sequel 鈥 which found blockbuster success 鈥 led all film nominees. The Marvel film delved into the concept of Wakanda鈥檚 grief in the wake of the death of T鈥機halla 鈥 a character played by Chadwick Boseman, who died in 2020.
The film 鈥淭he Woman King鈥 starring Viola Davis and the ABC television series 鈥淎bbott Elementary鈥 with Quinta Brunson each received nine nods. Both Davis and Brunson are nominated for entertainer of the year along with Mary J. Blige, Zendaya and Angela Bassett.
The awards honoring entertainers and writers of color will air live in Pasadena, California, on BET on Feb. 25 at 8 p.m. EST. The two-hour show will be held in front of an audience for the first time in three years.
鈥淭his year鈥檚 nominees have conveyed a wide range of authentic stories and diverse experiences that have resonated with many in our community,鈥 said Derrick Johnson, the president and CEO of the NAACP. 鈥淲e鈥檙e proud to recognize their outstanding achievements and performances.鈥
鈥淲akanda Forever鈥 and 鈥淭he Woman King鈥 will compete for outstanding motion picture along with 鈥淎 Jazzman's Blues," 鈥淭ill鈥 and 鈥淓mancipation.鈥
ABC emerged with a leading 28 nominations with the help of 鈥淎bbott Elementary,鈥 鈥渂lack-ish鈥 and 鈥淭he Wonder Years.鈥
Netflix, the streaming giant, received 15 nominations. RCA Records/RCA Inspiration has 11 nods, while Penguin Random House and HarperCollins Publisher led with nine in the literary categories.
In music, Beyonc茅 and Kendrick Lamar both came away with five nominations.
鈥淲e take pride in recognizing the trailblazing achievements and artistry of this year鈥檚 esteemed nominees and celebrating the powerful legacy of the NAACP,鈥 said Connie Orlando, the EVP of specials, music programming & music strategy at BET. 鈥淲e look forward to bringing the Image Awards back to Pasadena in front of a live audience and delivering unforgettable moments that epitomize the brilliance of the Black community.鈥
