The 57th Annual NAACP Image Awards included several big wins for the Ryan Coogler film, Sinners. The film took home 13 awards out of its 18 nominations, including Best Motion Picture.
Coogler, in his acceptance speech, thanked the audience for “wrapping [their] arms around the movie” and shouted out Warner Bros. Pictures co-chairs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy for believing in the film and encouraged them to stand in the audience. Coogler ended with the importance of representation and identity as a message to the audience.
“Since our people been here over four centuries, there’s always been a lot of lies told about us,” he said. “And a lie, no matter how powerful the person saying it is, is still a lie and the truth, no matter how little power the person saying it has, is still the truth, and the truth is y’all are loved, y’all are beautiful and y’all are powerful and mighty. And bless y’all. Thank y’all so much.”
Along with the film’s major win, Michael B. Jordan walked away with “Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture” and “Entertainer of the Year,” besting contenders like Denzel Washington and Teyana Taylor, respectively.
Jordan dedicated his best-actor award to his friend, the late Chadwick Boseman. The two co-starred in the first Black Panther in 2018. Brown also shared a story behind his love for the NAACP Image Awards.
“Y’all really don’t understand how much this means to me, being here. I used to come here when I was a kid, when I was about 15 years old, sneaking in through the back as best I could,” Jordan said. “This is a place where I always felt encouraged, always felt like I was being celebrated and nourished. … You told me it was OK to keep going because I felt seen here, I felt comfortable, I felt the love. That’s why I love being here, and I love you guys so much. And I was thinking about lead actor, and I was thinking about what lead actor meant to me, and, honestly, I’ve got to dedicate this award to Chadwick Boseman.”
Before exiting the stage, Jordan said to the crowd, “I love being Black. I love y’all.”
Other wins for the Ryan Coogler-directed film include Delroy Lindo for Best Supporting Actor. Lindo showed his appreciation for the support of his community surrounding the BAFTA Awards incident, where he and Michael B. Jordan were presenters, and a guest with Tourette Syndrome could be heard shouting the N-word during the broadcast.
“I’d just like to officially say, I appreciate, we appreciate all the support and love we have been shown in the aftermath of what happened last weekend. It means a lot to us,” he said.
He added the moment is a “classic case of something that could be very negative becoming very positive” and reflected on the “honor” of being at the NAACP Image Awards.
BAFTA issued an apology in a statement following the incident. “Our guests heard very offensive language that carries incomparable trauma and pain for so many. We want to acknowledge the harm this has caused, address what happened and apologize to all.”
Sinners also racked up four NAACP Image Awards Creative Honors. Including Sinners‘ Ruth E. Carter won best costume design.
Other top winners Saturday night included Cynthia Erivo (best actress in a motion picture for Wicked: For Good) and best drama actor and actress winners Sterling K. Brown (Paradise) and Angela Bassett (9-1-1).
See the full list of the NAACP Image Awards winners here.
The 57th Annual NAACP Image Awards Aired Saturday, Feb. 28, on BET (CBS), hosted by comedian and actor Deon Cole. The ceremony honored the legacy of Rev. Jesse Jackson.
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Michael B. Jordan plays brothers Smoke and Stack in ‘Sinners’— Credit: Warner Bros.
