The NAACP Image Awards showed their love for "Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire"," the improbable independent hit about an illiterate overweight African-American girl, showering Lee Daniels film with a leading eight nominations on Wednesday morning.
In addition to a "best film" nod, the gritty urban drama also snared nominations for Daniels, Gabourey Sidibe in the leading actress catagory, and Mo’Nique, Mariah Carey, Paula Patton and Lenny Kravitz for their supporting roles.
Other films that captured the attention of the NAACP included "Invictus," "The Blind Side," "Michael Jackson’s This Is It," and "The Princess and the Frog," all of which received best picture nominations.
The Image Awards, now in their 41st year, honor outstanding people of color for their work in film, television, music, and literature. The awards show will air live on Friday, February 26 (8:00 – 10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
"Everybody Hates Chris," “30 Rock," “Glee," “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” and “Ugly Betty” received nominations for outstanding television comedy. "Ugly Betty" and "Chris" with three nominations and "Payne" with five nominations were among the most honored series.
In the drama category, “Cold Case," “Grey’s Anatomy," “HawthoRNe," “Lincoln Heights," and “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” earned nominations for best series.
Moving over to music, Jay-Z was the morning’s big winner, earning a leading five nods, including outstanding male artist and album for "The Blueprint 3." Anthony Hamilton, Charlie Wilson, Maxwell, and Ne-Yo also earned outstanding male artist nominations.
Alicia Keys, India.Arie, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, and Whitney Houston received outstanding female artists nods.
Complete list of nominees below:
TELEVISION CATEGORIES
Outstanding Comedy Series
• “30 Rock” (NBC)
• “Everybody Hates Chris” (CW)
• “Glee” (FOX)
• “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” (TBS)
•“Ugly Betty” (ABC)
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
• Daryl “Chill” Mitchell – “Brothers” (FOX)
• Donald Faison – “Scrubs” (NBC)
• Dulé Hill – “Psych” (USA Network)
• LaVan Davis – “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” (TBS)
• Tyler James Williams – “Everybody Hates Chris” (CW)
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
• America Ferrera – “Ugly Betty” (ABC)
• Cassi Davis – “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” (TBS)
• CCH Pounder – “Brothers” (FOX)
• Sherri Shepherd – “Sherri” (Lifetime)
• Tichina Arnold – “Everybody Hates Chris” (CW)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
• Lamman Rucker – “Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns” (TBS)
• Lance Gross – “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” (TBS)
• Larenz Tate – “Rescue Me” (FX)
• Malcolm-Jamal Warner – “Sherri” (Lifetime)
• Tracy Morgan – “30 Rock” (NBC)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
• Ana Ortiz – “Ugly Betty” (ABC)
• Keshia Knight Pulliam – “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” (TBS)
• Tisha Campbell-Martin – “Rita Rocks” (Lifetime)
• Vanessa Williams – “Ugly Betty” (ABC)
• Wendy Raquel Robinson – “The Game” (CW)
Outstanding Drama Series
• “Cold Case” (CBS)
• “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC)
• “HawthoRNe” (TNT)
• “Lincoln Heights” (ABC Family)
• “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” (HBO)
Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
• Anthony Anderson – “Law & Order” (NBC)
• Hill Harper – “CSI: NY” (CBS)
• LL Cool J – “NCIS: Los Angeles” (CBS)
• Laurence Fishburne – “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (CBS)
• Taye Diggs – “Private Practice” (ABC)
Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
• Chandra Wilson – “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC)
• Jada Pinkett Smith – “HawthoRNe” (TNT)
• Jill Scott – “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” (HBO)
• Regina King – “Southland” (NBC)
• Sandra Oh – “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
• Corey Reynolds – “The Closer” (TNT)
• Delroy Lindo – “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (NBC)
• James Pickens, Jr. – “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC)
• Mekhi Phifer – “Lie To Me” (FOX)
• Rocky Carroll – “NCIS” (CBS)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
• Anika Noni Rose – “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” (HBO)
• Audra McDonald – “Private Practice” (ABC)
• Gabrielle Union – “Flash Forward” (ABC)
• Jurnee Smollett – “Friday Night Lights” (NBC)
• S. Epatha Merkerson – “Law & Order” (NBC)
Outstanding Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
• “America” (Lifetime)
• “Brick City” (Sundance)
• “Georgia O’Keefe” (Lifetime)
• “Gifted Hands” (TNT)
• “Relative Stranger” (Hallmark)
Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
• Cuba Gooding Jr. – “Gifted Hands” (TNT)
• Eriq La Salle – “Relative Stranger” (Hallmark)
• Gus Hoffman – “Gifted Hands” (TNT)
• Jaishon Fisher – “Gifted Hands” (TNT)
• Philip Johnson – “America” (Lifetime)
Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
• Aunjanue Ellis – “Gifted Hands” (TNT)
• Cicely Tyson – “Relative Stranger” (Hallmark)
• Kimberly Elise – “Gifted Hands” (TNT)
• Rosie O’Donnell – “America” (Lifetime)
• Ruby Dee – “America” (Lifetime)
Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series
• Bryton James – “The Young and The Restless” (CBS)
• Cassius Willis – “The Young and The Restless” (CBS)
• Cornelius Smith, Jr. – “All My Children” (ABC)
• Terrell Tilford – “One Life To Live” (ABC)
• Texas Battle – “The Bold and the Beautiful” (CBS)
Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
• Daphne Duplaix – “One Life to Live” (ABC)
• Debbi Morgan – “All My Children” (ABC)
• Eva Marcelle – “The Young and the Restless” (CBS)
• Tatyana Ali – “The Young and The Restless” (CBS)
• Tonya Lee Williams – “The Young and the Restless” (CBS)
Outstanding News/ Information – (Series or Special)
• “Anderson Cooper 360: President Obama’s African Journey” (CNN)
• “CNN Presents: Reclaiming the Dream 2” (CNN)
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• “The Inauguration of Barack Obama, 44 President of the United States” (BET)
• “Judge Mathis” (Syndicated)
• “Leading Women: India.Arie, Dr. Maya Angelou” (Centric)
Outstanding Talk Series
• “Lopez Tonight” (TBS)
• “The Mo’Nique Show” (BET)
• “The Tyra Banks Show” (CW)
• “The View” (ABC)
• “The Wanda Sykes Show” (FOX)
Outstanding Reality Series
• “American Idol 8” (FOX)
• “America’s Next Top Model” (CW)
• “Dancing With the Stars” (ABC)
• “Extreme Makeover” (ABC)
• “Real Housewives of Atlanta” (Bravo)
Outstanding Variety – (Series or Special)
• “BET Awards 2009” (BET)
• “Bill Cosby: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor” (PBS)
• “Michael Jackson Memorial Service” (ABC, BET, CNN, MTV, NBC)
• “Wanda Sykes: I’ma Be Me” (HBO)
• “We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial” (HBO)
Outstanding Children’s Program
• “The Backyardigans – The Action Elves Save Christmas” (Nickelodeon)
• “Dora The Explorer: Dora’s Christmas Carol Adventure” (Nickelodeon)
• “Go, Diego, Go: Diego Reunites Hippopotamus and Oxpecker” (Nickelodeon)
• “True Jackson, VP” (Nickelodeon)
• “Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie” (Disney Channel)
Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children’s Program – (Series or Special)
• Caitlin Sanchez – “Dora the Explorer” (Nickelodeon)
• Keke Palmer – “True Jackson, VP” (Nickelodeon)
• LaShawn Jeffries – “The Backyardigans” (Nickelodeon)
• Nick Cannon – “TeenNick HALO Awards” (TeenNick)
• Selena Gomez – “Wizards of Waverly Place” (Disney Channel)
RECORDING CATEGORIES
Outstanding New Artist
• Jeremih (Def Jam)
• Keri Hilson (Mosley Music Group/Zone 4 Inc/Interscope Records)
• K’Jon (Universal Republic Records)
• Kristinia DeBarge (Def Jam)
• Melanie Fiona (SRC/Universal/Motown)
Outstanding Male Artist
• Anthony Hamilton (SoSo Def/Jive Records)
• Charlie Wilson (Jive Label Group)
• Jay-Z (Atlantic Records)
• Maxwell (Columbia Records)
• Ne-Yo (Def Jam)
Outstanding Female Artist
• Alicia Keys (Columbia Records)
• India.Arie (Universal Republic Records)
• Mary J. Blige (Matriarch/Geffen)
• Rihanna (Def Jam)
• Whitney Houston (Artista Records)
Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration
• 3 Mo’ Divas (MariMo’ Music Inc.)
• The Black Eyed Peas (Interscope Records)
• Day26 (Bad Boy Records)
• Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys (Atlantic Records)
• Jay-Z ft. Rihanna & Kanye West (Atlantic Records)
Outstanding Jazz Album
• “Detroit” – Gerald Wilson Orchestra (Mack Avenue Records)
• “He and She” – Wynton Marsalis (Blue Note Records)
• “Kind of Brown” – Christian McBride & Inside Straight (Mack Avenue Records)
• “Poetically Justified” – Marcus Johnson (Three Keys Music)
• “The Real Thing” – Vanessa Williams (Concord Records)
Outstanding Gospel Album – (Traditional or Contemporary)
“A City Called Heaven” – Shirley Caesar (Light Records)
“How I Got Over” – Vickie Winans (Destiny Joy)
“Love Unstoppable” – Fred Hammond (Verity Records)
“Still” – BeBe & CeCe Winans (B & C Records)
“We Are All One: Live In Detroit” – Donnie McClurkin (Verity Records)
Outstanding World Music Album
• “11:11” – Rodrigo y Gabriela (ATO Records/Red)
• “Black President” – Sila and the Afrofunk Experience (Visila Records)
• “Morabeza” – Maria de Barros (Sheer Legacy [Sheer Group South African Label])
• “ReCreation” – Zap Mama (Heads Up International/Concord Music Group)
• “Seya” – Oumou Sangare (Nonesuch/World Circuit)
Outstanding Music Video
• “Blame It” – Jamie Foxx ft. T-Pain (J Records/MBK Entertainment)
• “Boom Boom Pow” – The Black Eyed Peas (Interscope Records)
• “I Look To You” – Whitney Houston (Arista)
• “Pretty Wings” – Maxwell (Columbia Records)
• “Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart” – Alicia Keys (J Records/MBK Entertainment)
Outstanding Song
• “Bad Habits” – Maxwell (Columbia Records)
• “Blame It” – Jamie Foxx ft. T-Pain (J Records/MBK Entertainment)
• “Empire State of Mind” – Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys (Atlantic Records)
• “God In Me” – Mary Mary (Columbia Records)
• “Pretty Wings” – Maxwell (Columbia Records)
Outstanding Album
• “The Blueprint 3” – Jay-Z (Atlantic Records)
• “BLACKsummers’night” – Maxwell (Columbia Records)
• “The Element of Freedom” – Alicia Keys (J Records/MBK Entertainment)
• “Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel” – Mariah Carey (Def Jam)
• “Stronger With Each Tear” – Mary J. Blige (Matriarch/Geffen)
LITERATURE CATEGORIES
Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction
“Basketball Jones” – E. Lynn Harris (deceased) (Doubleday)
“Before I Forget” – Leonard Pitts, Jr. (Agate Bolden)
“Life is Short But Wide” – J. California Cooper (Doubleday)
“The Book of Night Women” – Marlon James Riverhead Books)
“The Long Fall” – Walter Mosley (Riverhead Books)
Outstanding Literary Work – Non-Fiction
“Brain Surgeon”: A Doctor’s Inspiring Encounters With Mortality and Miracles – Arnold Mann with Keith Black, MD (Grand Central Publishing)
“Family Affair: What It Means to be African American Today” – Gil L. Robertson, IV (Agate Bolden)
“Freedom in My Heart: Voices From the United States National Slavery Museum” – Cynthia Jacobs Carter (National Geographic Books)
“In Search of Our Roots: How 19 Extraordinary African Americans Reclaimed Their Past” – Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (Crown)
“Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis” – Al Gore (Rodale Inc.)
Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author
“3 Generation Country” – BeNeca Ward (Xlibris Corporation)
“A Question of Freedom” – R. Dwayne Betts (Avery Books)
“Black Water Rising” – Attica Locke (Harper)
“Kiss the Sky: A Novel” – Farai Chideya (Atria Books)
“Lime Tree Can’t Bear Orange” – Amanda Smyth (Three Rivers Press)
Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/Auto-Biography
“Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud” – Dr. Cornel West (SmileyBooks)
“Michelle Obama” – Deborah Willis (W. W. Norton)
“POPS: A Life of Louis” – Terry Teachout (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
“Shooting Stars” – LeBron James and Buzz Bissinger (The Penguin Press)
“Stormy Weather: The Life of Lena Horne” – James Gavin (Atria Books)
Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional
“Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man” – Steve Harvey (Amistad)
“The Conversation: How Black Men & Women Can Build Loving, Trusting Relationships” – Hill Harper (Gotham Books)
“Down to Business” – Clara Villarosa with Alicia Villarosa (Avery Books)
“Start Where You Are” – Chris Gardner (Amistad)
“Your Money or Your Life” – Alvin Hall (Atria Books)
Outstanding Literary Work – Poetry
“Bicycles” – Nikki Giovanni (William Morrow)
“Black Nature: Four Centuries of African American Nature Poetry” – Camille Dungy (The University of Georgia Press)
“Cooling Board: A Long-Playing Poem” – Mitchell L. H. Douglas (Red Hen Press)
“Mixology: National Poetry Series” – Adrian Matejka (Penguin Group [USA])
“Roses and Revolutions: The Selected Writings of Dudley Randall” – Melba Joyce Boyd (Wayne State University Press)
Outstanding Literary Work – Children
“Child of the Civil Rights Movement” – Paula Young Shelton (Random House Children’s Books)
“Negro Speaks of Rivers” – Langston Hughes (Author), E.B. Lewis (Illustrator) (Disney-Jump at the Sun/Disney Book Group)
“Our Children Can Soar: A Celebration of Rosa, Barack, and the Pioneers of Change” – Michelle Cook (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)
“Peeny Butter Fudge” – Toni Morrison and Slade Morrison (Paula Wiseman Books/Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing)
“Sugar Plum Ballerinas: Toeshoe Trouble” – Whoopi Goldberg (Disney-Jump at the Sun/Disney Book Group)
Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens
“Claudette Colvin: Twice Towards Justice” – Phillip Hoose (Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group/Farrar Straus and Giroux)
“Just Another Hero” – Sharon Draper (Atheneum/Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing)
“Mare’s War” – Tanita S. Davis (Random House Children’s Books)
“Michelle Obama: Meet the First Lady” – David Bergen Brophy (Collins-An Imprint of HarperCollinsChildren’s Books)
“Rock and the River” – Kekla Magoon (Aladdin/Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing)
MOTION PICTURE CATEGORIES
Outstanding Motion Picture
• “The Blind Side” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• “Invictus” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• “Michael Jackson’s: This Is It” (Columbia Pictures)
• “Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire” (Lionsgate)
• “The Princess and the Frog” (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
• Denzel Washington – “The Taking of Pelham 123” (Columbia Pictures)
• Idris Elba – “Obsessed” (Screen Gems)
• Jamie Foxx – “Law Abiding Citizen” (Overture Films)
• Morgan Freeman – “Invictus” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Quinton Aaron – “The Blind Side” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
• Anika Noni Rose – “The Princess and the Frog” (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• Gabourey Sidibe – “Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire” (Lionsgate)
• Sandra Bullock – “The Blind Side” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Sophie Okonedo – “Skin” (Jour De Fete Films)
• Taraji P. Henson – “Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All By Myself” (Lionsgate)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
• Adam Rodriguez – “Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All By Myself” (Lionsgate)
• Anthony Mackie – “The Hurt Locker” (Summit Entertainment)
• Chiwetel Ejiofor – “2012” (Columbia Pictures)
• Danny Glover – “2012” (Columbia Pictures)
• Lenny Kravitz – “Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire” (Lionsgate)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
• Alfre Woodard – “American Violet” (Universal Pictures)
• Mariah Carey – “Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire” (Lionsgate)
• Mo’Nique – “Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire” (Lionsgate)
• Paula Patton – “Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire” (Lionsgate)
• Zoe Saldana – “Avatar” (Paramount Pictures)
The nominees listed in the following categories were voted upon by Subcommittees.
Outstanding Independent Motion Picture
• “American Violet” (Samuel Goldwyn Company)
• “Amreeka” (National Geographic Entertainment)
• “Endgame” (Montery Entertainment)
• “Medicine for Melancholy” (IFC Films)
• “Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire” (Lionsgate)
Outstanding Foreign Motion Picture
• “The Maid” (Elephant Eye Films)
• “Rudo y Cursi” (Sony Pictures Classics)
• “Sin Nombre” (Focus Features)
• “Skin” (Jour De Fete Films)
• “The Stoning of Soraya M.” (Mpower Pictures)
DOCUMENTARY CATEGORY
Outstanding Documentary (Theatrical or Television)
• “Capitalism: A Love Story” (Overture Films)
• “Crips and Bloods: Made in America” (Gravitas Ventures)
• “Crude” (First Run Features)
• “Good Hair” (Roadside Attractions)
• “More than a Game” (Lionsgate)
WRITING CATEGORIES
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
• Alyson Fouse – “Brothers” – Meet Mike Trainor (FOX)
• Hallsted Sullivan with Warren Lieberstein – “The Office” – Café Disco (NBC)
• Kenny Smith – “The Game” – The Wedding (CW)
• Marc Willmore – “The Simpsons” – The Good, The Sad, & The Drugly (FOX)
• Saladin Patterson & James Roday – “Psych” – High Top Fade Out (USA Network)
Outstanding Writing in a Dramatic Series
• Alexander Woo – “True Blood” – Beyond Here Lies Nothin (HBO)
• Kathleen McGhee-Anderson – “Lincoln Heights” – Home Again (ABC Family)
• Sara Hess – “House” – The Greater Good (FOX)
• Shonda Rhimes – “Grey’s Anatomy” – What a Difference A Day Makes (ABC)
• Zoanne Clack – “Grey’s Anatomy” – Stand By Me (ABC)
Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture (Theatrical or Television)
• Anthony Peckham – “Invictus” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Geoffrey Fletcher – “Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire” (Lionsgate)
• John Lee Hancock – “The Blind Side” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Reggie Rock Bythewood and Cheo Hodari Coker – “Notorious” (Fox Searchlight)
• Tyler Perry – “Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All By Myself” (Lionsgate)
DIRECTING CATEGORIES
Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series
• Ali LeRoi – “Everybody Hates Chris” – Everybody Hates The G.E.D. (CW)
• Justin Lin – “Community” – Introduction to Statistics (NBC)
• Ken Whittingham – “30 Rock” – The Funcooker (NBC)
• Michael Shultz – “Drop Dead Diva” – Second Chances (Lifetime)
• Reggie Hudlin – “The Office” – Koi Pond (NBC)
Outstanding Directing in a Dramatic Series
• Chandra Wilson – “Grey’s Anatomy” – Give Peace a Chance (ABC)
• Edward James Olmos – “Battlestar Galactica” – Islanded in a Stream of Stars (Syfy)
• Ernest Dickerson – “Dexter” – Road Kill (Showtime)
• Kevin Sullivan – “Lincoln Heights” – Aftershock (ABC Family)
• Paris Barclay – “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” – Coup de Grace (CBS)
Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture (Theatrical or Television)
F. Gary Gray – “Law Abiding Citizen” (Overture Films)
George Tillman, Jr. – “Notorious” (Fox Searchlight)
Lee Daniels – “Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire” (Lionsgate)
Scott Sanders – “Black Dynamite” (Apparition)
Spike Lee – “Passing Strange: The Movie” (IFC Films/Sundance Selects)