The 46th NAACP Image Awards is one of the many ways NAACP recognizes the greats in the African American culture. The Image Awards is the multi-cultural awards show that celebrates the outstanding achievements of people of color in the arts; such as television, movies and literature. With the NAACP Image Awards coming up February 6, the nominees’ came together Saturday, January 17 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel for a luncheon.
The red carpet was laid out as stars entered back to back. From Niecy Nash to Anthony Anderson, it was a lineup of distinguished guests. Although appreciative of the acknowledgements given by the NAACP, one major topic on the carpet was the movie Selma being snubbed by the Oscars.
Selma, was ranked number two in the box office opening weekend and based off many reviews, it was definitely the movie to see. Oscars on the other hand, thought otherwise. Although the film did land two nominations for Best Picture and Best Original Song, David Oyelowo’s role as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. went unnoticed in the Best Actor category.
What makes it all the more controversial is that not one person of color was nominated in any acting categories. Even the film’s director, Ava DuVernay, was unrecognized in the Best Director category. If she was nominated, she would have become the first black woman to be acknowledged as a director.
The lack of diversity in the Oscars has caused a complete uproar; check out #WhiteOscars via Twitter.
For the NAACP Image Awards, Selma is nominated for an Outstanding Motion Picture.
Cast member of Selma, Henry G. Sanders, described the movie being nominated as “awesome.”
“It’s awesome. I can’t deny it, it is one of those things that people say are not important, and they aren’t; it’s the work, but it is nice to be recognized.”
On the discussion of the Oscars snubbing the film, Selma, Sanders called it a “bummer.”
“It’s a bummer that we didn’t get an award,” Sanders said. “We did get a nomination, so that’s something. Hopefully with the nomination for Selma, it will open a lot more doors…”
Buddy Lewis, writer on Real Husbands of Hollywood, had a lot to say regarding the snubbing of Selma.
“I think it’s like everything that is subjective, when you are talking about voting,” Lewis said. “Whether it’s the Hall of Fame for athletes or anything else, I don’t want to feel like it is racially motivated. You have to say sometimes, it doesn’t feel right, it doesn’t look right. It reeks, this impropriety where nothing we have done is Oscar worthy.”
Co-Host of the luncheon, actor, Affion Crockett expressed his thoughts on NAACP and brought up a valid point when it comes down to award shows in general.
“If we didn’t have the NAACP Awards, what award shows would we have? Would it just be the hip-hop awards or rap awards? That’s great too, but as far as nominating some actors and all of that, we need the NAACP Awards; we need more than that, but this is all we have. We need more like them,” said Crockett
This goes to show why the NAACP is so vital for our community. The 46th NAACP Image Awards will broadcast LIVE on TV ONE on Saturday, February 6, 2015 at 9pm/8c as a two-hour special. One-hour pre-show airs live from the red carpet at 8pm/7c.
I am a recent graduate from the University of Central Missouri. I majored in Digital Media Production with an emphasis in news. My aspiration is to become a television Journalist.