By Kathia Woods
The 57th NAACP Image Awards, set to air live on February 28, 2026, from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, features a strong Sacramento connection through multi-hyphenate entertainer Teyana Taylor, who earned six nominations across film, television, and music categories.
Teyana Taylor, who performed at Sacramento’s Sol Blume Festival in 2023 and filmed scenes for the Warner Bros. production One Battle After Another; in downtown Sacramento in 2024, stands as one of the ceremony’s most-nominated individuals. Her nominations span multiple categories, including Entertainer of the Year; Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for One Battle After Another; Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series for Tyler Perry’s Straw; Outstanding Female Artist; Outstanding Song — Soul/R&B for Bed of Roses; and Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album for Escape Room.
Sacramento Film Production Brings Major Recognition
The politically charged drama One Battle After Another, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, and Taylor, had a big economic effect on Sacramento during its February 2024 filming. The production brought in $5.3 million in local spending, booked 3,786 hotel rooms over 16 days, and hired 172 people from the area.
People in Sacramento saw downtown streets turn into movie sets, where crews shot dramatic chase scenes and fake explosions. Regina Hall, who was nominated for an Outstanding Supporting Actress award for the same movie, is also in it.
Leading the Pack
Ryan Coogler’s supernatural thriller, Sinners, dominates the film categories with 18 nominations, twice as many as runner-up Spike Lee’s “Highest 2 Lowest,” with nine nods. The film stars Michael B. Jordan in dual roles as twins and has positioned itself as this year’s top contender.
In television, Bel-Air leads with seven nominations, followed by Abbott Elementary, Reasonable Doubt, and Ruth & Boaz, with six nods each.
Entertainer of the Year (Battle)
Taylor faces formidable competition in the Entertainer of the Year category against Cynthia Erivo, Doechii, Kendrick Lamar, and Michael B. Jordan. Jordan, expected to receive his first Oscar nomination for Sinners, previously won Entertainer of the Year at the 2016 BET Awards.
In the music categories, Kendrick Lamar leads with six nominations, while Cardi B and Leon Thomas each received four nods. Taylor’s album Escape Room, released in August 2025 after a five-year hiatus, has been celebrated for its artistic ambition, featuring a 38-minute companion film starring Aaron Pierre and LaKeith Stanfield.
Historic Additions and Recognition
The NAACP introduced two new categories this year: Outstanding Literary Work Journalism and Outstanding Editing in a Motion Picture or Television Series.
The ceremony will be hosted by actor and comedian Deon Cole.
“We see you affirming Black creativity, excellence, and humanity across every space where our stories are told,” said Derrick Johnson, president, and CEO of the NAACP via official statement. “From film, television, and music to literature and beyond, the voices of all of our nominees tell stories that honor our past, celebrate our identity, and remind us that storytelling has the power to move culture forward.”
How to Watch and Vote
The 57th NAACP Image Awards will be broadcast live on Saturday, February 28, 2026, at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT on BET and will simulcast on CBS. Public voting in select categories is open through February 7 at naacpimageawards.net.
Winners in non-televised categories will be announced at the 57th NAACP Image Awards Creative Honors on Thursday, February 26, and virtually on YouTube/NAACPPlus from Monday, February 23 through Wednesday, February 25.
Netflix leads among distributors with 47 nominations, while RCA Records received eight nominations in music categories, the most among record labels.
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