On Monday Dec. 9, the Critics Choice Association gathered Black stars across television and film to celebrate Black storytelling within entertainment. The Critics Choice Association’s 7th annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television Awards honored 14 actors, producers directors and composers, including Cynthia Erivo, Regina King, Tyler Perry and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor.
“We are proud to recognize this year’s outstanding group of honorees,” said Shawn Edwards, executive producer and writer for the Celebration of Black Cinema & Television, as previously reported by theGrio. “2024 was an exceptional year. There were so many great stories about the Black experience, and this event is a celebration of the power of those stories, which have shaped and moved the entertainment industry. It’s a true acknowledgment of the profound impact of Black Cinema and Television on today’s culture and society.”
During the evening hosted by comedian Jay Pharoah, Tyler Perry received the Icon Award for his career accomplishments as a self-made media mogul. Although the actor and filmmaker says he was honored to be recognized for his 24 films, 20 stage plays, 17 television shows, and the founding of Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Perry admitted his struggle with the title “icon.”
“You gotta be careful when people start calling you an icon because the hunters only shoot at the deer that they can see,” Perry explained. “If you’re an icon, you’re a target. People are watching, they’re gonna tear you down. There’s always somebody at the bottom trying to tear you down, and everybody else at the top is applauding. So it is my hope that as people say I’m an icon, they remember me more as an inspiration.”
The ceremony not only celebrated the accomplishments of stars on screen but also honored actress Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor for her impactful social justice advocacy behind the scenes. For many of the honorees, their work as actors is intrinsically tied to advocacy. Cynthia Erivo, recognized for her portrayal of Elphaba in “Wicked,” shared how her depiction of the iconic character carries profound significance for Black audiences.
“Stories like Elphaba’s — the story of the rebel, the story of the misunderstood, of the brave, who found strength in the things that set her apart, the story of the extraordinary abilities, and most importantly, extraordinary humanity — are our stories, and my stories too,” Erivo said. “So, for every child who sees themselves in Elphaba now, for every Black person who feels her strength, for every queer soul who recognizes their own battle to embrace who they are, for anyone who has ever felt alone and unseen, Wicked is for you. Elphaba is a love letter to you. Representation is a powerful thing… I know my roots, they’re where I begin. Because when we bring our whole selves into the work, it becomes a mirror, not just for us, but for the world.”
Regina King
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 09: Regina King poses in the IMDb Exclusive Portrait Studio at The Critics Choice Association 7th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television at Fairmont Century Plaza on December 09, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb)
Cynthia Erivo
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 09: Cynthia Erivo poses in the IMDb Exclusive Portrait Studio at The Critics Choice Association 7th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television at Fairmont Century Plaza on December 09, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb)
Morris Chestnut
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 09: Morris Chestnut poses in the IMDb Exclusive Portrait Studio at The Critics Choice Association 7th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television at Fairmont Century Plaza on December 09, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb)
Ava DuVernay
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 09: Ava DuVernay poses in the IMDb Exclusive Portrait Studio at The Critics Choice Association 7th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television at Fairmont Century Plaza on December 09, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb)
Sheryl Lee Ralph
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 09: Sheryl Lee Ralph poses in the IMDb Exclusive Portrait Studio at The Critics Choice Association 7th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television at Fairmont Century Plaza on December 09, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb)
Taye Diggs
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 09: Taye Diggs poses in the IMDb Exclusive Portrait Studio at The Critics Choice Association 7th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television at Fairmont Century Plaza on December 09, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb)
Mara Brock Akil
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 09: Mara Brock Akil poses in the IMDb Exclusive Portrait Studio at The Critics Choice Association 7th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television at Fairmont Century Plaza on December 09, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb)
Natasha Rothwell
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 09: Natasha Rothwell poses in the IMDb Exclusive Portrait Studio at The Critics Choice Association 7th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television at Fairmont Century Plaza on December 09, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb)
John David Washington
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 09: John David Washington poses in the IMDb Exclusive Portrait Studio at The Critics Choice Association 7th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television at Fairmont Century Plaza on December 09, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb)
Tyler Perry
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 09: Tyler Perry poses in the IMDb Exclusive Portrait Studio at The Critics Choice Association 7th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television at Fairmont Century Plaza on December 09, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb)
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 09: Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor poses in the IMDb Exclusive Portrait Studio at The Critics Choice Association 7th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television at Fairmont Century Plaza on December 09, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb)
Brian Tyree Henry
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 09: Brian Tyree Henry poses in the IMDb Exclusive Portrait Studio at The Critics Choice Association 7th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television at Fairmont Century Plaza on December 09, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb)
Naturi Naughton
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 09: Naturi Naughton poses in the IMDb Exclusive Portrait Studio at The Critics Choice Association 7th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television at Fairmont Century Plaza on December 09, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb)
Aldis Hodge
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 09: Aldis Hodge poses in the IMDb Exclusive Portrait Studio at The Critics Choice Association 7th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television at Fairmont Century Plaza on December 09, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb)
Jay Pharoah
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 09: Jay Pharoah poses in the IMDb Exclusive Portrait Studio at The Critics Choice Association 7th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television at Fairmont Century Plaza on December 09, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb)
Kelly Rowland
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 09: Kelly Rowland poses in the IMDb Exclusive Portrait Studio at The Critics Choice Association 7th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television at Fairmont Century Plaza on December 09, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb)
Ryan Destiny
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 09: Ryan Destiny poses in the IMDb Exclusive Portrait Studio at The Critics Choice Association 7th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television at Fairmont Century Plaza on December 09, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb)
Jharrel Jerome
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 09: Jharrel Jerome poses in the IMDb Exclusive Portrait Studio at The Critics Choice Association 7th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television at Fairmont Century Plaza on December 09, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb)
Kris Bowers
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 09: Kris Bowers poses in the IMDb Exclusive Portrait Studio at The Critics Choice Association 7th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television at Fairmont Century Plaza on December 09, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb)
Courtney B. Vance
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 09: Courtney B. Vance poses in the IMDb Exclusive Portrait Studio at The Critics Choice Association 7th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television at Fairmont Century Plaza on December 09, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb)
Michael Rainey Jr.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 09: Michael Rainey Jr. poses in the IMDb Exclusive Portrait Studio at The Critics Choice Association 7th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television at Fairmont Century Plaza on December 09, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb)
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