The Critics Choice Association (CCA) has announced its full slate of honorees for its seventh annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television awards. The ceremony, which will take place on December 9, will be hosted by “Saturday Night Live” actor and comedian Jay Pharoah. Celebrating standout performances and work in Black entertainment, this year’s honorees include a mix of legacy and budding talent.
“We are proud to recognize this year’s outstanding group of honorees,” Shawn Edwards, executive producer and writer for the Celebration of Black Cinema & Television, said in a press release. “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.”
With awards for work done on and off-screen, CCA’s 7th annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television will honor producer and filmmaker Tyler Perry with the Icon Award for his career accomplishments to date –– including his 24 films, 20 stage plays, 17 television shows and the founding of Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta.
Similarly, Malcolm D. Lee, who directed “The Best Man” films, will receive the Career Achievement Award for “his exemplary work as a writer and director.” Other directors, such as Steve McQueen, Angela Patton, and Natalie Rae, will also be honored at this year’s gala. Actress and producer Natasha Rothwell will be honored with not one but two awards for her work on Hulu’s “How to Die Alone.”
From established actors like Wendell Pierce and John David Washington to rising stars like Michael Rainey Jr. and Ryan Destiny, the annual awards show intends to give Black stars their flowers. This year’s Celebration of Black Cinema & Television will also highlight actor Regina King with the Trailblazer Award for her career and performance in Netflix’s “Shirley.” Cynthia Erivo will also be awarded for her role as Elphaba in the highly anticipated 2024 film adaptation of “Wicked.”
The CCA will also celebrate Black actors’ work beyond the big screen with its Social Impact Award. This year’s honor will go to Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor for her advocacy for social justice. In addition to staring in social justice-themed projects like “When They See Us” and “Nickle Boys,” Ellis-Taylor is the founder of Miss Myrtis Films and co-founder of Take It Down America, an initiative working to take down Confederate flags in Mississippi.
The Critics Choice Association’s Celebration of Black Cinema & Television will be available to watch on Starz in January and will air nationwide in February in celebration of Black History Month.
