Yahoo Lifestyle ‘Nickel Boys’ Leads Black Reel Awards Nominees
“Nickel Boys” leads the nominations at the 25th annual Black Reel Awards, a ceremony exclusively dedicated to recognizing African American contributions to cinema.
The Amazon MGM Studios film garnered 13 nominations, followed closely by Netflix’s “The Piano Lesson” with 12; both films were nominated for outstanding film and outstanding director (RaMell Ross and Malcolm Washington, respectively), plus their stars (“Nickel Boys” trio Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, as well as “The Piano Lesson’s” John David Washington, Danielle Deadwyler and Ray Fisher) earned individual nods.
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Rounding out the best film nominees are “Challengers,” “Exhibiting Forgiveness” and “Sing Sing” and joining Ross and Washington in the outstanding director category are Titus Kaphar (“Exhibiting Forgiveness”), Zoë Kravitz (“Blink Twice”) and Steve McQueen (“Blitz”). Other top-performing films include “Exhibiting Forgiveness” (nine nominations), “Blink Twice” (seven nominations) and “Sing Sing” (six nominations).
Key individual nominees include Zendaya, who earned dual recognition as an actor and producer of “Challengers,” as well as Ellis-Taylor, who got two nominations in the outstanding supporting performance category for “Nickel Boys” and “Exhibiting Forgiveness,” and Brian Tyree Henry, nominated in the supporting performance category in “The Fire Inside” as well as outstanding voice performance for “Transformers One.”
Also among the acting nominees are Naomi Ackie (“Blink Twice”), Ryan Destiny (“The Fire Inside”), Colman Domingo (“Sing Sing”), Cynthia Erivo (“Wicked”), Andre Holland (“Exhibiting Forgiveness”), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (“Hard Truths”), Regina King (“Shirley”), Lashana Lynch (“Bob Marley: One Love”), Clarence Maclin (“Sing Sing”), Zoe Saldaña (“Emilia Pérez”), Jurnee Smollett (“We Grown Now”), Denzel Washington (“Gladiator II”) and Kerry Washington (“The Six Triple Eight”). Breakthrough performer nominees also include Elliot Heffernan (“Blitz”), Blake Cameron James (“We Grown Now”) Jharrel Jerome (“Unstoppable”) and Lamorne Morris (“Saturday Night”).
The Black Reel Awards are presented by the Foundation for the Augmentation of African-Americans in Film (FAAAF) and honor artists across 22 categories, as determined by the group’s voting membership. The ceremony will stream live on Feb. 10 on BlackReelAwards.com.
“As we commemorate 25 years, we are proud to highlight the transformative power of Black cinema,” stated Black Reel Awards founder Tim Gordon. “This year’s nominees represent not only excellence in storytelling but also groundbreaking achievements that push boundaries and elevate our culture.”
The full list of nominees is below:
OUTSTANDING FILM
“Challengers” | Luca Guadagnino, Rachel O’Connor, Amy Pascal & Zendaya, producers
“Exhibiting Forgiveness” | Stephanie Allain, Derek Cianfrance, Sean Cotton, Titus Kaphar & Jamie Patricof, producers
“Nickel Boys” | Joslyn Barnes, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner & David Levin, producers
“The Piano Lesson” | Todd Black & Denzel Washington, producers
“Sing Sing” | Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar & Monique Walton, producers
OUTSTANDING LEAD PERFORMANCE
Naomi Ackie | “Blink Twice”
Ryan Destiny | “The Fire Inside”
Colman Domingo | “Sing Sing”
Cynthia Erivo | “Wicked”
Andre Holland | “Exhibiting Forgiveness”
Marianne Jean-Baptiste | “Hard Truths”
Regina King | “Shirley”
John David Washington | “The Piano Lesson”
Kerry Washington | “The Six Triple Eight”
Zendaya | “Challengers”
OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR
Titus Kaphar | “Exhibiting Forgiveness”
Zoë Kravitz | “Blink Twice”
Steve McQueen | “Blitz”
RaMell Ross | “Nickel Boys”
Malcolm Washington | “The Piano Lesson”
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE
Danielle Deadwyler | “The Piano Lesson”
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor | “Exhibiting Forgiveness”
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor | “Nickel Boys”
Brian Tyree Henry | “The Fire Inside”
Clarence Maclin | “Sing Sing”
Lashana Lynch | “Bob Marley: One Love”
Zoe Saldaña | “Emilia Pérez”
Jurnee Smollett | “We Grown Now”
Denzel Washington | “Gladiator II”
Brandon Wilson | “Nickel Boys”
OUTSTANDING SCREENPLAY
“Blitz” | Steve McQueen
“Exhibiting Forgiveness” | Titus Kaphar
“The Fire Inside” | Barry Jenkins
“Nickel Boys” | RaMell Ross & Joslyn Barnes
“The Piano Lesson” | Malcolm Washington & Virgil Williams
OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY (awarded to the director)
“Dahomey” | Mati Diop, director
“Daughters” | Angela Patton & Natalie Rae, directors
“Luther: Never Too Much” | Dawn Porter, director
“Piece by Piece” | Morgan Neville, director
“Seeking Mavis Beacon” | Jazmin Renée Jones, director
OUTSTANDING INTERNATIONAL FILM (awarded to the country)
“Bird” | United Kingdom
“Emilia Pérez” | France
“Hard Truths” | United Kingdom
“Old Righteous Blues” | South Africa
“Nine” | South Africa
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE (awarded to the casting director)
“Exhibiting Forgiveness” | Kim Coleman, casting director
“Hard Truths” | Nina Gold, casting director
“Nickel Boys” | Victoria Thomas, casting director
“The Piano Lesson” | Lindsay Graham & Mary Vernieu, casting directors
“Sing Sing” | Greg Kwedar, casting director
OUTSTANDING VOICE PERFORMANCE
Ayo Edebiri | “Inside Out 2”
Brian Tyree Henry | “Transformers One”
Dwayne Johnson | “Moana 2”
Lupita Nyong’o | “The Wild Robot”
Aaron Pierre | “Mufasa: The Lion King”
OUTSTANDING INDEPENDENT FILM (awarded to the director)
“Albany Road” | Christine Swanson, director
“Blink Twice” | Zoë Kravitz, director
“Hard Truths” | Mike Leigh, director
“I Saw the TV Glow” | Jane Schoenbrun, director
“We Grown Now” | Minhal Baig, director
OUTSTANDING SHORT FILM (awarded to the director)
“Chocolate With Sprinkles” | Huriyyah Muhammad, director
“Mosiah” | Jirard, director
“On a Sunday at Eleven” | Alicia K. Harris, director
“Self” | Searit Kahsay Huluf, director
“Will I See You Again?” | Michael Perez-Lindsey, director
OUTSTANDING SCORE (awarded to the composer)
“Blink Twice” | Chandra Dancy, composer
“Bob Marley: One Love” | Kris Bowers, composer
“The Fire Inside” | Tamar-kali, composer
“Saturday Night” | Jon Batiste, composer
“The Wild Robot” | Kris Bowers, composer
OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SONG (awarded to the performers & writers)
“Bricks” from “Exhibiting Forgiveness” | Andra Day, performer; Cassandra Batie & Jherek Bischoff, writers
“El Mal” from “Emilia Pérez” | Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón & Camille, performers; Clément Ducol, Camille & Jacques Audiard, writers
“The Journey” from “The Six Triple Eight” | H.E.R., performer; Dianne Warren, writer
“Like a Bird” from “Sing Sing” | Adrian Quesada & Abraham Alexander, performers; Adrian Quesada, Abraham Alexander & Brandon Marcel, writers
“Piece by Piece” from “Piece by Piece” | Pharrell Williams and Princess Anne High School Fabulous Marching Cavaliers, performers; Pharrell Williams, writer
OUTSTANDING SOUNDTRACK
“Bob Marley: One Love” – Tuff Gong / Island
“Mufasa: The Lion King” – Walt Disney Records
“Piece by Piece” – Columbia / I AM Other
“Wicked” – Republic / Verve
“The Wild Robot” – Black Lot Music
OUTSTANDING EMERGING DIRECTOR
Titus Kaphar | “Exhibiting Forgiveness”
Zoë Kravitz | “Blink Twice”
RaMell Moss | “Nickel Boys”
Angela Patton | “Daughters”
Malcolm Washington | “The Piano Lesson”
OUTSTANDING BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
Naomi Ackie | “Blink Twice”
Ryan Destiny | “The Fire Inside”
Ray Fisher | “The Piano Lesson”
Elliot Heffernan | “Blitz”
Ethan Herisse | “Nickel Boys”
Blake Cameron James | “We Grown Now”
Jharrel Jerome | “Unstoppable”
Clarence Maclin | “Sing Sing”
Lamorne Morris | “Saturday Night”
Brandon Wilson | “Nickel Boys”
OUTSTANDING FIRST SCREENPLAY (awarded for the debut screenplay by a first-time writer)
“Blink Twice” | Zoë Kravitz
“Exhibiting Forgiveness” | Titus Kaphar
“Nickel Boys” | RaMell Moss
“Parallel” | Aldis & Edwin Hodge
“The Piano Lesson” | Malcolm Washington
OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY
“Ernest Cole: Lost and Found” | Wolfgang Held & Moses Tau, cinematographers
“Luther: Never Too Much” | Bryan Gentry, cinematographer
“Nickel Boys” | Jomo Fray, cinematographer
“Rez Ball” | Kira Kelly, cinematographer
“Suncoast” | Bruce Francis Cole, cinematographer
OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
“The Book of Clarence” | Antoinette Messam, costume designer
“The Piano Lesson” | Francine Jamison-Tanchuck, costume designer
“Shirley” | Megan Coates, costume designer
“We Grown Now” | Courtney Wheeler, costume designer
“Wicked” | Paul Tazewell, costume designer
OUTSTANDING EDITING
“Daughters” | Adelina Bichis & Troy Lewis, editors
“Hard Truths” | Tania Reddin, editor
“Seeking Mavis Beacon” | Yeelen Nelson Cohen, Jon Fine & Jazmin Renée Jones, editors
“Twisters” | Terilyn A. Shropshire, editor
“We Grown Now” | Stephanie Filo, editor
OUTSTANDING HAIRSTYLING & MAKEUP
“Bob Marley: One Love” | Nadia Stacy & Carla Farmer
“The Book of Clarence” | Allison Lacour, Wayne Jolla Jr. & Yolanda Mercadel
“Nickel Boys” | Iganica Soto-Aguilar & Shandrea Williams
“The Piano Lesson” | Andrea ‘Mona’ Bowman & Para Shardé Malden
“Shirley” | Nakoya Yancey & Debi Young
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN
“Nickel Boys” | Nora Mendis (production designer), Elizabeth Herberg (art director) & Monique Champagne (set decorator)
“Nine” | Gilbert Ekow Ampah (production designer) & Edmund Johnson (set decorator)
“The Piano Lesson” | David J. Bomba (production designer), Chardae Adams (art director) & Patrick Cassidy (set decorator)
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