6th Annual Black Reel Television Awards Nominations Announced

Valerie Complex
·8 min read
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Black Reel Awards annually recognize the excellence of African Americans, as well as the cinematic achievements of the African diaspora, in the global film and television industry. This year there are a lot of nominees and a few new categories.

The comedy series Atlanta edges out all the competition with 11 nominations. Quinta Brunson and Abbott Elementary come in second with nine.

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Walter Moseley garners four nominations for writing two episodes of the Apple TV+ series The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray and FX’s Snowfall. Donald Glover snags four nominations, for acting and writing one episode each and directing two episodes of the front-running Atlanta.

HBO (and HBO Max) dominates the competition this year by receiving a whopping 42 nominations. More than double the next nearest competitor, ABC with nineteen nominations. Netflix comes in third with 18 nominations. A grand total of seventeen different networks receive nominations this year, up four from last year.

As a result of the sponsorship from idobi Network, The Black Reel TV Awards welcomed three music categories this year, Outstanding Music Supervision, Outstanding Musical Score, and Outstanding Original Song. HBO also leads in the music category nominations with ABC hot on their heels.

“This is a big transitional year for Black television,” said Black Reel Awards founder Tim Gordon. “With the conclusion of perennial Black Reel favorites like This Is Us, Insecure and Black-ish and more, it is wonderful to see that there are so many new shows, new stories and outlets willing to add these refreshing and new stories to their programming.”

Follow the 6th Annual Black Reel TV Awards on Twitter and Instagram @BlackReelAwards and on Facebook at TheBlackReelAwards. Join the conversation using #BoltsTV #BlackReelTVAwards #BlackTelevisionMatters.

COMEDY

Outstanding Comedy Series

· “Abbott Elementary” | Quinta Brunson, showrunner (ABC)

· “Atlanta” | Stephen Glover, showrunner (FX)

· “Black-ish” | Courtney Lilly, showrunner (ABC)

· “Insecure” | Prentice Penny, showrunner (HBO)

· “South Side” | Bashir Salahuddin & Diallo Riddle, showrunners (HBO Max)

Outstanding Actor, Comedy Series

· Anthony Anderson | “black-ish” (ABC)

· Don Cheadle | “Black Monday” (Showtime)

· Donald Glover | “Atlanta” (FX)

· Keegan-Michael Key | “Schmigadoon!” (Apple TV+)

· Lamorne Morris | “Woke” (HULU)

Outstanding Actress, Comedy Series

· Quinta Brunson | “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)

· Regina Hall | “Black Monday” (Showtime)

· Issa Rae | “Insecure” (HBO)

· Tracee Ellis Ross | “black-ish” (ABC)

· Robin Thede | “A Black Lady Sketch Show” (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actor, Comedy Series

· Jay Ellis | “Insecure” (HBO)

· Brian Tyree Henry | “Atlanta” (FX)

· Dulé Hill | “The Wonder Years” (ABC)

· LaKeith Stanfield | “Atlanta” (FX)

· Tyler James Williams | “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actress, Comedy Series

· Zazie Beetz | “Atlanta” (FX)

· Janelle James | “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)

· Yvonne Orji | “Insecure” (HBO)

· Sheryl Lee Ralph | “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)

· Natasha Rothwell | “Insecure” (HBO)

Outstanding Directing, Comedy Series

· “Abbott Elementary” (“Ava v. The Superintendent”) | Matthew A. Cherry, director (ABC)

· “Atlanta” (“Rich Wigga, Poor Wigga”) | Donald Glover, director (FX)

· “Atlanta” (“Tarrare”) | Donald Glover, director (FX)

· “The Flight Attendant” (“Drowning Women”) | Pete Chatmon, director (HBO Max)

· The Wonder Years (“Love & War”) | Numa Perrier, director (ABC)

Outstanding Writing, Comedy Series

· “Abbott Elementary” (“Pilot”) | Quinta Brunson, writer (ABC)

· “Atlanta” (“Rich Wigga, Poor Wigga”) | Donald Glover, writer (FX)

· “Atlanta” (“Three Slaps”) | Stephen Glover, writer (FX)

· “Insecure” (“Out, Okay?”) | Issa Rae, writer (HBO)

· “Ted Lasso” (“Do the Right-est Thing”) | Ashley Nicole Black, writer (Apple TV+)

Outstanding Guest Actor, Comedy Series

· Reggie Hayes | “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)

· Lil Rel Howery | “South Side” (HBO Max)

· Orlando Jones | “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)

· Sam Richardson | “Ted Lasso” (Apple TV+)

· Kofi Siriboe | “Insecure” (HBO)

Outstanding Guest Actress, Comedy Series

· Quinta Brunson | “A Black Lady Sketch Show” (HBO)

· Lizzo | “Saturday Night Live” (NBC)

· Michelle Obama | “black-ish” (ABC)

· Adriyan Rae | “Atlanta” (FX)

· Da’Vine Joy Randolph | “Only Murders in the Building” (HULU)

DRAMA

Outstanding Drama Series

· “Bel-Air” | Morgan Cooper, showrunner (Peacock)

· “Euphoria” | Sam Levinson, showrunner (HBO)

· “Lupin” | George Kay, showrunner (Netflix)

· “This Is Us” | Dan Fogelman, showrunner (NBC)

· “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” | Max Borenstein, showrunner (HBO)

Outstanding Actor, Drama Series

· Sterling K. Brown | “This Is Us” (NBC)

· Chiwetel Ejiofor | “The Man Who Fell to Earth” (Showtime)

· Damson Idris | “Snowfall” (FX)

· Omar Sy | “Lupin” (Netflix)

· Forest Whitaker | “Godfather of Harlem” (EPIX)

Outstanding Actress, Drama Series

· Tawny Cypress | “Yellowjackets” (Showtime)

· Naomie Harris | “The Man Who Fell to Earth” (Showtime)

· Queen Latifah | “The Equalizer” (CBS)

· Patina Miller | “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” (Starz)

· Zendaya | “Euphoria” (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actor, Drama Series

· Giancarlo Esposito | “Better Call Saul” (AMC)

· Wood Harris | “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” (HBO)

· Adrian Holmes | “Bel-Air” (Peacock)

· Clarke Peters | “The Man Who Fell to Earth” (Showtime)

· Olly Sholotan | “Bel-Air” (Peacock)

Outstanding Supporting Actress, Drama Series

· Adjoa Andoh | “Bridgerton” (Netflix)

· Coco Jones | “Bel-Air” (Peacock)

· Audra McDonald | “The Gilded Age” (HBO)

· Lorraine Toussaint | “The Equalizer” (CBS)

· Susan Kelechi Watson | “This Is Us” (NBC)

Outstanding Directing, Drama Series

· “Bel-Air” (Dreams and Nightmares”) | Morgan Cooper, director (Peacock)

· “Better Call Saul” (“Axe and Grind”) | Giancarlo Esposito, director (AMC)

· “Bridgerton” (“The Viscount Who Loved Me”) | Cheryl Dunye, director (Netflix)

· “This Is Us” (“Our Little Island Girl: Part Two”) | Kevin Hooks, director (NBC)

· “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” (“Pieces of a Man”) | Tanya Hamilton, director (HBO)

Outstanding Writing, Drama Series

· “Bel-Air” (“Dreams and Nightmares”) | Malcolm Spellman, Morgan Cooper, TJ Brady & Rasheed Newsome, writers (Peacock)

· “Snowfall” (“Celebration”) | Walter Mosley, writer (FX)

· “This Is Us” (“Every Version of You”) | Kay Oyegun, writer (NBC)

· “This Is Us” (“Our Little Island Girl”) | Eboni Freeman & Susan Kelechi Watson, writers (NBC)

· “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” (“Acceptable Loss”) | Rodney Barnes & Max Borenstein, writers (HBO)

Outstanding Guest Actor, Drama Series

· Colman Domingo | “Euphoria” (HBO)

· Ron Cephas Jones | “This Is Us” (NBC)

· Delroy Lindo | “The Good Fight” (Paramount +)

· Jonathan Majors | “Loki” (Disney+)

· Rob Morgan | “Stranger Things” (Netflix)

Outstanding Guest Actress, Drama Series

· Rosario Dawson | “The Book of Boba Fett” (Disney+)

· Whoopi Goldberg | “Star Trek: Picard” (Paramount+)

· Cush Jumbo | “The Good Fight” (Paramount+)

· Sanaa Lathan | “Succession” (HBO)

· CCH Pounder | “The Good Fight” (Paramount+)

TV Movie or Limited Series

Outstanding TV Movie or Limited Series

· “Colin in Black & White” | Michael Starrbury, showrunner (Netflix)

· “DMZ” | Roberto Patino, showrunner (HBO Max)

· “The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray” | Diane Houslin, showrunner (Apple TV+)

· “True Story” | Eric Newman, showrunner (Netflix)

· “We Own This City” | George Pelecanos, showrunner (HBO)

Outstanding Actor,TV Movie/Limited Series

· William Jackson Harper | “Love Life” (HBO Max)

· Kevin Hart | “True Story” (Netflix)

· Derek Luke | American Refugee (EPIX)

· Samuel L. Jackson | “The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray” (Apple TV+)

· Jaden Michael | “Colin in Black & White” (Netflix)

Outstanding Actress, TV Movie/Limited Series

· Viola Davis | “The First Lady” (Showtime)

· Rosario Dawson | “DMZ” (HBO Max)

· Cynthia Erivo | “Roar” (Apple TV+)

· Zoe Kravitz | Kimi (HBO Max)

· Wunmi Mosaku | “We Own This City” (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actor, TV Movie/Limited Series

· Michael Ealy | “The Woman Who in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window” (Netflix)

· Jamie Hector | “We Own This City” (HBO)

· David Oyelowo | “The Girl Before” (HBO Max)

· Wesley Snipes | “True Story” (Netflix)

· Glynn Turman | “Women of the Movement” (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actress, TV Movie/Limited Series

· Rosario Dawson | “Dopesick” (HULU)

· Dominique Fishback | “The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray” (Apple TV+)

· Regina Hall | “Nine Perfect Stranger” (HULU)

· Moses Ingram | “Obi-Wan Kenobi” (Disney+)

· Natasha Rothwell | “The White Lotus” (HBO)

Outstanding Directing, TV Movie/Limited Series

· “Colin in Black & White” (“Cornrows”) | Ava DuVernay, director (Netflix)

· “The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray” (“Ptolemy”) | Hanelle C. Culpepper, director (Apple TV+)

· “The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray” (“Robyn”) | Debbie Allen, director (Apple TV+)

· “We Own This City” | Reinaldo Marcus Green, director (HBO)

· “Women of the Movement” (“Mother and Son”) | Gina Prince-Bythewood, director (ABC)

Outstanding Writing, TV Movie/Limited Series

· “Colin in Black & White” (“Cornrows”) | Michael Starrbury, writer (Netflix)

· “The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray” (”Ptolemy”) | Walter Mosley, writer (Apple TV+)

· “The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray” (”Robyn”) | Walter Mosley & Jerome Hairston, writer (Apple TV+)

· “Maid” (“Sea Glass”) | Marcus Gardley, writer (Netflix)

· “We Own This City” (“Part Three”) | D. Watkins, writer (HBO)

DOCUMENTARY

Outstanding Documentary

· “Biography: Bobby Brown” | J. Kevin Swain, director (A&E)

· “Black and Missing” | Geeta Gandbhir, Samantha M. Knowles, Yoruba Richen & Nadia Hallgren, directors (HBO)

· “JANET JACKSON” | Benjamin Hirsch, director (A&E)

· “They Call Me Magic” | Rick Famuyiwa, director (Apple TV+)

· “We Need to Talk About Cosby” | W. Kamau Bell, director (Showtime)

VARIETY / TALK / SKETCH – Series or Special

Outstanding Talk/Sketch/Variety Series or Special

· “The Amber Ruffin Show” | Jason Carden, Jennifer Sochko, Zoie Mancino, producers (Peacock)

· “A Black Lady Sketch Show” | Robin Thede, showrunner (HBO)

· Dave Chappelle: The Closer | Sina Sadighi, producer (Netflix)

· Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel | Bo Burnham, Jerrod Carmichael, Eli Bush, Josh Senior, Matthew Vaughn, executive producers (HBO)

· “The Daily Show With Trevor Noah” | Jen Flanz, showrunner (Comedy Central)

MUSIC

Outstanding Music Supervision

· “Atlanta” (FX) | Jen Malone, music supervisor

· “Bridgerton” (Netflix) | Alexandra Patsavas, music supervisor

· “Euphoria” (HBO) | Jen Malone, music supervisor

· “Insecure” (HBO) | Kier Lehman, music supervisor

· “Wu-Tang: An American Saga” (HULU) | Mary Ramos, music supervisor

Outstanding Musical Score

· “Bridgerton” | Kris Bowers, composer (Netflix)

· “Euphoria” | Labrinth, composer (HBO)

· “Insecure” | Raphael Saadiq, composer (HBO)

· “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” | Nicholas Britell & Robert Glasper (HBO)

· “Wu-Tang: An American Saga” | RZA, composer (HULU)

Outstanding Original Song

· “All I Know” (The Wonder Years) | Scotty Grand, performer; Scotty Grand, Jacob Yoffee & Roahn Hylton, writers – ABC

· “Change” (We the People) | H.E.R. performer; Flippa, Max Moore, Jeff “Gitty” Gitelman, H.E.R. & Swagg R’Celious, writers – Netflix

· “Get It Girl” (Insecure) | Saweetie & Raedio, performers; Fresh Kid Ice, Luther Campbell, Lil’ Jon, David Hobbs, Liana Banks & Saweetie, writers – HBO

· “I’m Tired” (Euphoria) | Labrinth & Zendaya, performers; Labrinth, Zendaya & Sam Levinson, writers – HBO

· “Nasty Girl” (Queens) | Brandy, Eve, Naturi Naughton, Nadine Velazquez, performers; Kasseem “Swizz Beatz” Dean, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges & Algernod “Piles” Lanier Washington, writers – ABC

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