Comedian Deon Cole To Host 2023 American Black Film Festival Honors

Valerie Complex
·2 min read
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ABFF Ventures LLC said Wednesday it will hold the American Black Film Festival Honors in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 5, with Emmy-nominated writer, actor and comedian Deon Cole returning as host. ABFF’s annual award season gala honors Black artists who have made contributions to the motion picture and television industry, as well as diversity and inclusion in Hollywood.

The tributes will be presented in multiple categories including Hollywood Legacy Award, Excellence in the Arts Award, Entertainment Icon Award, Rising Star Award and Industry Leadership Award. In addition, ABFF Honors presents awards for Movie of the Year and Documentary of the Year. Nominees and winners for both categories are determined by the more than 100,000 festival alumni.

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“This has been a phenomenal year for Black artists, and we are thrilled to celebrate their many successes, milestones and breakout moments. I’m equally excited to have comedic genius Deon Cole hosting this inspiring ceremony,” ABFF president Nicole Friday said. “There is no better place to feel uplifted, encouraged and appreciated than in your own community. ABFF Honors provides that unique platform.”

Known for his role on ABC’s Black-ish, Cole’s career features a body of work in TV, writing and comedy. On the acting front, his recent credits include Jeymes Samuel’s The Harder They Fall. He recently wrapped a role in Kenya Barris’ and Jonah Hill’s You People. Next up, he joins the cast of The Color Purple and will star in the drama series Average Joe.

From the stand-up comedy stage, he recently released his one-hour special Charleen’s Boy. In 2019, his original comedy special Deon Cole: Cole Hearted ran on Netflix following the success of his appearance in The Standups. His earlier work includes a one-hour special Deon Cole: Cole Blooded Seminar and his stand-up documentary Workin’ It Out.

Previous recipients of the ABFF Honors include Denzel Washington, Ava DuVernay, Regina King, Tiffany Haddish, Ryan Coogler, Don Cheadle, Will Packer, Queen Latifah, Lena Waithe, Terrence Howard, F. Gary Gray, Billy Dee Williams, Issa Rae, Omari Hardwick, Louis Gossett Jr, Diahann Carroll and the casts of shows Martin, The Wire, Hollywood Shuffle and Love Jones.

ABFF Honors is executive produced by ABBF Ventures’ Nicole and Jeff Friday in association with Magic Lemonade’s Rikki Hughes and de Passe Jones Entertainment.

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