PASADENA, Calif. 鈥� Lizzo was named entertainer of the year and 鈥淛ust Mercy鈥� won best motion picture, best actor and best supporting actor Saturday at the NAACP Image Awards, as the show that recognizes entertainers of
"We are such a beautiful people, this is just a reminder of all the beautiful things that we can do," said Lizzo as she accepted the night's last and biggest award, leaping and dancing off the stage at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium as the show ended.
Host Anthony Anderson of 鈥渂lack-ish鈥� opened the show, telecast on BET for the first time, with a monologue that took a shot at the lack of diversity at the Oscars and Hollywood's other ceremonies that handed out awards earlier in the year.
鈥淯nlike other awards shows, we actually have black nominees," Anderson said. He may well have been talking about 鈥淛ust Mercy,鈥� the acclaimed film that was snubbed by the Oscars, Golden Globes and other ceremonies in the long awards season.
Michael B. Jordan won best actor in a motion picture for his role as a crusading
鈥淭his project is a lot bigger than me. It鈥檚 about every person that鈥檚 wrongfully convicted and sitting in a jail cell right now," Jordan said as he accepted the award.
Foxx won his fifth career image award for his role in 鈥淛ust Mercy," saying, 鈥淭hank you so much, black people, African-Americans, and everything else we are.鈥�
He added, "Its always great to get it from black folks because we are so talented."
Lupita Nyong'o won best actress in a film for her role in 鈥淯s,鈥� and 15-year Marsai Martin won best supporting actress for her role in 鈥淟ittle鈥� over superstar names including Jennifer Lopez, Janelle Mon谩e and Octavia Spencer.
Martin's award went with three more she won Friday for her roles in 鈥淟ittle鈥� and "black-ish鈥� during the non-televised first night of the Image Awards.
鈥淭hank you to all the beautiful black girls out there who inspire me every day," Martin said as she accepted the supporting actress award.
Martin's 鈥渂lack-ish鈥� cast mate Tracee Ellis Ross won best actress in a TV comedy series, her ninth career Image Award.
鈥淚 love being a part of this ever-growing chorus of black women owning our legacies,鈥� Ross said as she accepted the award.
It was a big Image Awards all-round for 鈥渂lack-ish," which took home seven, including best TV comedy and best actor in a TV comedy for host Anderson.
The NAACP gave its Chairman鈥檚 Award, which goes to people who show exemplary public service and 鈥渃reate agents of change,鈥� to civil rights legend U.S. Rep. John Lewis of Georgia.
鈥淭he NAACP has been like a bridge over troubled waters,鈥� Lewis, who is suffering from pancreatic cancer, said in a recorded acceptance speech from Washington. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to have some more troubled waters, and we鈥檙e going to need the NAACP.鈥�
Rihanna received the NAACP President鈥檚 Award for special achievement and distinguished public service. She called for racial, religious and cultural unity during her acceptance speech.
鈥淚f there鈥檚 anything that I鈥檝e learned, it鈥檚 that we can only fix this world together,鈥� Rihanna said. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 do it divided. Tell your friends to pull up.鈥�
She added, 鈥淲e鈥檝e been denied opportunities since the beginning of time, and still we prevail ... Imagine what we can do if we do it together.鈥�
Beyonc茅 was the big winner at Friday night's non-televised gala, winning six awards, including outstanding female artist and album. She also won outstanding duo/group for her collaboration with her 8-year-old daughter Blue Ivy, and Saint Jhn.
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Follow AP Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton on Twitter: https://twitter.com/andyjamesdalton.
Andrew Dalton, The Associated Press
