Lovecraft Country Dominates With Six Wins At 5th Annual Black Reel Awards for Television
The supernatural horror miniseries that spotlighted the horror of racism in the 1950s, Lovecraft County lapped the field at the 5th Annual Black Reel Awards for Television.
Based on Matt Ruff's novel and adapted by Misha Green, the series won six Black Reel Awards, including Outstanding Drama, as well as accolades for nearly every member of the talented ensemble. Lovecraft Country nearly became the second series/movie (When They See Us) to sweep the major acting categories as Jonathan Majors (Outstanding Actor), Jurnee Smollett (Outstanding Actor), and Michael K. Williams (Outstanding Supporting Actor) each took home top honors. In addition, Courtney B. Vance (Outstanding Guest Actor), as well as Green (Outstanding Directing), also were acknowledged for her horror masterpiece, Jig-a-Bobo.
This year's celebration was the manifestation of Ladies First. Two other shows, Robin Thede's A Black Lady Sketch Show and I May Destroy You from Michaela Coel each took home three awards. The first season of Thede's clever and insightful comedic take on the culture won Outstanding Comedy, Outstanding Actress for Thede as well as accolades for Gabrielle Dennis (Outstanding Supporting Actress). Meanwhile, Coel's series spotlighting a woman reassessing her life after a sexual assault, won Outstanding TV Movie/Limited Series, Outstanding Actress for Coel, and co-star Weruche Opia took home Outstanding Supporting Actress.
“We salute all of this year's winners, but the fact that each of this year's winning shows were led by showrunners is to be commended,” said Black Reel Awards CEO and Founder, Tim Gordon. “It is refreshing to see them assert their art and considerable sensibilities to a bevy of stories that continue to enhance the power of cinema.”
Additional highlights the emergence of the freshman comedy, Woke. the story of a Black cartoonist on the verge of mainstream success who must navigate an unexpected event changes won two awards, including Outstanding Directing (Maurice Marable) and Outstanding Writing for Rochee Jeffrey.
Other dual show winners included Steve McQueen's Small Axe series, which honored John Boyega for Outstanding Supporting Actor, TV Movie/Limited Series for Red, White and Blue, and McQueen for Outstanding Directing, TV Movie/Limited Series for Lover's Rock. Kenan Thompson (Outstanding Supporting Actor, Comedy) and Dave Chappelle (Outstanding Guest Actor, Comedy) also won for Saturday Night Live.
With 13 wins, HBO dominated this year's field of winners. NBC came in a distant second with four wins and the rest of the winners were divided among a slew of other networks and streaming services.
Black Reel Awards annually recognize the excellence of African Americans, as well as the cinematic achievements of the African diaspora, in the global film industry.
Black Reel Awards for Television Winners
Outstanding Drama Lovecraft Country | HBO
Outstanding Actor Jonathan Majors | Lovecraft Country
Outstanding Actress Jurnee Smollett | Lovecraft Country
Outstanding Supporting Actor Michael K. Williams | Lovecraft Country
Outstanding Supporting Actress Adjoa Andoh | Bridgerton
Outstanding Directing “Jig-a-Bobo” (Lovecraft Country) | Misha Green
Outstanding Writing “Birth Mother” (This Is Us) | Written by: Kay Oyegun & Eboni Freeman
Outstanding Guest Actor Courtney B. Vance | Lovecraft Country
Outstanding Guest Actress Phylicia Rashad | This Is Us
Outstanding Comedy A Black Lady Sketch Show | HBO
Outstanding Actor Anthony Anderson | black*ish
Outstanding Actress Robin Thede | A Black Lady Sketch Show
Outstanding Supporting Actor Kenan Thompson | Saturday Night Live
Outstanding Supporting Actress Gabrielle Dennis | A Black Lady Sketch Show
Outstanding Directing “Black People for Rent” (Woke) | Director: Maurice Marable
Outstanding Writing “Black People for Rent” (Woke) | Written by: Rochee Jeffrey
Outstanding Guest Actor Dave Chappelle | Saturday Night Live
Outstanding Guest Actress Erika Alexander | Run the World
Outstanding TV Movie/Limited Series I May Destroy You | HBO
Outstanding Actor Leslie Odom, Jr. | Hamilton
Outstanding Actress Michaela Coel | I May Destroy You
Outstanding Supporting Actor John Boyega | “Red, White and Blue” (Small Axe)
Outstanding Supporting Actress Weruche Opia | I May Destroy You
Outstanding Directing “Lovers Rock” (Small Axe) | Director: Steve McQueen
Outstanding Writing Sylvie’s Love | Written by: Eugene Ashe
Outstanding TV Documentary/Special Tina | Directors: Daniel Lindsay & T.J. Martin
Outstanding Music (Comedy, Drama, Limited Series) Hamilton
Follow the 5th Annual Black Reel Awards for Television on Twitter and Instagram @BlackReelAwards and on Facebook/TheBlackReelAwards. Join the conversation using #BRAsTV.
About the Black Reel Awards (BRAs)
The Black Reel Awards, or “BRAs”, is an annual American awards ceremony hosted by the Foundation for the Augmentation of African Americans in Film (FAAAF) to recognize the excellence of African Americans, as well as the cinematic achievements of the African diaspora, in the global film industry, as assessed by the Foundation’s voting membership. The various category winners are awarded a copy of a statuette, officially called the Black Reel Award. The awards, first presented in 2000 in Washington, DC, are overseen by FAAAF.
The awards ceremony was initially awarded online during its first two years before the first live show presentation in 2002. The awards have been broadcast on radio since 2014. The Black Reel Awards is the oldest cinema-exclusive awards ceremony for African Americans.