Chicago has plenty to point at in the newly announced nominations for the 57th NAACP Image Awards, with hometown and Chicago-connected titles landing in major categories, including Showtime’s The Chi and FX/Hulu’s The Bear.
The NAACP revealed its full slate of nominees, with Cynthia Erivo, Doechii, Kendrick Lamar, Michael B. Jordan, and Teyana Taylor competing for Entertainer of the Year. Select categories will be announced during the live telecast on Saturday, February 28, 2026, airing from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on BET, with a simulcast on CBS. This year’s theme is “We See You.”
On the television side, The Chi earned a notable acting nomination, with Jacob Latimore recognized in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series category, which puts another spotlight on the series that has long been tied to Chicago stories, settings, and talent.
Over in comedy, The Bear also made its presence felt, with Ayo Edebiri nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series, adding another awards-season checkpoint for the series that has kept Chicago’s restaurant world and street-level intensity in the cultural conversation. Ayo was also nominated for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television) for Netflix’s animated series Big Mouth.
Chicago’s orbit also shows up in the limited series categories, where Marvel’s Ironheart scored multiple mentions, including Outstanding Limited Television (Series, Special, or Movie) and a performance nod for Dominique Thorne in Outstanding Actress in a Limited Television (Series, Special, or Movie).
In the motion picture categories, Chicago-born Keke Palmer was nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for One of Them Days, with the film also nominated for Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture, signaling continued momentum for Palmer as she stacks high-profile work across film, TV, and pop culture.
And in podcast categories, Higher Ground’s “IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson” landed nominations across multiple fields, including lifestyle and society and culture, continuing the former First Lady’s media run while keeping the Chicago family connection front and center through Robinson’s role as co-host. The former First Lady was also nominated for her book, The Look, in the Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/ Autobiography.
Chicago-born Robinson was also nominated for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance in Zootopia 2.
Chance The Rapper was nominated, along with Do or Die & Twista, for Outstanding Song – Ride.
“The NAACP Image Awards is our declaration to our community that We See You,” said NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson, adding that this year’s nominees “remind us of the power of storytelling to move culture forward.” BET President Louis Carr echoed the broader cultural impact, saying the nominations underscore that “our people are the heartbeat of culture.”
Public voting is open in select categories through February 7, 2026. Vote for your favorite Chicago artist or project here.
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