Gabrielle Union turned heads at the 54th NAACP Image Awards in Pasadena, California on Saturday.
The Bring It On actress, 50, strutted the red carpet in a colorful strapless dress featuring a variety of Egyptian-inspired designs and was joined by her husband, former NBA player Dwyane Wade, 41.
The couple were honored with the President’s Award at the event for their work as activists for the LGBTQ+ community. It comes just a day after the NBA star’s transgender daughter Zaya, 15, was granted a legal name and gender change.
Gabrielle had a smile on her flawless face as she walked down the carpet.
The bodice of her dress showcased the beauty’s figure and fanned out slightly at the waist, allowing the skirt to flow around her.
Head-turner: Gabrielle Union looked like a goddess at the NAACP Image Awards on Saturday
Couple goals: The beauty was joined by her husband, former NBA star Dwyane Wade
She paired the outfit with black heels and a stunning necklace set with rubies and diamonds.
Her hair was straightened and let down around her shoulders.
Dwyane looked dapper in an all black suit with a small brooch on the lapel.
The President’s Award is presented in recognition of outstanding achievement and outstanding public service.
In his part of her acceptance speech, Dwyane took a moment to thank his daughter Zaya.
The 15-year-old was recently granted a legal name and gender change after coming out as transgender in 2019 at the age of 12.
He said: “I’ve sat back and watched how gracefully you took on the public scrutiny and while it’s not easy, I watched you step out of the house every morning as yourself.
“I admire how you have dealt with the ignorance in our world. I admire that you deal with this every day.’
Got the shine: The 50-year-old strutted the red carpet in a colorful strapless gown that featured a variety of Egyptian-inspired designs
Model Behavior: The bodice of her dress accentuated the beauty’s figure and fanned out slightly at the waist, allowing the skirt to flow around her
All snuggled up: Dwyane looked dapper in an all-black suit
Cheesin: The couple posed for a photo with Vanessa Bell Calloway
Dywane continued, “Zaya, you made me a better person just by being who you were born. Our little girl, Zaya Wade. Thank you for showing the world what courage looks like.”
Gabrielle then used her portion of the speech to address the harsh truths surrounding black rights and the treatment of black trans people in particular.
“While we wholeheartedly call for equality, we consistently fail to extend our advocacy to protect some of the most vulnerable among us.”
She continued, “We honestly don’t approach this work so much as activists or leaders, but as parents who love our children and will do whatever it takes to keep them seen, safe and protected.”
The 54th NAACP Image Awards were hosted on Saturday in downtown Los Angeles at Queen Latifah’s LA Live Event Deck.
The event recognizes outstanding performances and achievements by people of color in film, television, music and literature in 2022.
The nominations were announced on Thursday, January 12, 2023 and the ceremony aired on BET on Saturday, February 25 at 8:00 p.m. ET.
Beyoncé and Rihanna were among the winners to be recognized in one of the week-long non-televised categories ahead of Saturday’s main ceremony.
Activists: Gabrielle and Dwyane received the President’s Award at the event for their work as activists for the LGBTQ+ community.
Telling the truth: The President’s Award is presented in recognition of outstanding achievement and outstanding public service
From the heart: During her speech, Dwyane took time to thank his 15-year-old daughter Zaya, who recently received a legal name and gender change after coming out as transgender in 2019
Beyoncé won for Outstanding Female Artist, Outstanding Soul/R&B Song for Cuff It, and Outstanding Album for Renaissance. While Rihanna won the Outstanding Video/Visual Album category for Lift Me Up, her film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever won the Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album trophy.
Reginald Hudlin, Giancarlo Esposito, Brittani Nichols and Marissa Jo Cerar were some of the winners announced on Thursday’s fourth night.
Hudlin received the Outstanding Directing in a Documentary Award for his Sidney-Poitier documentary Sidney.
Esposito received a nod for directing a drama series for a Season 6 episode of Better Call Saul, and Angela Barnes won for directing a comedy for Atlanta.
The night before, Quinta Brunson, Keke Palmer and Nia Long were among those who were nodded.
Brunson won for Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (television) for her ABC show Abbott Elementary. Palmer won Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – Motion Picture for her work on Lightyear. Long was recognized for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special for The Best Man: The Final Chapters.
Tonight, The Daily Show won in the Outstanding Variety or Game Show (Series or Special) category, while Lizzo’s Big Grrrls won in the Outstanding Reality Program/Reality Competition Series category.
Serena Williams is honored with the Jackie Robinson Sports Award.
Proud: He said: “I admire how you have dealt with the ignorance in our world. I admire that you face this every day.
Quick photo op: Gabrielle used her part of the speech to open up about the harsh truths surrounding black rights and the treatment of black trans people in particular
Living in the Moment: “While we fight hard for equality, we fail to expand our advocacy to protect some of the most vulnerable among us.”
Speaking: The pair were photographed with their awards alongside Social Justice Impact Award winner Benjamin Crump
They were beaming with trophies in hand
Presenters include Zendaya, Taye Diggs, Issa Rae, Cliff “Method Man” Smith, Jonathan Majors, Janelle Monáe, Tracee Ellis Ross, Kerry Washington and Sheryl Lee Ralph.
Host Queen Latifah said in a statement, “It is an honor to host the 54th NAACP Image Awards, especially in the year that we celebrate 50 years of hip hop.
“This is a night to celebrate black excellence and the contribution of black people to our industry and beyond. We celebrate each other, lift each other up and you know we’re going to have fun!’
Kyle Bowser, the NAACP’s senior vice president of the Hollywood Bureau, told CNN the goal of the awards show is to “broaden the scope, broaden the lens, if you will, in the critique and evaluation of how excellence.” looks”.
NAACP Image Awards 2023 WINNER
Entertainer of the Year
Angela Bassett – WINNER
Mary J Blige
Quinta Brunson
Viola Davis
zendaya
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
Daniel Kaluuya – No
Jonathan Majors – Devotion
Joshua Boone – The Blues of a Jazzman
Sterling K. Brown – Honk for Jesus. save your soul
Will Smith – Emancipation – WINNER
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Aldis Hodge – Black Adam
Cliff Method Man” Smith-On The Come Up
Jalyn Hall—BIS
John Boyega – The Woman King
Tenoch Huerta – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – WINNER
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Angela Bassett – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – WINNER
Danai Gurira – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Janelle Monáe – Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Lashana Lynch – The Woman King
Lupita Nyong’o – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
Loretta Devine – Family reunion
Maya Rudolph – Booty
Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary School – WINNER
Tichina Arnold – The Neighborhood
Tracee Ellis Ross – blackish
Outstanding drama series
Bel Air
Bridgeton
euphoria
P Valley
Queen Sugar
Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
Damson Idris—Snowfall
Jabari Banks – Bel Air
Kofi Siriboe – Sugar Queen
Nicco Annan – P Valley – WINNER
Sterling K. Brown – This is us
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Adjoa Andoh-Bridgerton
Bianca Lawson – Sugar Queen
Loretta Devine – P Valley – WINNER
Susan Kelechi Watson – This is us
Tina Lifford – Sugar Queen
Outstanding TV Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special
Carl Weber’s The Black Hamptons.
Completely new
The Best Man: The Final Chapters – WINNER
The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray
women of the movement
Outstanding Actress in a Movie, Limited Series, or Dramatic Special
Niecy Nash-Betts – Dahmer – Monsters: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story – WINNER
Regina Hall – The Best Man: The Final Chapters
Sanaa Lathan – The Best Man: The Final Chapters
Viola Davis – The First Lady
Zoe Saldaña – From scratch
Outstanding artist
Beyoncé – Renaissance – WINNER
Ari Lennox – Age/Sex/Location
Chloe Bailey – Surprise
SZA-SOS
Jazmine Sullivan – Hurt Me So Good
Outstanding soul/R&B song
Beyoncé – Cuff It – WINNER
Rihanna – Pick me up
Lizzo – About the damn time
SHE – Good morning Lovely
Mary J. Blige – Good morning, beautiful
Jazmine Sullivan – Hurt Me So Good
Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album
About The Damned Time – Lizzo (Atlantic Records)
Be Alive – Beyoncé (Columbia Records/Parkwood Entertainment)
Lift Me Up – Rihanna (Def Jam Recordings) – WINNER
Lord Forgive Me feat. Fat, Pharrell and Olu from Earthgang – Tobe Nwigwe (The Good Stewards Collective)
The Heart Part 5 – Kendrick Lamar (pgLang/Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath/Interscope Records)
Outstanding Movie
A jazzman’s blues
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – WINNER
emancipation
The Woman King
UNTIL
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Danielle Deadwyler – BIS
Keke Palmer—Alice
Letitia Wright – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Regina Hall – Horn for Jesus. save your soul
Viola Davis – The Woman King – WINNER
Outstanding comedy series
Abbott Elementary School – WINNER
Atlanta
blackish
rap s**t
The Wonderful Years
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson – blackish
Cedric The Entertainer – The Neighborhood – WINNER
Donald Glover—Atlanta
Dulé Hill – The Miracle Years
Mike Epps – The Upshaws
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Brian Tyree Henry-Atlanta
Deon Cole—blackish
Kenan Thompson – Saturday Night Live
Tyler James Williams – Abbott Elementary School – WINNER
William Stanford Davis – Abbott Elementary School
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Janelle James – Abbott Elementary School – WINNER
Jenifer Lewis—blackish
Marsai Martin—blackish
Sheryl Lee Ralph – Abbott Elementary School
Wanda Sykes – The Upshaws
Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
Angela Bassett – 9-1-1 – WINNER
Brandee Evans – P Valley
Queen Latifah – The Equalizer
Rutina Wesley – Sugar Queen
Zendaya – euphoria
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Adrian Holmes – Bel Air
Amin Joseph—Snowfall
Caleb McLaughlin – Stranger Things
Cliff “Method Man” Smith – Power Book II: Mind – WINNER
J. Alphonse Nicholson – P-Valley
Outstanding Actor in a Movie, Limited Series, or Dramatic Special
Morris Chestnut – The Best Man: The Final Chapters – WINNER
Samuel L. Jackson – The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray
Terrence Howard – The Best Man: The Final Chapters
Trevante Rhodes—Mike
Wendell Pierce – Don’t hang up
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special
Glynn Turman – Women of the Movement
Keith David – From Scratch – WINNER
Omar Benson Miller – The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray
Russell Hornsby—Mike
Terrence ‘TC’ Carson – A Wesley Christmas
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special
Alexis Floyd – The invention of Anna
Danielle Deadwyler – From scratch
Melissa De Sousa – The Best Man: The Final Chapters
Nia Long – The Best Man: The Final Chapters – WINNER
Phylicia Rashad – Little America
Outstanding album
Renaissance – Beyoncé – WINNER
Mr. Morale & the Great Steppers – Kendrick Lamar
Age/Sex/Location – Ari Lennox
Watch The Sun – PJ Morton
Airy – Chris Brown
Jackie Robinson Sports Awards
Serena Williams – WINNER
Chairman’s Award
Congressman Bennie G. Thompson – WINNER