By Jonathan Landrum Jr., Entertainment Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) --With his final two performances, the late Chadwick Boseman earned two NAACP Image Awards nominations Tuesday, while "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" could make its presence felt at next month's ceremony.
Boseman scored nods for his work in the Netflix films "Da 5 Bloods" and "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom." The actor, who starred in the blockbuster Marvel film "Black Panther," died at 43 last year after privately battling colon cancer.
"Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" came away with nine nominations. The film delves into the story of blues singer Ma Rainey, who joins her band during a turbulent recording session at a Chicago music studio in 1927.
The nominees were announced on the organization's Instagram page by Chloe Bailey, Anika Noni Rose and Nicco Annan, along with T.C. Carson and Erika Alexander.
Netflix emerged with a leading 48 nominations. Besides the two films Boseman starred in, the streaming giant released other projects like "Bridgerton" and "#blackAF."
HBO received 25 nominations.
Regina King, who won an Academy Award in 2019, has created some Oscar buzz with her feature film directorial debut in "One Night in Miami," which earned four nominations. The Amazon Studios film tells the story of a meeting between Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown and Sam Cooke in a hotel room that turned into a discussion about their roles in the civil rights movement in the 1960s.
King will compete for entertainer of the year against Tyler Perry, Viola Davis, Trevor Noah and D-Nice, the deejay who created a virtual remedy for pandemic lockdown blues with Homeschool at Club Quarantine on his Instagram.
"One Night in Miami" will compete for outstanding motion picture along with "Bad Boys for Life," "Da 5 Bloods," "Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey" and "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom."
LeBron James, Stacey Abrams, Debbie Allen, April Ryan and Tamika Mallory were nominated in the social justice impact category.
In music, Beyoncé scored six nominations in the recording categories, including two for outstanding music video/visual album with "Black is King" and "Brown Skin Girl."
The nominees for outstanding album include Alicia Key's "Alicia," Brandy's "b7," John Legend's "Bigger Love," Ledisi's "The Wild Card" and "Chilombo" by Jhene Aiko.
HarperCollins Publishers led with nine nominations in the literary categories.
The awards honoring entertainers and writers of color will air on CBS on March 27 at 8 p.m. EST. The awards will also simulcast on BET, MTV, VH1, MTV2, BET HER and LOGO.
The Many Hires Jeremiah Wassom As Group Creative Director
Independent agency The Many has added Jeremiah Wassom as group creative director.
Wassom most recently worked a decade at Deutsch LA where, as SVP/creative director, he led the Taco Bell account and won new business for the agency. His agency past also includes AKQA and TBWAChiatDay. His creative work has touched the QSR, video games, automotive, fashion, and culture brand sectors. He also served eight years with the United States Marine Corps.
“Throughout his career, Jeremiah has helmed work that has not only made me personally jealous but has consistently pushed brands to show up in memorable and innovative ways,” said Josh Paialii, head of creative at The Many. “One look at his body of work and you will see his passion for storytelling and craft has raised the bar for entire categories, driving participation with many brands’ most loyal fans. Beyond being a world-class creative director and maker, Wassom is a proven team player and strategic thought leader. He’ll be a great addition to the leadership team at The Many working across all accounts. His role will be immediately felt as he guides and supports each of the creative leads in the department.”
A 20-year creative with agency, brand, and freelance experience, Wassom has forged a creative approach which focuses on crafting engaging connections rather than simply make ads. He sees the need for advertising to mean more, not simply do more.
The Many believes that true business growth is made possible by harnessing the power of participation and partners with brands to forge deeper connections with consumers, cultivate trust and loyalty, and maximize marketing spend and execution. The agency is built around a flexible model that offers a suite of capabilities, including... Read More