“The Secret Life of Bees” had a sweet night Thursday at the 40th annual NAACP Image Awards, held at the Shrine.
Pic took honors for motion picture and its helmer, Gina Prince-Bythewood.
“Slumdog Millionaire” kept the winning streak going with the indie pic award.
Will Smith and Rosario Dawson drew kudos for actor and actress in “Seven Pounds.”
Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson took the nod for supporting actress in a motion picture for “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.”
Columbus Short nabbed supporting actor for “Cadillac Records.”
Jenny Lumet won writing for “Rachel Getting Married.”
“Grey’s Anatomy” took best drama, while “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” won for comedy.
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Jennifer Hudson serenaded Muhammad Ali as he was honored with the Presidents Award. Hudson won new artist, duo, group or collaboration for “I’m His Only Woman,” featuring Fantasia, and album for “Jennifer Hudson.”
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Beyonce was named top female recording artist, and Jamie Foxx won for male artist. They topped Chris Brown and Rihanna, who were noticeably absent.
Russell Simmons brought both daughters, Aoki and Ming Lee, onstage as he accepted the Vanguard Award for his groundbreaking community and social work.
Sean Combs won for actor in a television movie for “A Raisin in the Sun,” which gathered three Image awards.
Performances by will.i.am, Seal and Beyonce preceded a musical finale from Stevie Wonder performing with hosts Halle Berry and Tyler Perry as the audience waved American flags in celebration of the org’s 100th anniversary.
Full winners list
FILM AWARDS
Actor in a motion picture
Will Smith, “Seven Pounds” (Columbia Pictures)
Actress in a motion picture
Rosario Dawson, “Seven Pounds” (Columbia Pictures)
Supporting actor in a motion picture
Columbus Short, “Cadillac Records” (Sony Music Film/Parkwood Pictures)
Supporting actress in a motion picture
Taraji P. Henson, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount)
Motion picture
“The Secret Life of Bees” (Fox Searchlight)
Independent motion picture
“Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight)
Documentary (theatrical or televison)
“The Black List” (HBO)
Foreign motion picture
“The Class” (Sony Pictures Classics)
Directing in a motion picture (theatrical or television)
Gina Prince-Bythewood, “The Secret Life of Bees” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Writing in a motion picture (theatrical or television)
Jenny Lumet, “Rachel Getting Married” (Sony Pictures Classics)
TELEVISION AWARDS
Comedy series
“Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” (TBS)
Actor in a comedy series
LaVan Davis, “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” (TBS)
Actress in a comedy series
Tracee Ellis Ross,”Girlfriends” (CW)
Supporting actor in a comedy series
Lance Gross, “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” (TBS)
Supporting actress in a comedy series
Keshia Knight Pulliam, “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” (TBS)
Drama series
“Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC)
Actor in a drama series
Hill Harper, “CSI: NY” (CBS)
Actress in a drama series
Chandra Wilson, “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC)
Supporting actor in a drama series
Taye Diggs, “Private Practice” (ABC)
Supporting actress in a drama series
Angela Bassett, “ER” (NBC)
Television movie, miniseries or dramatic special
“A Raisin in the Sun” (ABC)
Actor in a television movie, miniseries or dramatic special
Sean Combs, “A Raisin in the Sun” (ABC)
Actress in a television movie, miniseries or dramatic special
Phylicia Rashad, “A Raisin in the Sun” (ABC)
Actor in a daytime drama series
Bryton McClure, “The Young and the Restless” (CBS)
Actress in a daytime drama series
Debbi Morgan, “All My Children” (ABC)
Directing in a dramatic series
Ernest Dickerson, “Lincoln Heights – The Day Before Tomorrow” (ABC Family)
Directing in a comedy series
Kevin Sullivan, “30 Rock – MILF Island” (NBC)
Writing in a dramatic series
Shonda Rhimes, “Grey’s Anatomy: Freedom Part 1 & 2” (ABC)
Writing in a comedy series
Erica D. Montolfo, “The Game: White Coats and White Lies” (CW)
News/information – series or special
“In Conversation: Michelle Obama Interview” (TVOne)
Talk series
“The View” (ABC)
Reality series
“American Idol 7” (FOX)
Variety – series or special
“An Evening of Stars: Tribute to Smokey Robinson” (Syndicated)
Children’s program
“Dora The Explorer” (Nickelodeon)
Performance in a youth/children’s program – series or special
Keke Palmer, “True Jackson” (Nickelodeon)
MUSIC AWARDS
New artist
Jennifer Hudson (Arista)
Male artist
Jamie Foxx (J Records)
Female artist
Beyonce (MusicWorld/Columbia Records)
Duo, group or collaboration
Jennifer Hudson, featuring Fantasia – “I’m His Only Woman” (Arista)
Jazz artist
Natalie Cole- “Still Unforgettable” (DMI Records)
Gospel artist – traditional or contemporary
Mary Mary (Columbia Records)
World music album
Cheryl Keyes – “Let Me Take You There” (Keycan Records)
Music video
“Yes We Can” – Will.i.am (Will.i.am Music Group/Interscope)
Song
“Yes We Can” – Will.i.am (Will.i.am Music Group/Interscope)
Album
Jennifer Hudson – “Jennifer Hudson” (Arista)
LITERARY AWARDS
Fiction
“In the Night of the Heat: A Tennyson Hardwick Novel,” Blair Underwood, Tananarive Due, Steven Barnes (Simon & Schuster/Atria Books)
Nonfiction
“Letter to My Daughter,” Maya Angelou (Random House)
Debut author
“Barack, Race, and the Media: Drawing My Own Conclusion,” David Glenn Brown (David G. Brown Studios)
Biography/autobiography
“The Legs are the Last to Go,” Diahann Carroll (Amistad)
Instructional
“32 Ways to Be a Champion in Business,” Earvin “Magic” Johnson (Crown Business)
Poetry
“Hip Hop Speaks to Children: A Celebration of ‘Poetry With a Beat’ ” Nikki Giovanni (Source Books/Jabberwocky)
Children
“Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope,” Nikki Grimes (illustrator – Bryan Collier) (Simon & Schuster)
Youth/teens
“Letters to a Young Sister: Define Your Destiny,” Hill Harper (Gotham Books)
