Keke Palmer showered praise on Cynthia Erivo after beating her for the top prize at the NAACP Image Awards this weekend.

A cavalcade of top-flight talent was honored Saturday evening at the event, held in the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Los Angeles.

The highest honor, Entertainer Of The Year, was a formidable category with Cynthia and Keke facing off against Kendrick Lamar, Kevin Hart and Shannon Sharpe.

But it was Keke, 31, who emerged triumphant, excitedly taking the stage to be presented with the gong by none other than LL Cool J.

She gushed: ‘Oh my gosh, guys, I didn’t think I was gonna win because – ‘ and then did an impression of Cynthia’s famous vocal melisma at the end of her climactic song Defying Gravity in her new movie Wicked: Part One.

‘Girl, you killed that role! You kill every role you do. I mean, your power, your vulnerability, your strength – you are exceptional, Cynthia,’ Keke added.

Keke Palmer showered praise on Cynthia Erivo after beating her for the top prize at the NAACP Image Awards this weekend; Keke pictured accepting her prize

The highest honor, Entertainer Of The Year, was a formidable category with Cynthia (pictured) and Keke facing off against Kendrick Lamar, Kevin Hart and Shannon Sharpe

She turned to the other winners as well, offering particularly warm words to Shannon Sharpe, with whom she shares a playful friendship.

‘Obviously,Shannon, my hunkie unkie, you know. I love you, pookie. And Kendrick and Kevin, I mean, it’s such an amazing category to be in with all these people. It is a beautiful night. I mean, it’s Black History Month, y’all,’ she said.

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‘But I just wanna say, it’s so important that we all come here together and celebrate one another with one another. So often – you know, I was with Aunjanue Ellis at the ABFF event a few nights ago, and she said something that I think is so important.’

The message was ‘that you don’t always have to ask at a seat at nobody table. Just make your own table with your folks, you know what I’m saying?’

Keke reminded the audience: ‘I’ve been in this industry for 20 years. Nobody has uplifted me more than you all, the people in this room.’

She then looked back to the dawn of her career, when she was the 12-year-old star of the film Akeelah And The Bee alongside Angela Bᴀssett and Laurence Fishburne. 

‘I remember when Akeelah And The Bee first came out, and it didn’t do well in the theaters, and it was when it became available on DVD that you all made it the classic that it is,’ Keke said onstage Saturday to a round of applause.

‘And so, while we continue to ask for more money, ‘cause we need that, it’s important that we remember that what we choose and what we deem as important is enough.’

She gushed: ‘Oh my gosh, guys, I didn’t think I was gonna win because – ‘ and then did an impression of Cynthia’s famous vocal melisma from Defying Gravity

Keke is pictured in the audience alongside Dave Chappelle, who was honored with the President’s Award earlier in the same ceremony

Kerry Washington was overcome with emotion when she won best actress in a motion picture at the NAACP Image Awards

Taking the stage, Kerry declared that she was ‘shocked’ to receive the prize because of the ‘extraordinary’ women nominated in her category

Minutes after the end of her speech, Kerry bounded back up onstage and interrupted the presenters of the following award to correct an omission she thought she made

Meanwhile, Kerry Washington was overcome with emotion when she won best actress in a motion picture for  Tyler Perry’s Netflix film The Six Triple Eight.

The movie dramatized the story of America’s 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, a World War II military unit made up entirely of black women.

Kerry emerged as a winner amid a star-studded category including Cynthia Erivo for Wicked: Part One, Lupita Nyong’o for A Quiet Place: Day One, Regina King for Shirley and Lashana Lynch for the biopic Bob Marley: One Love.

Taking the stage, Kerry declared that she was ‘shocked’ to receive the prize because of the ‘extraordinary’ women nominated in her category. 

Visibly giddy with excitement, Kerry warmly shared a hug with Cynthia on her way to the stage to accept her trophy that evening. 

‘Okay, you guys, you know, on awards shows, when people looked surprised, I never believed that they’re really surprised – except Beyonce at the Grammys, that was like…,’ said Kerry, pulling a stunned face.

‘But I’m just shocked. I’m shocked because the women that I’m nominated with are so extraordinary, so extraordinary. I love you all so much and I’m honored to be in a category with you,’ said the Scandal actress.

Kerry shared her graтιтude for her fans, family and collaborators on the movie, such as Tyler Perry, Netflix and her castmates.

Dave Chappelle delivered a showstopping speech when he was honored with one of the evening’s non-compeтιтive gongs, the President’s Award

‘Each and every artist in here, every opportunity we get, every time we’re on camera or onstage, we just keep chipping away at this monster of a machine,’ he said

Former US Vice President Kamala Harris was honored with the Chairman’s Award, four months after her presidential election loss to Donald Trump

‘I want to most importantly thank the women of the 6888, the 855 women of the 6888, who proved to us how extraordinary black women are, how extraordinary we have always been,’ Kerry said to a round of applause.

‘At a time when our history is being ripped from us, when people are trying to get us to not tell our stories, we are telling your stories, ladies, because you are calling us forward into our greatness, and that’s what tonight is about,’ she continued. 

‘It’s about all of us being called into our greatness, so remember your greatness, because that is what the fight is for,’ Kerry concluded.

Minutes after the end of her speech, Kerry bounded back up onstage and interrupted the presenters of the following award to correct an omission she thought she made.

‘I did not thank Tyler Perry,’ she said, mortified – only to be reᴀssured that she had, in fact, already thanked him, at which point she gleefully left the stage again.

Dave Chappelle delivered a showstopping speech when he was honored with one of the evening’s non-compeтιтive gongs, the President’s Award.

‘I won a lot of awards recently, but this one tonight is probably the most special award I’ve ever gotten, because it’s from this insтιтution that represents these people, us, people of color, black people,’ he said. 

‘My godbrother is here tonight, Ben Jealous. Ben used to be the president of the NAACP and I asked him, I said: “What do you think I should say tonight?” And Ben sent me a whole speech,’ he added, to a laugh.

The Wayans Family – (from left) Craig, Chaunté, Kim, Marlon, Damon, Damon Jr. and Damien Wayans – were inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall Of Fame

Marlon and Damon took charge of the speech, delivering a glowing testimonial to their older brother Keenen Ivory Wayans, who led the family into showbiz

‘But what was important, he said: “In 1915, the movie Birth Of A Nation came out and had a hideous depiction of African Americans, and by 1927 the NAACP had opened its first office here in Hollywood,”‘ said Dave.

‘And from then, 100 years ago, to this very night, they have been chipping away at this industry so that people like me can stand up in front of people and tell my story, or our stories,’ said Dave, before praising the ᴀssembled luminaries. 

‘Each and every artist in here, every opportunity we get, every time we’re on camera or onstage, we just keep chipping away at this monster of a machine.’

He joked that ‘tonight, man, tonight I feel invigorated. Because all my Netflix checks cleared. I don’t owe anybody any work. Right now, every time you see me, just know I’m only up there because I wanna be right up there.’

The ceremony was hosted by comedian Deon Cole, who became a household name around America on the hit sitcom Black-ish.   

Former US Vice President Kamala Harris was honored with the Chairman’s Award, four months after her presidential election loss to Donald Trump.

The Wayans Family were inducted into the NAACP Image Award Hall Of Fame, with a long video testimonial vaunting members such as Keenen Ivory Wayans and projects including In Living Color and White Chicks. 

Damon Wayans Sr., Marlon Wayans, Damon Wayans Jr., Kim Wayans, Chaunté Wayans, Damien Dante Wayans and Craig Wayans accepted the prize onstage.

Damon Wayans picked up best actor in a comedy series for his work on Poppa’s House, modestly claiming he had not prepared a speech as he expected to lose

Michael Rainey Jr. was also honored as the best actor in a drama series for his turn in Power Book II: Ghost, joyfully taking the stage to collect his prize

They delivered speeches remembering the contributions of Keenen, who launched the family’s career but has largely withdrawn from the public eye in recent years. 

Marlon told a heartwarming story about how Keenen, having decided to become a comedian, inducted his younger siblings into the joys of show business.

Keenen would apparently ᴀssign his little brothers classic comedy movies to watch like Airplane! and The Kentucky Fried Movie. 

At that point, Keenen would head off for a night on the town – after instructing his brothers to watch the films while he was away and to tell him ‘what you thought was funny’ once he arrived back home.

Keenen would invariably return home with a ‘pretty girl’ on his arm, but before heading into the bedroom, he would ask his brothers about the films.

They would then discuss the movies the following morning, and Keenen asked his brothers how they would improve the projects – igniting their own creative fires.

‘I just wanna say that we would not be here, standing here, if it wasn’t for our big brother Keenen Ivory Wayans, so on behalf of the Wayans family, we wanna thank him first and foremost,’ said Damon warmly. 

Queen Latifah was honored as the best actress in a drama series for her turn on The Equalizer, but she was not present at the ceremony.

Quinta Brunson also failed to attend the ceremony, where she won best actress in a comedy series for Abbott Elementary, which she also writes. 

Michael Rainey Jr. was also honored as the best actor in a drama series for his turn in Power Book II: Ghost, joyfully taking the stage to collect his prize.

He joked that he was ‘shaking’ onstage not just because of his nerves speaking in public, but also because it was ‘mad cold in here.’

Damon Wayans picked up best actor in a comedy series for his work on Poppa’s House, modestly claiming he had not prepared a speech as he expected to lose.

Martin Lawrence was feted as the best actor in a motion picture for Bad Boys: Ride Or Die, but was also not in attendance to accept the prize. 

NAACP Image Awards 2025 winners

 FILM/TELEVISION

Outstanding Motion Picture 

The Six Triple Eight (Netflix)

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture

Kerry Washington – The Six Triple Eight (Netflix)

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture

Martin Lawrence – Bad Boys: Ride or Die (Sony Pictures)

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series

Damon Wayans – Poppa’s House (CBS)

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series

Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series

Michael Rainey Jr. – Power Book II: Ghost (Starz)

Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series

Queen Latifah – The Equalizer (CBS)

 MUSIC

Outstanding New Artist

Doechii 

Outstanding Male Artist

Chris Brown 

Outstanding Female Artist

Beyoncé 

Outstanding Song – Hip-Hop/Rap Song

Not Like Us – Kendrick Lamar

Outstanding Album

Cowboy Carter – Beyoncé 

SPECIAL HONORS 

Entertainer of the Year – Keke Palmer

NAACP President’s Award – Dave Chappelle

NAACP Chairman’s Award – Kamala Harris

NAACP Awards Hall Of Fame inductee – The Wayans family: Keenen Ivory Wayans, Damon Wayans Sr., Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Kim Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr.