NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture


This article lists the winners and nominees for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture.

Winners and nominees

For each year in the tables below, the winner is listed first and highlighted in bold.

1980s

YearActorFilm
1980LeVar BurtonThe Hunter
1981Richard PryorBustin' Loose
1982Louis Gossett Jr.An Officer and a Gentleman
1983Eddie MurphyTrading Places
1984PrincePurple Rain
1985Adolph CaesarA Soldier's Story
1986Gregory HinesRunning Scared
1987Danny GloverLethal Weapon
1987Robert GuillaumeWanted: Dead or Alive
1987Dexter Gordon'Round Midnight
1987Robert TownsendHollywood Shuffle
1987Eddie MurphyBeverly Hills Cop II
1988Denzel WashingtonCry Freedom
1988Gregory HinesOff Limits
1988Eddie MurphyComing to America
1988Sidney PoitierShoot to Kill
1988Carl WeathersAction Jackson
1989Morgan FreemanLean on Me
1989Spike LeeDo the Right Thing
1989Denzel WashingtonThe Mighty Quinn
1989Gregory HinesTap
1989Danny GloverLethal Weapon 2

2000s

YearActorFilm
2000Denzel WashingtonThe Hurricane
2000Morris ChestnutThe Best Man
2000Taye DiggsThe Best Man
2000Michael Clarke DuncanThe Green Mile
2000Laurence FishburneThe Matrix
2001Denzel WashingtonRemember the Titans
2001Omar EppsLove & Basketball
2001Cuba Gooding Jr.Men of Honor
2001Samuel L. JacksonShaft
2001Will SmithThe Legend of Bagger Vance
2002Denzel WashingtonTraining Day
2002Morgan FreemanAlong Came a Spider
2002Will SmithAli
2002Chris TuckerRush Hour 2
2002TyreseBaby Boy
2003Denzel WashingtonJohn Q
2003Taye DiggsBrown Sugar
2003Morgan FreemanHigh Crimes
2003Ice CubeBarbershop
2003Samuel L. JacksonChanging Lanes
2004Cuba Gooding Jr.Radio
2004Laurence FishburneThe Matrix Revolutions
2004Samuel L. JacksonS.W.A.T.
2004Will SmithBad Boys II
2004Denzel WashingtonOut of Time
2005Jamie FoxxRay
2005Don CheadleHotel Rwanda
2005Will SmithI, Robot
2005Mario Van PeeblesBaadasssss!
2005Denzel WashingtonMan on Fire
2006Samuel L. JacksonCoach Carter
2006Laurence FishburneAssault on Precinct 13
2006Terrence HowardHustle & Flow
2006Shemar MooreDiary of a Mad Black Woman
2006Will SmithHitch
2007Forest WhitakerThe Last King of Scotland
2007Laurence FishburneAkeelah and the Bee
2007Jamie FoxxDreamgirls
2007Will SmithThe Pursuit of Happyness
2007Denzel WashingtonInside Man
2008Denzel WashingtonThe Great Debaters
2008Don CheadleTalk to Me
2008Terrence HowardPride
2008Columbus ShortStomp the Yard
2008Will SmithI Am Legend
2009Will SmithSeven Pounds
2009Rob BrownThe Express: The Ernie Davis Story
2009Don CheadleTraitor
2009Derek LukeMiracle at St. Anna
2009Jeffrey WrightCadillac Records

2010s

YearActorFilm
2010Morgan FreemanInvictus
2010Quinton AaronThe Blind Side
2010Idris ElbaObsessed
2010Jamie FoxxLaw Abiding Citizen
2010Denzel WashingtonThe Taking of Pelham 123
2011Denzel WashingtonThe Book of Eli
2011CommonJust Wright
2011Morgan FreemanRED
2011Anthony MackieNight Catches Us
2011Jaden SmithThe Karate Kid
2012Laz AlonsoJumping the Broom
2012Vin DieselFast Five
2012Laurence FishburneContagion
2012Oliver LitondoThe First Grader
2012Eddie MurphyTower Heist
2013Denzel WashingtonFlight
2013Jamie FoxxDjango Unchained
2013Morgan FreemanThe Magic of Belle Isle
2013Tyler PerryAlex Cross
2013Suraj SharmaLife of Pi
2014Forest WhitakerLee Daniels' The Butler
2014Chadwick Boseman42
2014Chiwetel Ejiofor12 Years a Slave
2014Idris ElbaMandela: Long Walk to Freedom
2014Michael B. JordanFruitvale Station
2015David OyelowoSelma
2015Chadwick BosemanGet On Up
2015Idris ElbaNo Good Deed
2015Nate ParkerBeyond the Lights
2015Denzel WashingtonThe Equalizer
2016Michael B. JordanCreed
2016Abraham AttahBeasts of No Nation
2016Michael EalyThe Perfect Guy
2016Chiwetel EjioforSecret in Their Eyes
2016Will SmithConcussion
2017Denzel WashingtonFences
2017Don CheadleMiles Ahead
2017Stephan JamesRace
2017Nate ParkerThe Birth of a Nation
2017Will SmithCollateral Beauty
2018Daniel KaluuyaGet Out
2018Chadwick BosemanMarshall
2018Idris ElbaThe Mountain Between Us
2018Algee SmithDetroit
2018Denzel WashingtonRoman J. Israel, Esq.
2019Chadwick BosemanBlack Panther
2019Stephan JamesIf Beale Street Could Talk
2019Michael B. JordanCreed II
2019Denzel WashingtonThe Equalizer 2
2019John David WashingtonBlacKkKlansman

Multiple wins and nominations

Wins

; 13 wins
; 3 wins
; 2 wins

Nominations

; 23 nominations
; 14 nominations
; 10 nominations
; 9 nominations
; 7 nominations
; 6 nominations
; 4 nominations
; 3 nominations
; 2 nominations