In a mighty blow to the wave of goodwill and positive buzz backing Avatar on its way to the Oscars comes news that James Cameron's groundbreaking film -- a sci-fi allegory about blue people voiced by black people representing red people -- has been nearly shut out of the 41st annual NAACP Image Awards. It earned one nomination: for best supporting actress, no less, for Zoe Saldana. So what did earn the accolades of the ceremony billing itself as "the multi-cultural awards show, from an African Amercian [sic] point of view?" Confirm your suspicions after the jump.
Yes, Precious leads the pack with eight nominations, including a directing nod for Lee Daniels, and acting nods for Gabourey Sidibe for best actress, and Mo'Nique, Mariah Carey, Paula Patton and Lenny Kravitz in the supporting categories. Also nominated for best actress are Movieline interview subject Sophie Okonedo, for Skin, Anika Noni Rose for her voice work in The Princess and the Frog, and Taraji P. Henson, for her work in Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself. Why Princess Tiana is a lead but Neytiri isn't I don't know, though I'd hazard a guess she's being unfairly penalized for straying out of race to depict someone of Na'vi Amercian [sic] heritage. Sadly, Dakota Fanning's Volturi Italian work in New Moon was overlooked, denying her back-to-back nominations.
Denzel Washington (The Taking of Pelham 123), Jamie Foxx (Law Abiding Citizen) and Obsessed's Idris Elba round out the best actor category, the latter singled out for special achievement in Crazy White Bitch cinema. And in what will likely be 2012's only triumphs in the non-technical categories this awards season, Roland Emmerich's disaster film earned two supporting actor nods: one for the compelling Chiwetel Ejiofor, the other for Danny Glover, who we completely forgot was in that movie.
In TV categories, outstanding comedy nominations went to 30 Rock, Everybody Hates Chris (that's still on?), Glee, Tyler Perry's House of Payne and Ugly Betty, while Cold Case, Grey's Anatomy, HawthoRNe, Lincoln Heights and The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency are vying for outstanding drama. The show airs live on Fox, Feb. 26th. Hopefully they'll have fixed that typo by then.
The full nomination list is on the next page.
Motion Picture Categories
Outstanding Motion Picture
* "The Blind Side" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
* "Invictus" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
* "Michael Jackson's: This Is It" (Columbia Pictures)
* "Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire" (Lionsgate)
* "The Princess and the Frog" (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
* Denzel Washington - "The Taking of Pelham 123" (Columbia Pictures)
* Idris Elba - "Obsessed" (Screen Gems)
* Jamie Foxx - "Law Abiding Citizen" (Overture Films)
* Morgan Freeman - "Invictus" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
* Quinton Aaron - "The Blind Side" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
* Anika Noni Rose - "The Princess and the Frog" (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
* Gabourey Sidibe - "Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire" (Lionsgate)
* Sandra Bullock - "The Blind Side" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
* Sophie Okonedo - "Skin" (Jour De Fete Films)
* Taraji P. Henson - "Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself" (Lionsgate)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
* Adam Rodriguez - "Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself" (Lionsgate)
* Anthony Mackie - "The Hurt Locker" (Summit Entertainment)
* Chiwetel Ejiofor - "2012" (Columbia Pictures)
* Danny Glover - "2012" (Columbia Pictures)
* Lenny Kravitz - "Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire" (Lionsgate)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
* Alfre Woodard - "American Violet" (Universal Pictures)
* Mariah Carey - "Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire" (Lionsgate)
* Mo'Nique - "Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire" (Lionsgate)
* Paula Patton - "Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire" (Lionsgate)
* Zoe Saldana - "Avatar" (Paramount Pictures)
The nominees listed in the following categories were voted upon by Subcommittees.
Outstanding Independent Motion Picture
* "American Violet" (Samuel Goldwyn Company)
* "Amreeka" (National Geographic Entertainment)
* "Endgame" (Montery Entertainment)
* "Medicine for Melancholy" (IFC Films)
* "Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire" (Lionsgate)
Outstanding Foreign Motion Picture
* "The Maid" (Elephant Eye Films)
* "Rudo y Cursi" (Sony Pictures Classics)
* "Sin Nombre" (Focus Features)
* "Skin" (Jour De Fete Films)
* "The Stoning of Soraya M." (Mpower Pictures)
Outstanding Documentary (Theatrical or Television)
* "Capitalism: A Love Story" (Overture Films)
* "Crips and Bloods: Made in America" (Gravitas Ventures)
* "Crude" (First Run Features)
* "Good Hair" (Roadside Attractions)
* "More than a Game" (Lionsgate)
TV nominations -- and there's a hell of a lot of them -- are next...
Television Categories
Outstanding Comedy Series
* "30 Rock" (NBC)
* "Everybody Hates Chris" (CW)
* "Glee" (FOX)
* "Tyler Perry's House of Payne" (TBS)
* "Ugly Betty" (ABC)
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
* Daryl "Chill" Mitchell - "Brothers" (FOX)
* Donald Faison - "Scrubs" (NBC)
* Dulé Hill - "Psych" (USA Network)
* LaVan Davis - "Tyler Perry's House of Payne" (TBS)
* Tyler James Williams - "Everybody Hates Chris" (CW)
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
* America Ferrera - "Ugly Betty" (ABC)
* Cassi Davis - "Tyler Perry's House of Payne" (TBS)
* CCH Pounder - "Brothers" (FOX)
* Sherri Shepherd - "Sherri" (Lifetime)
* Tichina Arnold - "Everybody Hates Chris" (CW)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
* Lamman Rucker - "Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns" (TBS)
* Lance Gross - "Tyler Perry's House of Payne" (TBS)
* Larenz Tate - "Rescue Me" (FX)
* Malcolm-Jamal Warner - "Sherri" (Lifetime)
* Tracy Morgan - "30 Rock" (NBC)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
* Ana Ortiz - "Ugly Betty" (ABC)
* Keshia Knight Pulliam - "Tyler Perry's House of Payne" (TBS)
* Tisha Campbell-Martin - "Rita Rocks" (Lifetime)
* Vanessa Williams - "Ugly Betty" (ABC)
* Wendy Raquel Robinson - "The Game" (CW)
Outstanding Drama Series
* "Cold Case" (CBS)
* "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
* "HawthoRNe" (TNT)
* "Lincoln Heights" (ABC Family)
* "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" (HBO)
Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
* Anthony Anderson - "Law & Order" (NBC)
* Hill Harper - "CSI: NY" (CBS)
* LL Cool J - "NCIS: Los Angeles" (CBS)
* Laurence Fishburne - "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (CBS)
* Taye Diggs - "Private Practice" (ABC)
Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
* Chandra Wilson - "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
* Jada Pinkett Smith - "HawthoRNe" (TNT)
* Jill Scott - "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" (HBO)
* Regina King - "Southland" (NBC)
* Sandra Oh - "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
* Corey Reynolds - "The Closer" (TNT)
* Delroy Lindo - "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (NBC)
* James Pickens, Jr. - "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
* Mekhi Phifer - "Lie To Me" (FOX)
* Rocky Carroll - "NCIS" (CBS)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
* Anika Noni Rose - "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" (HBO)
* Audra McDonald - "Private Practice" (ABC)
* Gabrielle Union - "Flash Forward" (ABC)
* Jurnee Smollett - "Friday Night Lights" (NBC)
* S. Epatha Merkerson - "Law & Order" (NBC)
Outstanding Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
* "America" (Lifetime)
* "Brick City" (Sundance)
* "Georgia O'Keefe" (Lifetime)
* "Gifted Hands" (TNT)
* "Relative Stranger" (Hallmark)
Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie,
Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
* Cuba Gooding Jr. - "Gifted Hands" (TNT)
* Eriq La Salle - "Relative Stranger" (Hallmark)
* Gus Hoffman - "Gifted Hands" (TNT)
* Jaishon Fisher - "Gifted Hands" (TNT)
* Philip Johnson - "America" (Lifetime)
Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie,
Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
* Aunjanue Ellis - "Gifted Hands" (TNT)
* Cicely Tyson - "Relative Stranger" (Hallmark)
* Kimberly Elise - "Gifted Hands" (TNT)
* Rosie O'Donnell - "America" (Lifetime)
* Ruby Dee - "America" (Lifetime)
Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series
* Bryton James - "The Young and The Restless" (CBS)
* Cassius Willis - "The Young and The Restless" (CBS)
* Cornelius Smith, Jr. - "All My Children" (ABC)
* Terrell Tilford - "One Life To Live" (ABC)
* Texas Battle - "The Bold and the Beautiful" (CBS)
Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
* Daphne Duplaix - "One Life to Live" (ABC)
* Debbi Morgan - "All My Children" (ABC)
* Eva Marcelle - "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)
* Tatyana Ali - "The Young and The Restless" (CBS)
* Tonya Lee Williams - "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)
Outstanding News/ Information - (Series or Special)
* "Anderson Cooper 360: President Obama's African Journey" (CNN)
* "CNN Presents: Reclaiming the Dream 2" (CNN)
* "The Inauguration of Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States" (BET)
* "Judge Mathis" (Syndicated)
* "Leading Women: India.Arie, Dr. Maya Angelou" (Centric)
Outstanding Talk Series
* "Lopez Tonight" (TBS)
* "The Mo'Nique Show" (BET)
* "The Tyra Banks Show" (CW)
* "The View" (ABC)
* "The Wanda Sykes Show" (FOX)
Outstanding Reality Series
* "American Idol 8" (FOX)
* "America's Next Top Model" (CW)
* "Dancing With the Stars" (ABC)
* "Extreme Makeover" (ABC)
* "Real Housewives of Atlanta" (Bravo)
Outstanding Variety - (Series or Special)
* "BET Awards 2009" (BET)
* "Bill Cosby: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor" (PBS)
* "Michael Jackson Memorial Service" (ABC, BET, CNN, MTV, NBC)
* "Wanda Sykes: I'ma Be Me" (HBO)
* "We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial" (HBO)
Outstanding Children's Program
* "The Backyardigans - The Action Elves Save Christmas" (Nickelodeon)
* "Dora The Explorer: Dora's Christmas Carol Adventure" (Nickelodeon)
* "Go, Diego, Go: Diego Reunites Hippopotamus and Oxpecker" (Nickelodeon)
* "True Jackson, VP" (Nickelodeon)
* "Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie" (Disney Channel)
Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's
Program - (Series or Special)
* Caitlin Sanchez - "Dora the Explorer" (Nickelodeon)
* Keke Palmer - "True Jackson, VP" (Nickelodeon)
* LaShawn Jeffries - "The Backyardigans" (Nickelodeon)
* Nick Cannon - "TeenNick HALO Awards" (TeenNick)
* Selena Gomez - "Wizards of Waverly Place" (Disney Channel)