A Precious Night at the NAACP Image Awards

Considering where all the accolades have been going recently, it wasn't much of a stretch to predict big things for Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire at the 41st Annual NAACP Image Awards.

Not only did Mo'Nique pick up her zillionth Outstanding Supporting Actress honor, most likely en route to ruling on Oscar night, but Precious won a leading six awards Friday, including Outstanding Motion Picture, Director for Lee Daniels and Writing for Geoffrey Fletcher.

Gabourey Sidibe, more of a long-shot to take home an Oscar than either Mo'Nique or Sandra Bullock, who was sitting a few seats away, was named Outstanding Actress.

"Hello!" began the 26-year-old newcomer, who always manages to pleasantly surprise with her bright and bubbly disposition, such a contrast to the downcast, depressed teen she played on the silver screen.

"It is an honor to be nominated, but it is so awesome to win. I love winning!" Sidibe exclaimed, going on to thank God, "for ordering my steps," and her "teachers"—Mo'Nique, Paula Patton, Sherri Shepherd and Mariah Carey.

Morgan Freeman was named Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture for channeling Nelson Mandela in Invictus.

"It's hard to believe—not hard to take," the sonorous screen veteran said of his win. "There's a lot of people to thank. I'm not going to go through all of them because you don't know most of 'em," he quipped, though he did single out Clint Eastwood and his longtime production partner.

On the television side of things, Tyler Perry's House of Payne continued its dominance, winning Outstanding Comedy Series for the third straight year.

It's namesake was also honored with the NAACP's annual Chairman's Award, while Wyclef Jean was the recipient of the Vanguard Award.

CSI: NY star Hill Harper, who cohosted the ceremony with Anika Noni Rose, also netted his third straight win for Actor in a Drama Series.

Best Actress winner Jada Pinkett-Smith, who plays a tough-as-nails nurse in Hawthorne, was not on hand to collect her trophy, one of only a few handed out during the two-hour portion of the evening captured for prime-time TV.

Harper took a stroll into the audience during the show to point out some of the luminaries in attendance: Freeman, who he insisted should be addresed as "Sir Morgan Freeman"; Mo'Nique and Sidibe ("You should have been on that Vanity Fair Hottest Young Female Actress cover," he told her); and Bullock, who Harper pretended to confuse with another couple of prominent brunettes.

"You are so beautiful!" he said. "I fell in love with you in Pretty Woman! And in Ghost, when you made that clay pot? Incredible!"



Chris Rock was also in the house, where his latest directorial outing, Good Hair, was named Outstanding Documentary.

"Hey! I was not expecting to get anything tonight," he began. "Wow, you make a lot of movies for money, make movies to get hot and make more money...and you do other movies to get even more money.

"I made this movie just for black people," Rock asserted, prompting some rather enthusiastic applause from the crowd.



On the musical end of things, Maxwell and Mary J. Blige, whose Stronger With Each Tear was named top album, were named Outstanding Male and Female Artist. Keri Hilson collected her first Image Award for Outstanding New Artist.

The NAACP Image Awards honor achievements by people of color in film, television music and literature.

Here is a partial list of winners from the 41st Annual NAACP Image Awards:

FILM

Motion Picture: Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire
Actor in a Motion Picture: Morgan Freeman, Invictus
Actress in a Motion Picture: Gabourey Sidibe, Precious
Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture: Adam Rodriguez, Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself
Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: Mo'Nique, Precious
Independent Motion Picture: Precious
Foreign Motion Picture: The Stoning of Soraya M.
Documentary: Good Hair

TELEVISION

Comedy Series: Tyler Perry's House of Payne
Actor in a Comedy Series: Daryl "Chill" Mitchell, Brothers
Actress in a Comedy Series: Cassi Davis, Tyler Perry's House of Payne
Drama Series: Lincoln Heights
Actor in a Drama Series: Hill Harper, CSI: NY
Actress in a Drama Series: Jada Pinkett Smith, Hawthorne
Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special: Gifted Hands

MUSIC

Male Artist: Maxwell
Female Artist: Mary J. Blige
New Artist: Keri Hilson
Duo, Group or Collaboration: Black Eyed PEas
Song: "God in Me," Mary Mary
Album: Stronger With Each Tear, Mary J. Blige

SOURCE