NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series

NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
Awarded for	Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
Country	United States
Presented by	NAACP
First award	1972
Currently held by	Sterling K. Brown (2022)
Website	naacpimageawards.net

Last updated November 12, 2025

This article lists the winners and nominees for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series. The award was first given in 1972. Not to be confused with the Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special. Currently, LL Cool J holds the record for most wins in the category with four.

Winners and nominees

Winners are listed first and highlighted in bold.

1970s

Year	Actor	Series	Ref
1972
1972	Redd Foxx	Sanford and Son	^[1]
1973 – 79	—

1980s

Year	Actor	Series	Ref
1980 – 81	—
1982
1982	Paul Winfield	The Sophisticated Gents	^{[ citation needed ]}
1983			^{[ citation needed ]}
1983	Howard Rollins	For Us the Living: The Medgar Evers Story	^{[ citation needed ]}
1984 – 88	—
1989
1989	Howard Rollins	In the Heat of the Night	^[2]

1990s

Year	Actor	Series	Ref
1990
1990	Danny Glover	Mandela	^[3]
1991	—
1992
1992	Blair Underwood	Murder in Mississippi	^{[ citation needed ]}
1993			^{[ citation needed ]}
	James Earl Jones	Gabriel's Fire	^{[ citation needed ]}
	Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs	The Jacksons: An American Dream
1994
1994	Dorian Harewood	I'll Fly Away	^[4]
1995			^[4]
1995	Blair Underwood	L.A. Law	^[5]
1996			^[5]
	Malik Yoba	New York Undercover	^[6]
	André Braugher	Homicide: Life on the Street
	Avery Brooks	Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
	Yaphet Kotto	Homicide: Life on the Street
	Eriq La Salle	ER
1997
	Malik Yoba	New York Undercover	^[7]
	André Braugher	Homicide: Life on the Street
	Avery Brooks	Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
	Yaphet Kotto	Homicide: Life on the Street
	Eriq La Salle	ER
1998
	Malik Yoba	New York Undercover	^{[ citation needed ]}
	André Braugher	Homicide: Life on the Street
	Yaphet Kotto	Homicide: Life on the Street
	Eriq La Salle	ER
	Richard Roundtree	413 Hope St.
1999
	Eriq La Salle	ER	^[8]
	André Braugher	Homicide: Life on the Street
	Rocky Carroll	Chicago Hope
	Steve Harris	The Practice
	Yaphet Kotto	Homicide: Life on the Street

2000s

Year	Actor	Series	Ref
2000
	Eriq La Salle	ER	^{[ citation needed ]}
	Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje	Oz
	Michael Beach	Third Watch
	Steve Harris	The Practice
	Jesse L. Martin	Law & Order
2001
	Blair Underwood	City of Angels	^{[ citation needed ]}
	André Braugher	Gideon's Crossing
	Steve Harris	The Practice
	Eriq La Salle	ER
	Jesse L. Martin	Law & Order
2002
	Eriq La Salle	ER	^{[ citation needed ]}
	André Braugher	Gideon's Crossing
	Steve Harris	The Practice
	Ving Rhames	UC: Undercover
	Courtney B. Vance	Law & Order: Criminal Intent
2003
	Michael Beach	Third Watch	^{[ citation needed ]}
	Bill Bellamy	Fastlane
	André Braugher	Hack
	Dennis Haysbert	24
	Mykelti Williamson	Boomtown
2004
	Steve Harris	The Practice	^[9]
	Gary Dourdan	CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
	Dennis Haysbert	24
	Jesse L. Martin	Law & Order
	Wendell Pierce	The Wire
2005
	Taye Diggs	Kevin Hill	^{[ citation needed ]}
	Gary Dourdan	CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
	Hill Harper	CSI: NY
	Steve Harris	The Practice
	Jesse L. Martin	Law & Order
2006
	Isaiah Washington	Grey's Anatomy	^{[ citation needed ]}
	Omar Epps	House
	Hill Harper	CSI: NY
	Ice-T	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
	Jesse L. Martin	Law & Order
2007
	Isaiah Washington	Grey's Anatomy	^{[ citation needed ]}
	Hill Harper	CSI: NY
	Dennis Haysbert	The Unit
	Jesse L. Martin	Law & Order
	Michael K. Williams	The Wire
2008
	Hill Harper	CSI: NY	^{[ citation needed ]}
	Anthony Anderson	K-Ville
	Dennis Haysbert	The Unit
	Jesse L. Martin	Law & Order
	Jimmy Smits	Cane
2009
	Hill Harper	CSI: NY	^{[ citation needed ]}
	Anthony Anderson	Law & Order
	Omar Epps	House
	Dennis Haysbert	The Unit
	Blair Underwood	In Treatment

2010s

Year	Actor	Series	Ref
2010
	Hill Harper	CSI: NY	^{[ citation needed ]}
	Anthony Anderson	Law & Order
	Taye Diggs	Private Practice
	Laurence Fishburne	CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
	LL Cool J	NCIS: Los Angeles
2011
	LL Cool J	NCIS: Los Angeles	^{[ citation needed ]}
	Anthony Anderson	Law & Order
	Laurence Fishburne	CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
	Hill Harper	CSI: NY
	Blair Underwood	The Event
2012
	LL Cool J	NCIS: Los Angeles	^{[ citation needed ]}
	André Braugher	Men of a Certain Age
	Taye Diggs	Private Practice
	Hill Harper	CSI: NY
	Wendell Pierce	Treme
2013
	LL Cool J	NCIS: Los Angeles	^[10]
	Michael Clarke Duncan	The Finder
	Hill Harper	CSI: NY
	Dulé Hill	Psych
	Wendell Pierce	Treme
2014
	LL Cool J	NCIS: Los Angeles	^[11]
	Michael Ealy	Almost Human
	Shemar Moore	Criminal Minds
	James Pickens Jr.	Grey's Anatomy
	Wendell Pierce	Treme
2015
	Shemar Moore	Criminal Minds	^[12]
	Taye Diggs	Murder in the First
	Omar Epps	Resurrection
	Omari Hardwick	Being Mary Jane
	LL Cool J	NCIS: Los Angeles
2016
	Terrence Howard	Empire	^[13]
	Morris Chestnut	Rosewood
	Omari Hardwick	Power
	LL Cool J	NCIS: Los Angeles
	Wesley Snipes	The Player
2017
	Sterling K. Brown	This Is Us	^[14]
	Mike Colter	Marvel's Luke Cage
	Omari Hardwick	Power
	Terrence Howard	Empire
	Kofi Siriboe	Queen Sugar
2018
	Omari Hardwick	Power	^[15]

	Kofi Siriboe	Queen Sugar
	Mike Colter	The Defenders
	Sterling K. Brown	This Is Us
Terrence Howard	Empire
2019
	Omari Hardwick	Power	^[16]

	Jason Mitchell	The Chi
	Keith David	Greenleaf
	Kofi Siriboe	Queen Sugar
Sterling K. Brown	This Is Us

2020s

Year	Actor	Series	Ref
2020
	Omari Hardwick	Power	^[17]
	Sterling K. Brown	This Is Us
	Billy Porter	Pose
	Kofi Siriboe	Queen Sugar
	Forest Whitaker	Godfather of Harlem
2021
	Regé-Jean Page	Bridgerton	^[18]
	Sterling K. Brown	This Is Us
	Jonathan Majors	Lovecraft Country
	Keith David	Greenleaf
	Nicco Annan	P-Valley
2022
	Sterling K. Brown	This Is Us	^[19]
	Damson Idris	Snowfall
	Billy Porter	Pose
	Kofi Siriboe	Queen Sugar
	Forest Whitaker	Godfather of Harlem
2023
	Nicco Annan	P-Valley	^[20]
	Jabari Banks	Bel-Air
	Kofi Siriboe	Queen Sugar
	Sterling K. Brown	This Is Us
	Damson Idris	Snowfall

Multiple wins and nominations

Wins

4 wins

LL Cool J

3 wins

2 wins

Nominations

9 nominations

Hill Harper

8 nominations

André Braugher

7 nominations

6 nominations

5 nominations

4 nominations

3 nominations

2 nominations

References

↑ "1972 Image Awards". IMDb. Retrieved August 14, 2016.
↑ Snow, Shauna (11 November 1988). "Nominees for 21st Image Awards Announced". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
↑ "1990 Image Award Winners". IMDb. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
↑ "1994 Image Award Winners". IMDb. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
↑ "1995 Image Award Winners". IMDb. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
↑ Snow, Shauna (22 February 1996). "5 Films Head Nominations for NAACP Image Awards". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
↑ "1997 Image Award Winners". IMDb. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
↑ "The Crisis". The Crisis Publishing Company, Inc. 1 April 1999. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
↑ "2004 Image Award Winners". IMDb. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
↑ Couch, Aaron (February 1, 2013). "2013 Image Winners". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved August 2, 2016.
↑ Couch, Aaron (February 22, 2014). "2014 Image Winners". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved August 2, 2016.
↑ Washington, Arlene (February 6, 2015). "2015 Image Winners". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved August 2, 2016.
↑ "2016 Image Winners". Variety . Retrieved August 2, 2016.
↑ Hipes, Patrick (December 13, 2016). "Ruth Negga, Angela Bassett and Taraji P. Henson nominated". Deadline . Retrieved January 2, 2017.
↑ Gettell, Oliver (January 15, 2018). "NAACP Image Awards 2018: Ava DuVernay, black-ish among winners". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved February 27, 2018.
↑ Lewis, Hilary (February 13, 2019). "NAACP Image Awards: 'Black Panther' Tops Film Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved April 4, 2021.
↑ "NAACP Winners 2020: The Complete List". Variety . February 23, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
↑ "2021 NAACP Image Awards: The Complete Winners List". Entertainment Tonight . March 29, 2021. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
↑ "NAACP Image Awards". NAACP Image Awards. February 26, 2022. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
↑ Mitovich, Matt Webb (February 25, 2023). "NAACP Image Awards: Abbott Elementary, P-Valley and The Best Man: Final Chapters Are TV's Big Winners". tvline.com. TVLine . Retrieved 28 March 2024.

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[1] "1972 Image Awards". IMDb. Retrieved August 14, 2016.

[2] Snow, Shauna (11 November 1988). "Nominees for 21st Image Awards Announced". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 21 January 2017.

[3] "1990 Image Award Winners". IMDb. Retrieved August 2, 2016.

[4] "1994 Image Award Winners". IMDb. Retrieved August 2, 2016.

[5] "1995 Image Award Winners". IMDb. Retrieved August 2, 2016.

[6] Snow, Shauna (22 February 1996). "5 Films Head Nominations for NAACP Image Awards". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 21 January 2017.

[7] "1997 Image Award Winners". IMDb. Retrieved August 2, 2016.

[8] "The Crisis". The Crisis Publishing Company, Inc. 1 April 1999. Retrieved 21 January 2017.

[9] "2004 Image Award Winners". IMDb. Retrieved August 2, 2016.

[10] Couch, Aaron (February 1, 2013). "2013 Image Winners". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved August 2, 2016.

[11] Couch, Aaron (February 22, 2014). "2014 Image Winners". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved August 2, 2016.

[12] Washington, Arlene (February 6, 2015). "2015 Image Winners". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved August 2, 2016.

[13] "2016 Image Winners". Variety . Retrieved August 2, 2016.

[14] Hipes, Patrick (December 13, 2016). "Ruth Negga, Angela Bassett and Taraji P. Henson nominated". Deadline . Retrieved January 2, 2017.

[15] Gettell, Oliver (January 15, 2018). "NAACP Image Awards 2018: Ava DuVernay, black-ish among winners". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved February 27, 2018.

[16] Lewis, Hilary (February 13, 2019). "NAACP Image Awards: 'Black Panther' Tops Film Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved April 4, 2021.

[17] "NAACP Winners 2020: The Complete List". Variety . February 23, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2021.

[18] "2021 NAACP Image Awards: The Complete Winners List". Entertainment Tonight . March 29, 2021. Retrieved April 4, 2021.

[19] "NAACP Image Awards". NAACP Image Awards. February 26, 2022. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved May 20, 2022.

[20] Mitovich, Matt Webb (February 25, 2023). "NAACP Image Awards: Abbott Elementary, P-Valley and The Best Man: Final Chapters Are TV's Big Winners". tvline.com. TVLine . Retrieved 28 March 2024.

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v t e NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
1970s	Redd Foxx (1972)
1980s	Paul Winfield (1981) Howard Rollins (1982) Howard Rollins (1988) Danny Glover (1989)
1990s	No Award (1990) Blair Underwood (1991) James Earl Jones (1992) Dorian Harewood (1993) Blair Underwood (1994) Malik Yoba (1995) Malik Yoba (1996) Malik Yoba (1997) Eriq La Salle (1998) Eriq La Salle (1999)
2000s	Blair Underwood (2000) Eriq La Salle (2001) Michael Beach (2002) Steve Harris (2003) Taye Diggs (2004) Isaiah Washington (2005) Isaiah Washington (2006) Hill Harper (2007) Hill Harper (2008) Hill Harper (2009)
2010s	LL Cool J (2010) LL Cool J (2011) LL Cool J (2012) LL Cool J (2013) Shemar Moore (2014) Terrence Howard (2015) Sterling K. Brown (2016) Omari Hardwick (2017) Omari Hardwick (2018) Omari Hardwick (2019)
2020s	Regé-Jean Page (2020) Sterling K. Brown (2021) Nicco Annan (2022) Damson Idris (2023) Michael Rainey Jr. (2024)