Black Reel Award for Outstanding Actor explained

Black Reel Award for Outstanding Actor
Image Upright:0.7
Awarded For:Outstanding Actor
Presenter:Black Reel Awards (BRAs)
Country:United States
Year:2000
Year2:2023
Holder Label:Final winner
Holder:Jeremy Pope
The Inspection
Most Awards:Denzel Washington (5)
Most Nominations:Denzel Washington (15)

This article lists the winners and nominees for the Black Reel Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture. The award recognized an actor who delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role within the given eligible period.

Denzel Washington received the first award for The Hurricane at the 1st Annual Black Reel Award. Since its inception, the award has been given out to 17 actors. Denzel Washington holds the record for most wins and nominations in this category with 5 wins and 15 nominations, respectively. Other multiple winners include Chiwetel Ejiofor & Chadwick Boseman. Washington also became the first person to earn multiple nominations in the same year for The Book of Eli & Unstoppable at the 11th Annual Black Reel Awards. Samuel L. Jackson & Don Cheadle are tied as the most nominated actors in this category without a win.

At the 21st Annual Black Reel Awards, Chadwick Boseman became the first posthumous acting winner in Black Reel Awards History for his performance in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. At age 18, Dev Patel became the youngest actor to win this award for Slumdog Millionaire and at age 72, Morgan Freeman became the oldest winner in this category for Invictus.

The award was discontinued at the 24th Black Reel Awards and merged with Outstanding Actress in favor of a single gender-neutral award, Outstanding Lead Performance.[1]

Winners and nominees

Winners are listed first and highlighted in bold.

2000s

YearActorFilmRef
2000
Denzel Washington The Hurricane[2]
Taye DiggsThe Best Man
Laurence FishburneThe Matrix
Eddie MurphyBowfinger
Sean NelsonThe Wood
2001
Denzel WashingtonRemember the Titans[3]
Omar EppsLove and Basketball
Morgan FreemanNurse Betty
Cuba Gooding Jr.Men of Honor
Samuel L. JacksonShaft
2002
Denzel Washington Training Day[4]
Vin DieselThe Fast and the Furious
Tyrese GibsonBaby Boy
Samuel L. JacksonThe Caveman's Valentine
Ali
2003
Derek LukeAntwone Fisher[5]
Ice CubeBarbershop
Samuel L. JacksonChanging Lanes
Wesley SnipesUndisputed
Denzel WashingtonJohn Q
2004
Chiwetel EjioforDirty Pretty Things[6]
Cuba Gooding Jr.Radio
LL Cool JDeliver Us from Eva
Wentworth MillerThe Human Stain
Denzel WashingtonOut of Time
2005Drama[7]
Jamie Foxx Ray
Hotel Rwanda
Mario Van PeeblesBAADASSSSS!
Comedy / Musical
Bernie MacMr. 3000
Jamie FoxxBreakin' All the Rules
Ice Cube
2006
Terrence Howard Hustle & Flow[8]
Don CheadleCrash
Idris ElbaThe Gospel
Samuel L. JacksonCoach Carter
Will SmithHitch
2007
Forest Whitaker The Last King of Scotland[9]
Jamie FoxxDreamgirls
Derek LukeCatch a Fire
The Pursuit of Happyness
Denzel WashingtonInside Man
2008
Dev PatelSlumdog Millionaire[10]
Don CheadleTraitor
Mos DefBe Kind Rewind
Chiwetel EjioforRedbelt
Derek LukeMiracle at St. Anna

2010s

YearActorFilmRef
2010
Morgan Freeman Invictus[11]
Quinton AaronThe Blind Side
Jamie FoxxThe Soloist
Souléymane Sy SavanéGoodbye Solo
Denzel WashingtonThe Taking of Pelham 123
2011
Anthony MackieNight Catches Us[12]
Don CheadleBrooklyn's Finest
Jaden SmithThe Karate Kid
Denzel WashingtonThe Book of Eli
Unstoppable
2012
John BoyegaAttack the Block[13]
Laz AlonsoJumping the Broom
A Better Life
Oliver LitundoThe First Grader
Evan RossMooz-lum
2013
Denzel Washington Flight[14]
Jamie FoxxDjango Unchained
Nate ParkerRed Tails
Chris Rock2 Days in New York
Omar SyThe Intouchables
2014
Chiwetel Ejiofor 12 Years a Slave[15]
Idris Elba
Michael B. JordanFruitvale Station
Isaiah WashingtonBlue Caprice
Forest WhitakerThe Butler
2015
David OyelowoSelma[16]
Chadwick BosemanGet on Up
Nate ParkerBeyond the Lights
Chris RockTop Five
Denzel WashingtonThe Equalizer
2016
Michael B. JordanCreed[17]
Abraham AttahBeasts of No Nation
Chiwetel EjioforZ for Zachariah
Samuel L. JacksonThe Hateful Eight
Will SmithConcussion
Denzel Washington Fences[18]
Miles Ahead
Nate ParkerThe Birth of a Nation
Southside with You
The Magnificent Seven
Daniel KaluuyaGet Out[19] [20]
Chadwick BosemanMarshall
Algee SmithDetroit
Lakeith StanfieldCrown Heights
Roman J. Israel, Esq.
Chadwick BosemanBlack Panther[21] [22]
John David WashingtonBlacKkKlansman
Stephan JamesIf Beale Street Could Talk
Lakeith StanfieldSorry to Bother You
Creed II

2020s

YearActorFilmRef
2020
Eddie Murphy Dolemite Is My Name[23] [24]
Jimmie FailsThe Last Black Man in San Francisco
Daniel KaluuyaQueen & Slim
Kelvin Harrison Jr.Waves
Luce
2021
Chadwick Boseman (posthumous)Ma Rainey's Black Bottom[25] [26]
One Night in Miami...
Delroy LindoDa 5 Bloods
Rob MorganBull
Lakeith StanfieldJudas and the Black Messiah
2022
Will SmithKing Richard[27]
Swan Song
Winston DukeNine Days
Jonathan MajorsThe Harder They Fall
Denzel WashingtonThe Tragedy of Macbeth
2023
Jeremy PopeThe Inspection[28]
John BoyegaBreaking
Sterling K. BrownHonk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.
Daniel KaluuyaNope
Jonathan MajorsDevotion

Multiple nominations and wins

Multiple wins

5 Wins
2 Wins

Multiple nominations

15 Nominations
5 Nominations
4 Nominations
3 Nominations
2 Nominations

Age superlatives

RecordActorFilmAge (in years)
Oldest winnerMorgan FreemanInvictus72
Oldest nomineeMorgan FreemanInvictus72
Youngest winnerDev PatelSlumdog Millionaire18
Youngest nomineeJaden SmithThe Karate Kid12

Notes and References

  1. News: ‘The Color Purple’ at the Top in 2024 Black Reel Awards . Brenda C. . Siler . . January 23, 2024 . March 12, 2024 .
  2. https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2000 2000 Black Reel Awards
  3. https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2001 2001 Black Reel Awards
  4. https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2002 2002 Black Reel Awards
  5. https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2003 2003 Black Reel Awards
  6. https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2004 2004 Black Reel Awards
  7. https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2005 2005 Black Reel Awards
  8. https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2006 2006 Black Reel Awards
  9. https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2007 2007 Black Reel Awards
  10. https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2008 2008 Black Reel Awards
  11. https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2010 2010 Black Reel Awards
  12. https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2011 2011 Black Reel Awards
  13. https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2012 2012 Black Reel Awards
  14. Web site: Critics Wild About Beasts. Black Reel Awards. February 8, 2013. August 1, 2016.
  15. Web site: 2014 Black Reel Awards - Nominees. Black Reel Awards. December 11, 2014. August 1, 2016.
  16. https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2015 2015 Black Reel Awards
  17. https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2016 2016 Black Reel Awards
  18. https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2017 2017 Black Reel Awards
  19. http://blackreelawards.com/get-out-dominate-the-black-reel-awards/ Get Out Dominates the Black Reel Awards
  20. http://blackreelawards.com/get-out-sinks-the-competition-at-the-black-reel-awards/ Get Out “Sinks” the Competition at The Black Reel Awards
  21. http://blackreelawards.com/black-panther-roars/
  22. http://blackreelawards.com/black-panther-reigns-supreme/
  23. Web site: Black Reel Awards (2020). IMDb.
  24. Web site: "The Great Eight . . . Dolemite is Dynomite!". February 7, 2020. February 10, 2020. February 12, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200212055632/http://blackreelawards.com/the-great-eight-dolemite-is-dynomite/. dead.
  25. Web site: Black Reel Awards (2021). IMDb.
  26. Web site: A Special "Night in Miami!". February 18, 2021. February 22, 2021. February 22, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210222074540/http://blackreelawards.com/a-special-night-in-miami/. dead.
  27. Web site: ‘The Harder They Fall’ Sets Record with 20 Nominations from the Black Reel Awards . Black Girl Nerds . BGN Staff . 2 January 2022.
  28. Web site: 'The Woman King' Wins Big at the 23rd Annual Black Reel Awards . Valerie . Complex . . February 6, 2023 . February 6, 2023.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Black Reel Award for Outstanding Actor".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.