‘Forever,’ ‘Abbott Elementary’ Lead 2025 Black Reel TV Awards Nominations

Netflix’s Forever and ABC’s Abbott Elementary lead the 9th Black Reel TV Awards nominations announced today, with 12 and 11 apiece, respectively. Peacock’s Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist was next up with eight.

Among the double performance nominees are Uzo Aduba (The Residence and The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat), Natasha Rothwell (How to Die Alone and The White Lotus) and Colman Domingo (The Four Seasons and The Madness), who also earned a directing nod for the former.

The Black Reel Television Awards, or “Bolts TV,” is an annual awards ceremony hosted by the Foundation for the Augmentation of African-Americans in Film (FAAAF) to recognize television excellence of African-Americans and those of the African Diaspora, as assessed by the Foundation’s voting membership. The various category winners are awarded a copy of a statuette, officially called the “Bolt.”

“Our mission has always been to honor the full spectrum of Black creativity on screen and behind the scenes,” said Black Reel Awards founder Tim Gordon. “These nominees remind us why representation, visibility and recognition remain so critical.”

Presented since 2017 by the Foundation for the Augmentation of African-Americans in Film, the Black Reel TV Awards spotlight the best in Black excellence in 27 categories spanning broadcast, cable and streaming platforms.

Winners will be announced in a streaming ceremony on August 18. Here is the complete list of nominations.

Outstanding Comedy Series

Abbott Elementary (ABC)
The Bear (FX)
Harlem (Prime Video)
The Residence (Netflix)
Survival of the Thickest (Netflix)

Outstanding Drama Series

Cross (Prime Video)
Forever (Netflix)
Godfather of Harlem (MGM+)
Paradise (HULU)
Reasonable Doubt (HULU)

Outstanding TV Movie or Limited Series

Dope Thief (Apple TV+)
Emperor of Ocean Park (MGM+)
Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist (Peacock)
Rebel Ridge (Netflix)
The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat (HULU)

Outstanding Variety, Talk, or Sketch – Series or Special

The Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show starring Kendrick Lamar (CBS)
Beyonce Bowl (Netflix)
Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was (Netflix)
Michelle Buteau: A Buteau-ful Mind at Radio City Music Hall (Netflix)
Roy Wood Jr.: Lonely Flowers (HULU)

Outstanding Documentary

Black Barbie: A Documentary (Netflix)
Hollywood Black (MGM+)
Number One on the Call Sheet (Apple TV+)
Simone Biles: Rising (Netflix)
Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) (HULU)

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Comedy Series

Uzo Aduba | The Residence (Netflix)
Quinta Brunson | Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Michelle Buteau | Survival of the Thickest (Netflix)
Ayo Edebiri | The Bear (FX)
Meagan Good | Harlem (Prime Video)
Delroy Lindo | UnPrisoned (HULU)
Simone Missick | Government Cheese (Apple TV+)
David Oyelowo | Government Cheese (Apple TV+)
Natasha Rothwell | How to Die Alone (HULU)
Kerry Washington | UnPrisoned (HULU)

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Drama Series

Jacob Anderson | Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire (AMC)
Sterling K. Brown | Paradise (HULU)
Michael Cooper Jr. | Forever (Netflix)
Emayatzy Corinealdi | Reasonable Doubt (HULU)
Aldis Hodge | Cross (Prime Video)
Lashana Lynch | The Day of the Jackal (Peacock)
Patina Miller | Power Book III: Raising Kanan (Starz)
Harold Perrineau | From (MGM+)
Zoe Saldana | Lioness (Paramount+)
Lovie Simone | Forever (Netflix)

Outstanding Lead Performance in a TV Movie or Limited Series

Uzo Aduba | The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat (HULU)
Viola Davis | G20 (Prime Video)
Colman Domingo | The Madness (Netflix)
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor | The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat (HULU)
Laurence Fishburne | Clipped (FX)
Brian Tyree Henry | Dope Thief (Apple TV+)
Andre Holland | The Big Cigar (Apple TV+)
Rashida Jones | Black Mirror (Netflix)
Ruth Negga | Presumed Innocent (Apple TV+)
Aaron Pierre | Rebel Ridge (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Comedy Series

Tone Bell | Survival of the Thickest (Netflix)
Lionel Boyce | The Bear (FX)
William Stanford Davis | Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Colman Domingo | The Four Season (Netflix)
Janelle James | Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Danielle Pinnock | Ghosts (CBS)
Sheryl Lee Ralph | Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Susan Kelechi Watson | The Residence (Netflix)
Jessica Williams | Shrinking (Apple TV+)
Tyler James Williams | Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Drama Series

Laz Alonso | The Boys (Prime Video)
Rome Flynn | Godfather of Harlem (MGM+)
Wood Harris | Forever (Netflix)
Tracy Ifeachor | The Pitt (MAX)
Skye P. Marshall | Matlock (CBS)
Isaiah Mustafa | Cross (Prime Video)
Karen Pittman | Forever (Netflix)
Natasha Rothwell | The White Lotus (HBO)
Daniel Sunjata | High Potential (ABC)
Tramell Tillman | Severance (Apple TV+)

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a TV Movie or Limited Series

Don Cheadle | Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist (Peacock)
O-T Fagbenle | Presumed Innocent (Apple TV+)
Rhenzy Feliz | The Penguin (HBO)
Taraji P. Henson | Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist (Peacock)
Samuel L. Jackson | Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist (Peacock)
Tiffany Mack | Emperor of Ocean Park (MGM+)
Issa Rae | Black Mirror (Netflix)
Tracee Ellis Ross | Black Mirror (Netflix)
Ashley Walters | Adolescence (Netflix)
Forest Whitaker | Emperor of Ocean Park (MGM+)

Outstanding Guest Performance in a Comedy Series

Garcelle Beauvais | Survival of the Thickest (Netflix)
Cynthia Erivo | Poker Face (Peacock)
Giancarlo Esposito | Poker Face (Peacock)
Orlando Jones | Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Zoë Kravitz | The Studio (Apple TV+)
Da’Vine Joy Randolph | Only Murders in the Building (HULU)
Maya Rudolph | Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Cree Summer | Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Robert Townsend | The Bear (FX)
Damon Wayans Jr. | Shrinking (Apple TV+)

Outstanding Guest Performance in a Drama Series

William Catlett | Forever (Netflix)
Tati Gabrielle | The Last of Us (HBO)
David Alan Grier | Elsbeth (CBS)
Aldis Hodge | Leverage: Redemption (Prime Video)
April Parker Jones | Bel-Air (Peacock)
Karen Robinson | Cross (Prime Video)
Glynn Turman | Paradise (HULU)
Marlon Wayans | Bel-Air (Peacock)
Vanessa Williams | Elsbeth (CBS)
Jeffrey Wright | The Last of Us (HBO)

Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series

Abbott Elementary: “The Science Fair” | Tyler James Williams (ABC)
The Bear: “Napkins” | Ayo Edebiri (FX)
The Four Seasons: “Ultimate Frisbee” | Colman Domingo (Netflix)
Shrinking: “In a Lonely Place” | Randall Keenan Winston (Apple TV+)
Survival of the Thickest: “Mind Ya Business, Bitch” | Tasha Smith (Netflix)

Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series

Cross: “Happy Birthday” | Director X (Prime Video)
Cross: “Hero Complex” | Nzingha Stewart (Prime Video)
Forever: “Forever…” | Regina King (Netflix)
Paradise: “In the Palaces of Crowned Kings” | Hanelle M. Culpepper (HULU)
The Pitt: “7:00 PM” | Damian Marcano (MAX)

Outstanding Directing in a TV Movie or Limited Series

American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez: “Birthday Money” | Paris Barclay (FX)
Emperor of Ocean Park: “Chapter One” | Damian Marcano (MGM+)
Dope Thief: “Run, Die, or Relapse” | Tanya Hamilton (Apple TV+)
Get Millie Black: “Janet” | Annetta Laufer (MAX)
The Penguin: “Top Hat” | Kevin Bray (MAX)

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series

Abbott Elementary: “Audit” | Ava Coleman (ABC)
Abbott Elementary: “Karaoke” | Brittani Nichols (ABC)
Hacks: “Cover Girls” | Samantha Riley (MAX)
Shrinking: “Changing Patterns” | Ashley Nicole Black (Apple TV+)
Survival of the Thickest: “It’s Not a Mo’Ment, It’s a Movement Bitch” | Michelle Buteau (Netflix)

Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series

Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire: “I Want You More Than Anything in the World” | Coline Abert & A. Zell Williams (AMC)
Forever: “Forever…” | Mara Brock Akil & Danya Hu (Netflix)
Forever: “The Vineyard” | Norman Vance Jr. (Netflix)
Paradise: “The Architect of Social Well-Being” | Jason Wilborn (HULU)
The Pitt: “12:00 PM” | Cynthia Adarkwa (MAX)

Outstanding Writing in a TV Movie or Limited Series

Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist: “Round Two: Fight Night” | Shaye Ogbonna (Peacock)
Get Millie Black: “Janet” | Lydia Adetunji (MAX)
Lady in the Lake: “Innocence leaves when you discover cruelty. First in others, then in yourself.” | Nambi E. Kelley (Apple TV+)
The Penguin: “Inside Man” | Erika L. Johnson (HBO)
The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat | Cee Marcellus & Tina Mabry, writers (HULU)

Outstanding Musical Score

Bridgerton | Kris Bowers (Netflix)
Cross | Ali Shaheed Muhammad & Adrian Younge (Prime Video)
Forever | Gary Gunn (Netflix)
Supacell | Sillkey (Netflix)
The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat | Kathryn Bostic (HULU)

Outstanding Music Supervision

All American: Homecoming | Madonna Wade-Reed (CW)
The Family Business: New Orleans | Rico Love (BET+)
Found | Madonna Wade-Reed (NBC)
Harlem | Megan Francoeur (Prime Video)
Power Book II: Ghost | Derryck “Big Tank” Thornton (Starz)

Outstanding Original Song

The Acolyte: “Power of Two” | Victoria Monét, performer (Disney+)
Forever: “Patient” | Larry “Price” Jacks, performer (Netflix)
Godfather of Harlem: “Crown Don’t Make You King” | Conway the Machine & Cruel Youth, performers (MGM+)
Forever: “Tomorrow’s Interlude” | Until Tomorrow & Halle Burnett, performers (Netflix)
Government Cheese: “Get down.” | Pharrell, performer (Apple TV+)

Outstanding Cinematography

All American: Homecoming: “Ready or Not” | Hans Charles (CW)
The Equalizer: “Slay Ride” | Terrence Laron Burke (CBS)
Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist: “Round Eight: Testify” | Michael Watson (Peacock)
The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl | Cameron Barnett (Disney+)
Supacell: “Michael” | Aaron Reid (Netflix)

Outstanding Costume Design

Beyonce Bowl | Shiona Turini (Netflix)
Descendants: The Rise of Red | Emilio Sosa & Julia Caston (Disney)
Harlem | Anitra Michelle (Prime Video)
The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat | Whitney Anne Adams (HULU)
Survival of the Thickest | Keia Bounds (Netflix)

Outstanding Editing

Daredevil: Born Again: “Isle of Joy” | Stephanie Filo (Disney+)
Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist: “Round Three: Black Vegas” | Felicia Mignon Livingston (Peacock)
Get Millie Black: “Millie” | Tania Reddin (MAX)
Grotesquerie: “In Dreams” | Shannon Davis (FX)
How to Die Alone: “Stop Living” | Daysha Broadway (HULU)

Outstanding Makeup & Hairstyling

Beyonce Bowl | Nominees TBD (Netflix)
Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist | Nominees TBD (Peacock)
Harlem | Nominees TBD (Prime Video)
The Penguin | Nominees TBD (HBO)
The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat | Nominees TBD (HULU)

Outstanding Production Design

Beyond Black Beauty | Nicole Simmons (Prime Video)
The Big Cigar | Warren Alan Young (Apple TV+)
Government Cheese | Warren Alan Young (Apple TV+)