NAACP Image Awards: Giancarlo Esposito Grabs Outstanding Directing Award on Night 4

Giancarlo Esposito at the "Better Call Saul" Season 5 Premiere at the Arclight Hollywood on February 5, 2020 in Los Angeles, CA (Credit: Shutterstock)

Giancarlo Esposito picked up a big win with a directing award on the final night of the 54th NAACP Image Awards non-televised categories.

The actor, who played Gus Fring on Better Call Saul before the series concluded, earned the Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series trophy for helming season 6, episode 6 of the show titled “Axe and Grind.”

Additional winners included Reginald Hudlin for Outstanding Directing in a Documentary for Sidney, which honors late actor and activist Sidney Poitier. It was the first NAACP Image Award win for Hudlin.

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The night’s awards included outstanding podcast in various categories, plus directing, and writing.

Night four presenters included NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson, Cassandra Freeman, Josh Banday, William Stanford Davis and more.

The virtual awards began on Monday and honored outstanding achievements and performances of people of color across more than 80 competitive categories.

The televised 54th NAACP Image Awards will be hosted by Queen Latifah and air live on Saturday, Feb, 25 at 8:00 PM ET/ 5:00 PM PT on BET.

The ceremony will be held at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, Calif. and will include a live audience for the first time in three years since the pandemic began.

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The live show will also simulcast across Paramount Global networks including BET HER, CBS, CMT, Comedy Central, LOGO, MTV, MTV2, Paramount Network, POP TV, Smithsonian, TV Land, and VH1.

Read the full list of night 4 winners below:

Outstanding Podcast – News and Information
“Beyond the Scenes – The Daily Show”

Outstanding Podcast – Society and Culture
“LeVar Burton Reads”

Outstanding Podcast – Lifestyle / Self-Help
“Therapy for Black Girls”

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
Brittani Nichols – Abbott Elementary – Student Transfer”

Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series
Marissa Jo Cerar – “Women of the Movement” – Episode 101

Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie or Special
Scott Mescudi (Story By), Ian Edelman, Maurice Williams – “Entergalactic”

Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series
Angela Barnes – “Atlanta – The Homeliest Little Horse”

Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series
Giancarlo Esposito – “Better Call Saul” – Season 6, Episode 6: “Axe and Grind”

Outstanding Directing in a Television Movie or Special
Anton Cropper – “Fantasy Football”

Outstanding Directing in a Documentary
Reginald Hudlin – “Sidney”