When the nominations were announced on Jan. 9 for the NAACP Image Awards, Tyler Perry says something was missing — the actors from his TV shows.
The writer, director, and owner of Tyler Perry Studios did pick up a nomination in the Entertainer of the Year category, where he’ll compete against Angela Bassett, Billy Porter, Regina King, and Lizzo.
But Perry says he would have preferred it if the Image Awards recognized the performers on his shows.
“When I got this nomination for the NAACP Image Awards, I was like ‘that’s great guys, but I would much rather not have that, because I think Lizzo should win as Entertainer of the Year,'” Perry told EURWeb at the press junket for his new Netflix film A Fall From Grace.
Related Story: Tyler Perry’s ‘A Fall from Grace’ Trailer Sparks Intense Debate on Twitter
Perry said he’d like to see A Fall From Grace star Crystal Fox nominated, and added that he’s frustrated the Image Awards continue to ignore Tika Sumpter and Angela Robinson, who star on his OWN drama series The Haves and the Have Nots.
“For the first three years of the show, I stopped submitting them because they were never even considered,” he explained. “The number 1 show among African-American people and they were never even considered. I don’t care what you think of me, but these performances are insane. So they should be recognized is what I feel.”
The actresses who did pick up Image Award nods for their work on television dramas include Angela Bassett for 9-1-1; Regina King for Watchmen; Rutina Wesley for Queen Sugar; Simone Missick for All Rise; and Viola Davis for How to Get Away with Murder.
The Image Awards will be handed out on Saturday, February 22, 2020. Here’s the full list of nominations.
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