Critics Choice Celebration of Black Cinema & TV Unveils Honorees: Debbie Allen to Receive Icon Award, Chris Rock the Director Award
The Critics Choice Association announced the full slate of honorees on Oct. 20 for its ninth annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television. The event will take place in Los Angeles on Nov. 16, 2026, hosted by comedian Roy Wood Jr., and will premiere on the association's official YouTube channel in December.
Debbie Allen will receive the Icon Award in recognition of a career spanning television, film and theater over nearly five decades. She recently returned to the Netflix sequel of A Different World as executive producer and as Dr. Langhorne; she produced the original NBC series and directed 83 of its 144 episodes. Chris Rock will receive the Director Award for his film Misty Green. Quinta Brunson, creator and star of Abbott Elementary, will receive the Groundbreaker Award, and Chiwetel Ejiofor will be honored with the Vanguard Award for the horror film Backrooms.
Other honorees include Lamorne Morris (Comedy Award, Spider-Noir), Katori Hall (Showrunner Award, P-Valley), Jaafar Jackson (Actor Award, Film, Michael), Anthony Mackie (Actor Award, Series, 12 12 12), Stephan James (Supporting Actor Award, Film, I Play Rocky), Sophie Okonedo (Supporting Actress Award, Film, Mouse), Ato Essandoh (Supporting Actor Award, Series, The Diplomat), Quincy Tyler Bernstine (Supporting Actress Award, Series, Furious), Arie Esiri and Chuko Esiri (Breakthrough Director Award, Clarissa) and Jaalen Best (Rising Star Award, The Greatest).
Shawn Edwards, the celebration's executive producer, said in a statement that the association stands firmly committed to recognizing the best in Black cinema and television and to creating a space where these bold and visionary storytellers can come together and be honored.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: Chris Rock 2026年资料图 Photo: Wikimedia Commons, via Wikimedia Commons
