Tessa Thompson, Ryan Coogler and Spike Lee are among the honorees for the 8th annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television, which will be hosted by comedian Jay Pharoah and take place in Los Angeles on Dec. 9, 2025, before airing on Starz in early 2026.
The Critics Choice Association released the full slate of recipients on Tuesday.
Spike Lee will receive the organization’s Career Achievement Award. Nearly 40 years since his debut feature “She’s Gotta Have It,” Lee’s illustrious credits include “Do the Right Thing,” “Malcolm X,” “4 Little Girls,” “Da 5 Bloods” and this year’s “Highest 2 Lowest.” Lee was awarded an Honorary Academy Award in 2015 and won a screenplay Oscar three years later for “BlacKkKlansman.”
Joining Lee on the honors list are “Creed” and “Black Panther” filmmaker Ryan Coogler, winner of the Directing Award for “Sinners,” and Tessa Thompson, the star of Nia DaCosta’s Ibsen adaptation “Hedda,” who will be honored with the Actress Award — Film.
“It’s truly an honor to continue our tradition of celebrating excellence in Black cinema and television,” Shawn Edwards, executive producer of the Celebration of Black Cinema & Television, says.
“This has been a banner year where Spike Lee — the godfather of contemporary cinema — continued to inspire with his groundbreaking vision; Ryan Coogler represented the next generation of visionary filmmakers reshaping the culture with ‘Sinners,’ and a record number of Black women created unprecedented impact with a wide range of diverse and high-profile roles.”
Madelyn Hammond and Javier Infante of Madelyn Hammond & Associates will produce the awards show, while Starz is the event’s official media partner.
The full list of honorees is below.
Spike Lee, Career Achievement Award
David Alan Grier, Vanguard Award (“In Living Color,” “A Soldier’s Play,” “St. Denis Medical”)
Ryan Coogler, Director Award (“Sinners”)
Producer Reginald Hudlin and director Shola Lynch, Documentary Award (“Number One on The Call Sheet: Black Leading Women in Hollywood”)
Janelle James, Comedy Award (“Abbott Elementary”)
Tessa Thompson, Actress Award — Film (“Hedda”)
Sterling K. Brown, Actor Award — Series (“Paradise”)
Jurnee Smollett, Actress Award — Series (“Smoke”)
Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti, Ensemble Award (“One Battle After Another”)
Damson Idris, Supporting Actor Award — Film (“F1”)
Skye P. Marshall, Supporting Actress Award — Series (“Matlock”)
Tenika Davis, Breakthrough Performance Award (“Spartacus: House of Ashur”)
Naya Desir-Johnson, Rising Star Award (“Sarah’s Oil”)
