Audra McDonald, Denzel Washington & Ariana DeBose Among NAACP Image Award Nominees

The nominees for the 53rd annual NAACP Image Awards were announced on January 18, and many Broadway stars were recognized. The winners will be revealed during a live TV special, hosted by Anthony Anderson and airing on BET, on February 26 at 8PM ET. The ceremony honors the accomplishments of people of color in the fields of television, music, literature and film. It also recognizes individuals or groups who promote social justice through creative endeavors. Voting is now open through February 5 to determine the winners.

The Aretha Franklin biopic Respect is nominated for Outstanding Motion Picture, Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture and Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album; star Jennifer Hudson is nominated for both Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture and Entertainer of the Year. Six-time Tony winner Audra McDonald also garnered a nod for her performance in the film. The movie's director Liesl Tommy is nominated for Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture).

The nominees also include Tony winner Denzel Washington for his performance in The Tragedy of Macbeth and for directing A Journal for Jordan, Tony nominee Ariana DeBose for West Side Story, Billy Porter for Pose and Fairfax and Tony winner Lin-Manuel Miranda for directing tick, tick...BOOM! Encanto, for which Miranda wrote songs, is nominated for Outstanding Animated Motion Picture. Genius: Aretha, starring Tony winner and Wicked movie-bound star Cynthia Erivo, earned a nod for Outstanding Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special; Erivo is also nominated for her performance in the series and for Outstanding New Artist for her solo album Ch. 1 Vs. 1.

Broadway alums recognized also include Tony nominee Brian Tyree Henry for Vivo, Tony winner Laurence Fishburne, who will soon be on Broadway in American Buffalo, for black-ish, Tony winner Kenny Leon and Tony nominee Danielle Brooks for Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia, Tony winner Anika Noni Rose for Maid, Angela Bassett for 9-1-1 and Malika: The Lion Queen, Tony nominee Joe Morton for Our Kind of People, Forest Whitaker for Godfather of Harlem, Celina Smith, Taraji P. Henson and Tituss Burgess for Annie Live! and Susan Kelechi Watson for This Is Us.

Head here for the full list of nominees.