| Black Reel Award for Outstanding Performance | |
|---|---|
 The 2024 recipient: Jeffrey Wright | |
| Awarded for | Outstanding Performance |
| Country | United States |
| Presented by | Black Reel Awards (BRAs) |
| First awarded | 2024 |
| Most recent winner | Jeffrey Wright American Fiction |
| Website | blackreelawards |
This article lists the winners and nominees for the Black Reel Award for Outstanding Lead Performance. The award recognizes an actor or actress who delivers an outstanding performance in a leading role within the given eligible period.
The award was first presented at the 24th Annual Black Reel Awards as a result of a merger between the Outstanding Actor and Outstanding Actress awards into a single gender-neutral award, with a total of ten nominees being selected. Jeffrey Wright is the inaugural winner for his performance in American Fiction, for which he was also nominated at the Academy Awards.
Winners and nominees
2020s
| Year | Actor | Role(s) | Film |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | |||
| Jeffrey Wright | Thelonious "Monk" Ellison | American Fiction | |
| Fantasia Barrino | Celie Harris-Johnson | The Color Purple | |
| John Boyega | Fontaine / Tyrone | They Cloned Tyrone | |
| Colman Domingo | Bayard Rustin | Rustin | |
| Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor | Isabel Wilkerson | Origin | |
| Jamie Foxx | Willie E. Gary | The Burial | |
| Kelvin Harrison Jr. | Chevalier de Saint-Georges | Chevalier | |
| Michael B. Jordan | Adonis Creed | Creed III | |
| Teyana Taylor | Inez de la Paz | A Thousand and One | |
| Sophie Wilde | Mia | Talk to Me | |
| 2025 | |||
| Naomi Ackie | Frida | Blink Twice | |
| Ryan Destiny | Claressa Shields | The Fire Inside | |
| Colman Domingo | John "Divine G" Whitfield | Sing Sing | |
| Cynthia Erivo | Elphaba Thropp | Wicked | |
| André Holland | Tarrell | Exhibiting Forgiveness | |
| Marianne Jean-Baptiste | Pansy Deacon | Hard Truths | |
| Regina King | Shirley Chisholm | Shirley | |
| John David Washington | Boy Willie | The Piano Lesson | |
| Kerry Washington | Charity Adams | The Six Triple Eight | |
| Zendaya | Tashi Duncan | Challengers |
Multiple nominations
- 2 nominations
Age superlatives
| Record | Actor | Film | Age (in years) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oldest winner | Jeffrey Wright | American Fiction | 58 |
| Oldest nominee | |||
| Youngest winner | |||
| Youngest nominee | Sophie Wilde | Talk to Me | 25 |
References
- Siler, Brenda C. (January 23, 2024). "'The Color Purple' at the Top in 2024 Black Reel Awards". The Washington Informer. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
- Complex, Valerie (February 6, 2023). "'The Woman King' Wins Big at the 23rd Annual Black Reel Awards". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
- "25th Annual Black Reel Awards Nominees". Black Reel Awards. December 19, 2024. Retrieved December 20, 2024.