Angela Bassett To Receive Excellence In The Arts Award At 2026 ABFF Honors
The legendary actress will be honoured for her decades-long, culture-defining career in film and television The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) Honors has announced that veteran actress, director, and executive producer Angela Bassett will receive the Excellence in the Arts Award at the 2026 ABFF Honors. Presented by U.S.-based live events company NICE CROWD, the […]
Black News 
The legendary actress will be honoured for her decades-long, culture-defining career in film and television
The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) Honors has announced that veteran actress, director, and executive producer Angela Bassett will receive the Excellence in the Arts Award at the 2026 ABFF Honors.
Presented by U.S.-based live events company NICE CROWD, the ceremony will take place on Monday, 16 February at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. The Excellence in the Arts Award recognises a highly acclaimed artist for an exceptional body of work and distinguished career achievements.
The evening will also honour Dwayne Johnson with the Entertainment Icon Award, Jennifer Hudson with the Renaissance Award, Salli Richardson-Whitfield with the Evolution Award, and Damson Idris with the Horizon Award.
In addition, ABFF Honors will pay special tribute to the creative team behind the motion picture Sinners, the critically acclaimed film from filmmakers Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, and Sev Ohanian, starring Michael B. Jordan. The event will be hosted by New York Times best-selling author and award-winning comedian KevOnStage.
“Angela Bassett is the embodiment of excellence,” NICE CROWD CEO Jeff Friday and President Nicole Friday said in a joint statement. “Her body of work is both extraordinary and enduring, defined by performances that are fearless, powerful, and deeply human. She has set a standard for artistic integrity and cultural impact that continues to inspire generations, and we are honoured to celebrate her remarkable career with the Excellence in the Arts Award.”
Bassett is an Honorary Academy Award recipient and Emmy Award–winning actress, director, and executive producer whose career spans decades of iconic, culture-shaping performances. Her film credits include Malcolm X, Waiting to Exhale, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, What’s Love Got to Do With It (which earned her an Academy Award nomination) Black Panther, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Damsel, and Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. Her return as Queen Ramonda in Wakanda Forever earned her Golden Globe and Critics Choice Awards, as well as Academy Award, SAG, and BAFTA nominations, and the Variety Creative Impact in Acting Award.
The awards gala stems from the American Black Film Festival (ABFF), founded by Jeff Friday in 1997. Since its inception, the festival has been dedicated to the belief that Black artists deserve the same opportunities as their mainstream counterparts, premiering groundbreaking work and helping launch the careers of many of today’s leading Black filmmakers and actors.
ABFF Honors is executive produced by NICE CROWD and Rikki Hughes (Magic Lemonade) in association with dePasse Jones Entertainment. Sponsors for the event include Ally Financial, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Andscape, Morgan Stanley Global Sports & Entertainment, HBO Max, SLS Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Beverly Hills, and Variety.
