LOS ANGELES (AP) - Recent Oscar winners Jennifer Hudson and Forest Whitaker were looking to keep their streaks going at the 38th annual NAACP Image Awards.
Hudson, a former "American Idol" finalist, won a best supporting actress Oscar Sunday for her role in the musical "Dreamgirls," while Whitaker took best actor for "The Last King of Scotland."
The two were nominated in the same categories for Friday night's Image Awards honouring projects and individuals who promote diversity in the arts. The two-hour ceremony, hosted by rapper LL Cool J, was scheduled to air live on Fox starting at 8 p.m. EST.
Honorary recognition during the show was to include Bill Cosby's induction into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame, the Chairman's Award to Bono and the President's Award to CNN's Soledad O'Brien.
"Dreamgirls" and the TV comedy "Everybody Hates Chris" were each up for a leading eight Image Awards. "Dreamgirls" star Beyonce Knowles led individual nominees with five nods.
"Dreamgirls" had nominations for best picture and soundtrack. Along with Hudson, five other members of its ensemble cast - Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, Danny Glover, Anika Noni Rose and Knowles - were nominated for acting honours.
Other movies competing for best-picture were "Akeelah and the Bee," "Blood Diamond," "Catch a Fire" and "The Pursuit of Happyness."
The stars of "Akeelah and the Bee" - Keke Palmer, Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett - were competing for acting awards, as were Dijon Honsou of "Blood Diamond" and "Pursuit of Happyness" stars Thandie Newton, Will Smith and his son, Jaden Christopher Syre Smith.
Other big-screen acting nominees were Denzel Washington ("Inside Man"), Harry Belafonte ("Bobby") and Kerry Washington ("The Last King of Scotland").
Besides its best-comedy nomination, "Everybody Hates Chris" was up for two directing and five acting awards.
Other best-comedy nominees were "All of Us," "The Bernie Mac Show," "Girlfriends" and "Ugly Betty." Best-drama nods went to "24," "Grey's Anatomy," "Heroes," "The Unit" and "The Wire."
Best-album competitors included "B'Day" by Knowles, Corinne Bailey Rae's self-titled debut, John Legend's "Once Again," Mary J. Blige's "Reflections: A Retrospective" and the "Dreamgirls" soundtrack.
Knowles, Blige and Rae were also nominated for best female artist, as were Fantasia and India.Arie. Competing for best male artist were Legend, Chris Brown, Jay-Z, Lionel Richie and Prince.