Filed at 6:49 a.m. ET
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- It was a dreamy night for a couple of ''Dreamgirls.'' Beyonce and Jennifer
Hudson both glided away with trophies Thursday and wowed the audience with
individual performances during the 40th annual NAACP Image Awards.
Beyonce won the female artist category while Husdon picked up the new artist
award. They costarred in the 2006 film ''Dreamgirls.''
''This is where we come from,'' Hudson said, accepting the trophy. ''So it's
always an honor to come home and feel welcome and to feel the love. I really
cherish this and appreciate it.''
Along with Beyonce and Hudson, will.i.am and Seal performed on stage at the
Shrine Auditorium ceremony, which was hosted by actress Halle
Berry and actor-screenwriter Tyler
Perry. The show coincides with the 100th anniversary of the National
Association for the Advancement of Colored People and kicks off a yearlong
centennial celebration.
''The Secret Life of Bees'' won for motion picture. ''Grey's Anatomy'' won
for TV drama. Several of the winners were awarded before the live ceremony,
including Chandra
Wilson from ''Grey's Anatomy'' for actress in a drama series, Columbus Short
from ''Cadillac Records'' for supporting actor in a motion picture and
singer-actor Jamie
Foxx for male artist.
Chris
Brown, who's accused in a domestic dispute that reportedly involves pop
superstar Rihanna,
was up against Foxx with Common, John
Legend and will.i.am for the male artist trophy. Rihanna was competing
against Beyonce with Alicia
Keys, Jennifer Hudson and Mariah
Carey for the female artist award. Neither Brown or Rihanna were in
attendance.
Sean ''Diddy'' Combs picked up the TV movie actor trophy for his role in ''A
Raisin in the Sun.'' Other acting winners included Hill
Harper for ''CSI: NY,'' Tracee Ellis Ross for ''Girlfriends,'' Taraji P.
Henson for ''The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'' and Will
Smith and Rosario
Dawson for ''Seven Pounds.''
The awards honor achievements and performances of people of color in TV,
film, music and literature. Former Vice President Al
Gore and Kenyan activist Wangari Maathai received the Chairman's Award.
Boxing legend Muhammad Ali won the President's Award. Hip-hop mogul Russell
Simmons was given the Vanguard Award.
''I discovered that giving made me happy,'' Simmons said during his
acceptance speech alongside daughters Ming and Aoki, who precariously held up
his trophy and counted down his remaining speech time. ''As you get older,
that's the easy route, so it's always been such an easy thing. It seems kinda
crazy to be honored for it.''
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