This article lists the winners and nominees for the Black Reel Award for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Drama Series. The award recognizes an actor or actress who delivers an outstanding performance in a leading role of a drama television series within the given eligible period.
The award was first presented at the 23rd 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.
Winners and nominees 2020s Year Actor Role(s) Series 2023 Damson Idris Franklin Saint Snowfall Jacob Anderson Louis de Pointe du Lac Interview with the Vampire Nicco Annan Uncle Clifford Sayles P-Valley Jabari Banks Will Smith Bel-Air Angela Bassett Athena Grant-Nash 9-1-1 Queen Latifah Robyn McCall The Equalizer Patina Miller Raquel Thomas Power Book III: Raising Kanan Harold Perrineau Boyd Stevens From Octavia Spencer Poppy Parnell Truth Be Told Forest Whitaker Bumpy Johnson Godfather of Harlem 2024 Idris Elba Sam Nelson Hijack Rosario Dawson Ahsoka Tano Ahsoka Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor Carolyn Wilder Justified: City Primeval Giancarlo Esposito Gracián "Gray" Parish Parish Donald Glover John Smith / Michael Mr. & Mrs. Smith Quincy Isaiah Magic Johnson Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty Queen Latifah Robyn McCall The Equalizer Sonequa Martin-Green Michael Burnham Star Trek: Discovery Zoe Saldaña Joe McNamara Lioness Omar Sy Assane Diop Lupin 2025 Sterling K. Brown Xavier Collins Paradise Jacob Anderson Louis de Pointe du Lac Interview with the Vampire Michael Cooper Jr. Justin Edwards Forever Emayatzy Corinealdi Jax Stewart Reasonable Doubt Aldis Hodge Alex Cross Cross Lashana Lynch Bianca Pullman The Day of the Jackal Patina Miller Raquel Thomas Power Book III: Raising Kanan Harold Perrineau Boyd Stevens From Zoe Saldaña Joe McNamara Lioness Lovie Simone Keisha Clark Forever
Multiple nominations 2 nominations Jacob Anderson Queen Latifah Patina Miller Harold Perrineau Zoe Saldaña
Age superlatives
Record Actor Series Age (in years) Oldest winner Hijack 51 Oldest nominee Parish 66 Youngest winner Snowfall 32 Youngest nominee Forever 23
References