NAACP Image Awards 2023: Zendaya, Serena Williams, Angela Bassett stun on red carpet

Zendaya made a show-stopping appearance donning a plunging black and neon green gown while Serena Williams, Angela Bassett, and Kerry Washington stunned in fitted ensembles at the 54th NAACP Image Awards in Pasadena on Saturday.

The Euphoria actress, 26, who was recently seen filming a Bulgari campaign in France, showcased her slim physique as she stepped onto the red carpet alongside other talented celebrities.

The professional tennis player, 41, also braved the rainy weather and dazzled in a sculpting, black velvet dress while The Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star, 64, was radiant wearing a white, jumpsuit.

Kerry, 46, put on a leggy display in a strapless gown that contained a thigh-high slit as she posed for a brief photo session before the annual ceremony commenced.

The event. which is hosted by Queen Latifah, honors outstanding representations and achievements of people of color in motion pictures, television, music, and literature in the year 2022.

Zendaya flaunted her slim physique wearing a form-fitting strapless dress that contained a plunging neckline around her chest.

The gown contained hues of black along with striped portions of neon green for a one-of-a-kind touch to the ensemble.

The stunning dress contained a train that fell down behind her from fabric bustled around her thigh area on the back.

The former Disney channel actress, who was a presenter during the ceremony, gave a glimpse of her toned legs that peaked through a slit that was located in the middle of the gown for a rather sultry edge.

Her brunette locks were parted to the side, and effortlessly flowed down in light waves to nearly brush the tips of her shoulders for an elegant look.

To allow the ensemble to be the main focal point for the night, the Replay songstress kept her accessories minimalistic and slipped on a silver, rhinestone bracelet along with a matching ring placed on her right hand that sparkled under the lights.

Zendaya also opted for a pair of dangly earrings that were partially covered by her voluminous locks.

The Greatest Showman star slipped into a pair of classic, black heels to coincide with the color scheme of her red carpet gown for the evening.

Her makeup was classically done for the night, and comprised of a layer of black mascara on her long lashes along with a shimmering, bronze shadow around her eyes.

A light pink blush and a touch of contour was added to better accentuate her cheekbones.

A nude-colored matte tint was added to her lips for a finishing touch to her overall look.

Zendaya was soon joined by Serena Williams, who also wowed in a fitted, long-sleeved black gown made of a velvet material.

Fabric pooled around the professional tennis player in a short train, while a thigh-high slit on the left side showed a glimpse of her toned legs.

The dress contained a V-neck cut that was covered with a sheer, black material for a stylish flare.

The mother of one slipped into a pair of closed-toed, black heels that contained silver, rhinestone embellishments on the top for a dazzling touch.

To accessorize the dress, the renowned sports star donned a dainty, diamond necklace along with rhinestone rings that glittered under the lights. She also added a pair of sparkling, dangly earrings that contained black-colored emeralds.

Serena teased her ensemble for the night to her fans by sharing a post on Instagram as she showed off her glamorous look before braving the rain to attend the awards ceremony.

The tennis star flaunted a pose in front of a piano placed on top of an ornate rug to take a couple photos.

In the caption, the beauty penned to her 16.3 million followers, ‘On my way to the @naacpimageawards but stopped for a quick pic.’

During the evening, close friend, Kerry Washington, presented Williams with the Jackie Robinson Sports Award.

After stepping onto the star-studded stage, Serena, who announced her retirement from playing tennis professionally last year, jokingly stated, ‘I haven’t held up a trophy in a long time.’

She also sent her thanks to the NAACP, ‘which continues to accelerate change with important areas such as health care, education, sports, the economy and so, so much more.’

When reflecting on the award, the star added, ‘Jackie Robinson’s impact goes far beyond sport. His legacy has empowered many African Americans across various industries to dream big and beyond the boxes so many of us are put in, a key message the NAACP stands for.’

To conclude her heartfelt speech, Serena once again expressed how grateful the honor was and added that it was a ‘privilege’ to take home the award.

Angela Bassett made a fashion statement of her own wearing a white pantsuit that contained, puffy ruffled embellishments around her elbows.

The bottom portion of the ensemble contained loose-fitting pants that fell down past her ankles to conceal her shoes.

The eye-catching outfit contained a V-neck cut on the front portion that clung to her toned frame.

The actress, who recently won an HCA Film Award earlier Friday for Best Supporting Actress in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, carried a shiny, rectangular-shaped silver clutch in her hand.

Her dark brunette locks flowed down past her shoulders in light curls, allowing her bangs to gently rest on her forehead. A pair of dangly, glittering earrings were donned for a flashy touch.

The talented star was accompanied by her husband, Courtney B. Vance, whom she tied the knot with in 1997. He donned a classic black suit which was paired with a white dress shirt and black tie.

To complete his look to attend the event, he also opted for sleek, black dress shoes along with a black, fedora hat placed on top of his head.

Later in the evening, Angela happily accepted the award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series for her performance as Athena in the show, 9-1-1.

Angela has recently received numerous accolades, such as a Golden Globe win and also an Oscar nomination for her role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Kerry Washington turned heads wearing a strapless black dress with ruched, wrapped details on the left side of the gown that was secured with a large, gold piece.

A thigh-high slit was seen on the left side, offering a glimpse of the actress’s toned legs as she posed for snaps on the red carpet.

A semi-sheer, sparking white bralette top was donned underneath for a fashionable edge to the outfit.

The Scandal alum slipped into a pair of open-toed, rhinestone-covered strappy heels for a flashy touch to her look.

To accessorize the dress, the actress chose to not wear a necklace but instead chose asymmetrical silver earrings that were differing in size.

Her dark brunette locks were parted in the middle, and effortlessly flowed down straight behind her.

During the ceremony, the talented actress stepped onto the stage to present the Jackie Robinson Sports Award to her close friend and professional tennis player, Serena Williams.

Viola Davis was a stunner in a sleeveless, purple gown that was secured with a halter-styled piece around her neck.

The Woman King actress, who has received a number of nominations for her role in the film, wowed in the flowy, pleated gown that fell down towards the ground with a short train that fell behind her.

Her shoes were mainly concealed by the length of the dress, and the beauty easily carried a small, black clutch bag in her right hand while posing for a strew of photos at the event.

For a dazzling effect, the star donned large, rhinestone bracelets on each of her wrists, along with matching, silver earrings.

She shared a happy smile and was soon joined by her husband, Julius Tennon, whom she tied the knot with in 2013.

The actor, who also starred alongside his wife in The Woman King as the character Moru, opted for stylish comfort in a pair of black slacks and a white button up.

He also opted for a dark gray blazer and completed his outfit with a pair of white and black sneakers.

During the ceremony, Viola was the recipient of an award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture.

Blac Chyna put on a show-stopping display wearing a plunging, long-sleeved orange dress with a high slit in the middle of the gown.

The colorful ensemble contained thick shoulder pad as well as pockets that the star placed her hands into in order to stay warm in the stormy weather.

Gold embellishments were embroidered around the waist and shoulder areas for a bit of color contrast.

The singer, who currently shares daughter Dream with ex, Rob Kardashian, slipped into a pair of shiny, gold closed-toed heels that showed off tattoos placed around her ankle.

She kept her jewelry simplistic for the evening, and opted for a small pair of silver earrings and instead flaunted her long, pointed nails that were done for the event.

Janelle Monae was also in attendance, and also chose to wear an eye-catching, red dress that contained both cutouts and a thigh-high slit on the left side of the sexy gown.

Around her midriff, the satin material became ruched and the dress was held up by thin straps around her shoulders.

The Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery slipped into a pair of open-toed, red strappy heels to coincide with the color scheme of her look.

The singer added a long, silver earring cuff for an edgy touch rather than opted for dangly earrings.

Her brunette locks were parted in the middle, and allowed her side bangs to fall gently onto her forehead.

For a bold touch to her overall ensemble, Janelle added a reddish tint to her lips while applying her makeup for the star-studded night.

During the event, she took to the stage in order to present Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture, which went to Will Smith, for his performance in Emancipation.

The award was his first since ‘that’ Oscars slap, and was also not in attendance at the ceremony, prompting Monae to accept the honor on his behalf.

Gabrielle Union also put on a colorful display wearing a patterned, strapless dress that contained mosaic-inspired details embroidered throughout the fabric that shimmered under the lights.

She slipped into a pair of closed-toed, black heels that were secured with thin, silver straps around her ankles.

The Bring It On actress parted her hair in the middle, allowing her locks to fall down straight to brush past her shoulders for a sleek look.

She added a chunky, diamond and red emerald-covered necklace that turned heads as she paused for a photo session on the red carpet.

The talented actress was accompanied by her husband and former professional basketball player, Dwyane Wade.

The sports star was dapper wearing all-black, including a suit and a black dress shirt underneath.

The happy pair were seen holding hands as they arrived at the venue, and later accepted the President’s Award, which is given to those, ‘in recognition of special achievement and distinguished public service,’ according to the official NAACP website. 

Derrick Johnson, the current President and CEO of NAACP, expressed in a statement, ‘We’re thrilled to present this award to Gabrielle Union-Wade and Dwyane Wade who together have consistently utilized their platforms to advance social justice and raise awareness to the inequalities existing in our country.’

He continued, ‘We’re proud to recognize the couple’s tireless humanitarian work as they continue to advocate for equality and acceptance for all.’

Issa Rae also joined the festivities on Saturday, and donned a one-shoulder, light purple gown that contained a floral embellishment on the top left for a fashionable touch.

The dress contained layered details around her waist, as well as a thigh-high slit, which other celebrities sported during the evening.