August 30, 2025
The African-American Film Critics Association’s 7th Annual TV Honors lit up LA with powerful speeches and groundbreaking wins, as Sterling K. Brown and Kathy Bates led a night celebrating diverse voices and top-tier television.
The African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) celebrated its 7th Annual TV Honors on Aug. 23, highlighting standout television achievements over the past year. The star-studded event, hosted by Jordin Sparks, unfolded inside the historic Blossom Ballroom at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles.
Honorees spanned a range of genres at the AAFCA event. “Harlem” took home Best Comedy, “Number One on the Call Sheet” earned Best Documentary, and “Gen Zone” won Best Reality. “The Big Cigar” claimed Best Limited Series, while “The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat” was awarded Best TV Movie. “Bel-Air” was recognized for Best Ensemble, and Sterling K. Brown received individual honors for his acclaimed role in Hulu’s “Paradise.”
In his heartfelt acceptance speech, Brown spoke to the deeper meaning behind the recognition he receives. “One of the things that is truly something that no one who doesn’t walk in my skin will ever understand, and it happened to me this evening as well, is when folks come up to me and say, ‘Brother, thank you for representing us the way that you do,’” Brown said, via Gold Derby.
“I want you to know that sometimes there’s a certain sort of heaviness when you’re the face of things. But when you do come up to me and you say that to me, it feeds me in ways that you can never possibly imagine.”
Veteran actress Kathy Bates also accepted her Best Actress award at the AAFCA TV Honor for her performance on CBS’s “Matlock.” Quoting Freedom Rider Joan Mulholland, Bates opened warmly: “Joan Mulholland, one of the white Freedom Riders, said, ‘Y’all means all.’ So, y’all, thanks for inviting me to your cookout,” she joked before expressing gratitude.
“I’m grateful to the nearly 200 AAFCA critics across the globe that ‘Matlock’ has touched your hearts. Your recognition is not just for me, but for the entire team behind ‘Matlock,’ made up of many diverse voices, perspectives, and backgrounds. You bring the voices of the artists who are being honored here today and the ones you honor throughout the year to the public so that their truth can reach the people all over this country, all over the globe. Truth creates empathy, and empathy is the most powerful human resource we have.”
Netflix newcomer “Forever” was one of the night’s biggest winners, securing Best Writing, Best Director, and Best New Show, while also landing on AAFCA’s list of the Top Ten Television Programs of 2025.
Series creator Mara Brock Akil, who received the Legacy Award, described the show as a labor of love. “Stories allow us to be seen,” Akil told Ebony. “I tell the truth through fiction and pull our narrative into full frontal view. I’m birthing these ideas, and I pull together a village of other caretakers because their love, skill, time and talent are a part of these stories.”
The AAFCA TV Honors continue to spotlight excellence in television, bringing together creators, performers, and tastemakers to uplift diverse voices on screen.
RELATED CONTENT: African American Film Critics Association Awards Celebrates Black Excellence As Amber Ruffin Throws Shade At Elon Musk
