25 NAACP Award Nominees You Didn’t Know Went To College was originally published on hellobeautiful.com
1. Denzel Washington
The two-time Oscar winner and perpetual dreamboat is up for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture from last year’s hit “The Equalizer.” He graduated from Fordham University with a B.A. in Drama and English.
2. Laverne Cox
Our favorite “Orange Is The New Black” star, Lavern Cox was recognized for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She attended Marymount Manhattan College and obtains a Fine Arts degree!
3. Viola Davis
Davis is raking in the accolades for her role as Annalise from Shonda Rhimes “How To Get Away With Murder” and the Oscar nominee is up for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for “Get On Up.” She graduated from Rhode Island College with a theater degree, and attended the prestigious Julliard in New York for four years.
4. Uzo Aduba
Aduba is nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as “Crazy Eyes” in the Netflix hit “Orange Is The New Black.” She graduated from Boston University’s College of Fine Arts.
5. John Legend
John Legend, who recently snagged a Golden Globe for his collaboration on “Glory” with Common, graduated from the Ivy League, the University of Pennslyvania, where he studied English and African American literature. The 9-time Grammy winner is up for Outstanding Male Artist.
6. Gabrielle Union
Mrs. Wade is up for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special for playing the lead and title character of “Being Mary Jane.” She attended two other colleges, and eventually graduated from UCLA with a Sociology degree.
7. Omari Hardwick
Hardwick is nominated for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special for playing the cheating husband and Gabrielle Union’s lover in the first season of “Being Mary Jane.” He graduated from the University of Georgia where he also played football.
8. Vanessa L. Williams
Williams originally attended Syracuse University in the early ’80s but left some time in her sophomore year to pursue a career in entertainment. in 2008, the college honored with a degree in Musical Theater Arts based on her accomplishments. She’s nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special for “A Trip To Bountiful” that aired on Lifetime.
9. Taraji P. Henson
Our girl from “Empire” and the Oscar nominee is up for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for “No Good Deed.” She has a Theater Arts degree from Howard University and also won their honorable Triple Threat award as an undergrad.
10. Kerry Washington
Olivia Pope is nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series from the Shonda Rhimes’ series “Scandal.” The Bronx-born actress attended Georgetown University, as the overachiever left with two degrees in Anthropology and Sociology.
11. Wendy Raquel Robinson
Robinson is up for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for the long-running “The Game.” She graduated magna cum laude from Howard University with a B.A. in Drama.
12. Niecy Nash
Nash, who also a co-star of HBO’s nurse comedy “Getting On,” is up for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Lolli Ballantine on “The Soul Man.” She graduated from California State University, the Dominguez Hills campus.
13. Don Cheadle
Cheadle is up for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as Marty Kaan. The Oscar nominee and one of the celeb cameos in Jay and Bey’s “On The Run” mini movie graduated from the California Institute of the Arts with a B.A. in Acting.
14. Cedric The Entertainer
Cedric, who’s nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for his role in Chris Rock’s “Top Five” attended the Southeast Missouri State University and majored in Mass Communications.
15. Ava Duvernay
DuVernay is nominated for Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture for her work in “Selma.” She graduated from UCLA, where she double-majored in English and African American studies.
