Chandra Wilson (Getty Images photo)

RELATED STORY: NAACP Image Awards celebrates 39th year

"The Great Debaters" took center stage Thursday night, winning the award for outstanding motion picture at the 39th annual NAACP Image Awards.

Denzel Washington, who starred in and directed the film about a college debate team, was named best actor, while the film's Jurnee Smollett was named best actress. The movie's Denzel Whitaker took home the statue for outstanding supporting actor.

Tyler Perry also proved a big winner. His film "Why Did I Get Married?" garnered Janet Jackson the award for outstanding supporting actress, while the TBS series "House of Payne" won outstanding comedy series. "Payne's" LaVan Davis was honored as outstanding actor in a comedy series, while Lance Gross was crowned outstanding supporting actor for his portrayal of the spoiled son of Curtis and Ella Payne.

Other winners dominating the television category included HBO's "Life Support" and ABC's "Ugly Betty" and "Grey's Anatomy."

Queen Latifah and Wendell Pierce were voted outstanding actress and actor in a television movie, miniseries or dramatic special for "Support," which also won for outstanding TV movie, miniseries or dramatic special.

America Ferrera won for best actress in a comedy series for "Betty," while co-star Vanessa Williams garnered the outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series award.

"Anatomy" won for outstanding drama series, and the show's Chandra Wilson was honored as outstanding supporting actress in a drama series.

Just off her Grammy wins, Alicia Keys swept the musical categories with four awards, winning for outstanding music video, song and album and garnering the outstanding female artist award.

Also winning awards Thursday were Kasi Lemmons for outstanding directing in a motion picture for Focus Features' "Talk To Me" and Seith Mann for outstanding directing in a dramatic series for his work on NBC's "Friday Night Lights," with the episode "Are You Ready For Friday Night?"

There were plenty of other honors that took place during Thursday's ceremony, which was hosted by comedian D.L. Hughley.

Stevie Wonder was inducted in to the Image Awards' Hall of Fame, while Aretha Franklin received the Vanguard Award.

Ruby Dee, who recently won a SAG award for her performance in "American Gangster," was honored with the event's annual Chairman's Award.

Complete winners list:



Television categories

Comedy series
"Tyler Perry's House of Payne" (TBS)

Actor in a comedy series
LaVan Davis, "Tyler Perry's House of Payne" (TBS)

Actress in a comedy series
America Ferrera, "Ugly Betty" (ABC)

Supporting actor in a comedy series
Lance Gross, "Tyler Perry's House of Payne" (TBS)

Supporting actress in a comedy series
Vanessa L. Williams, "Ugly Betty" (ABC)

Drama series
"Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)

Actor in a drama series
Hill Harper, "CSI: NY" (CBS)

Actress in a drama series
Regina Taylor, "The Unit" (CBS)

Supporting actor in a drama series
Omar Epps, "House" (Fox)

Supporting Actress in a drama series
Chandra Wilson, "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)

Television movie, miniseries or dramatic special
"Life Support" (HBO)

Actor in a television movie, miniseries or dramatic special
Wendell Pierce, "Life Support" (HBO)

Actress in a television movie, miniseries or dramatic special
Queen Latifah, "Life Support" (HBO)

Actor in a daytime drama series
Kristoff St. John, "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)

Actress in a daytime drama series
Christel Khalil, "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)

News/information (series or special)
"In Conversation: The Senator Barack Obama Interview" (TVOne)

Talk (series)
"Tavis Smiley," "Crisis in Darfur" (PBS)

Reality (series)
"Run's House 4" (MTV)

Variety (series or special)
"Celebration of Gospel '07" (BET)

Children's program
"That's So Raven" (Disney Channel)

Performance in a youth/children's program (series or special)
Raven-Symone, "That's So Raven" (Disney Channel)



Recording categories

New artist
Jordin Sparks (Jive/Zomba)

Male artist
Chris Brown (Jive)

Female artist
Alicia Keys (J Records)

Duo or group
Eddie & Gerald Levert (Atlantic)

Jazz artist
Herbie Hancock (Verve)

Gospel artist (traditional or contemporary)
Kirk Franklin (Gospocentric)

World music album
Angelique Kidjo, "Djin Djin" (Razor & Tie)

Music video
Alicia Keys, "Like You'll Never See Me Again" (J Records)

Song
Alicia Keys, "Like You'll Never See Me Again" (J Records)

Album
Alicia Keys, "As I Am" (J Records)

Literature categories

Literary work, fiction
Walter Mosley, "Blonde Faith" (Little, Brown & Company)

Literary work, nonfiction
Don Cheadle, John Prendergast, "Not on Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond" (Hyperion)

Literary work, debut author
Victoria Rowell, "The Women Who Raised Me: A Memoir" (Harper Collins)

Literary Work, biography/autobiography
David Mendell, "Obama: From Promise to Power" (Harper Collins/Amistad)

Literary work, instructional
Tavis Smiley, "The Covenant in Action" (Smiley Books)

Literary work, poetry
Nikki Giovanni, "Acolytes: Poems" (Harper Collins/William Morrow)

Literary work, children
Sue Stauffacher, author; Greg Couch, illustrator; "Nothing but Trouble: The Story of Althea Gibson" (Random House)

Literary work, youth/teens
Charles B. Schooler, author; Gary Young, illustrator; "More Than Entertainers: An Inspirational Black Career Guide" (Zenith Publishing)



Motion picture categories

Actor in a motion picture
Denzel Washington, "The Great Debaters" (The Weinstein Co.)

Actress in a motion picture
Jurnee Smollett - "The Great Debaters" (The Weinstein Co.)

Supporting actor in a motion picture
Denzel Whitaker, "The Great Debaters" (The Weinstein Co.)

Supporting actress in a motion picture
Janet Jackson, "Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?" (Lionsgate Films)

Motion picture
"The Great Debaters" (The Weinstein Co.)

Independent or foreign film
"Honeydripper" (Emerging Pictures)

Documentary
"Darfur Now" (Warner Independent Pictures)

Writing categories

Writing in a comedy series
Ali LeRoi, "Everybody Hates Chris," episode "Everybody Hates Guidance Counselor" (CW)

Writing in a dramatic series
Shonda Rhimes and Krista Vernoff, "Grey's Anatomy," episode "A Change Is Gonna Come" (ABC)

Writing in a motion picture (theatrical or television)
Michael Genet and Rick Famuyiwa, "Talk to Me" (Focus Features)

Directing categories

Directing in a comedy series
Ken Whittingham, "The Office," episode "Phyllis' Wedding" (NBC)

Directing in a dramatic series
Seith Mann, "Friday Night Lights," episode "Are You Ready for Friday Night?" (NBC)

Directing in a motion picture (theatrical or television)
Kasi Lemmons, "Talk to Me" (Focus Features)