# Black Reel Award for Outstanding Breakthrough Performance

This article lists the winners and nominees for the Black Reel Award for Outstanding Breakthrough Performance. Academy Award-nominated or winning performances also honored with nominations or wins at the Black Reel Awards include Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls), Octavia Spencer (The Help), Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild) and Gabourey Sidibe (Precious).
During the 2014 ceremony, the category was divided into gender-specific categories (Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Male and Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Female). At the 2024 ceremony, the category was reintegrated into a single award and expanded to include ten nominees.

## Winners and nominees

Winners are listed first and highlighted in bold.

### 2000s

| Year | Actor / Actress | Film |
| 2003 |
| 2003 | Derek Luke | Antwone Fisher |
| 2003 | Beyoncé | Austin Powers in Goldmember |
| 2003 | Nick Cannon | Drumline |
| 2003 | Raven Goodwin | Lovely & Amazing |
| 2003 | Lil' Bow Wow | Like Mike |
| 2004 | | |
| 2004 | Naomie Harris | 28 Days Later |
| 2004 | Romeo Miller | Honey |
| 2004 | Wentworth Miller | The Human Stain |
| 2005 | | |
| 2005 | Sharon Warren | Ray |
| 2005 | Anthony Mackie | She Hate Me |
| 2005 | C.J. Sanders | Ray |
| 2006 | | |
| 2006 | Brandon T. Jackson | Roll Bounce |
| 2006 | Ashanti | Coach Carter |
| 2006 | Tyler Perry | Diary of a Mad Black Woman |
| 2007 | | |
| 2007 | Jennifer Hudson | Dreamgirls |
| 2007 | Shareeka Epps | Half Nelson |
| 2007 | Keke Palmer | Akeelah and the Bee |
| 2007 | Paula Patton | Déjà Vu |
| 2007 | Jaden Smith | The Pursuit of Happyness |
| 2008 | | |
| 2008 | Dev Patel | Slumdog Millionaire |
| 2008 | Omar Benson Miller | Miracle at St. Anna |
| 2008 | Columbus Short | Cadillac Records |
| 2008 | Saïd Taghmaoui | Traitor |
| 2008 | Tristan Wilds | The Secret Life of Bees |

### 2010s

| Year | Actor / Actress | Film |
| 2010 |
| 2010 | Gabourey Sidibe | Precious |
| 2010 | Quinton Aaron | The Blind Side |
| 2010 | Nicole Beharie | American Violet |
| 2010 | Souléymane Sy Savané | Goodbye Solo |
| 2010 | Jamal Woolard | Notorious |
| 2011 | | |
| 2011 | Tessa Thompson | For Colored Girls |
| 2011 | Amari Cheatom | Night Catches Us |
| 2011 | Yaya DaCosta | The Kids Are All Right |
| 2011 | Omari Hardwick | For Colored Girls |
| 2011 | Zoë Kravitz | It's Kind of a Funny Story |
| 2012 | | |
| 2012 | Adepero Oduye | Pariah |
| 2012 | John Boyega | Attack the Block |
| 2012 | Gugu Mbatha-Raw | Larry Crowne |
| 2012 | Octavia Spencer | The Help |
| 2012 | Kim Wayans | Pariah |
| 2013 | | |
| 2013 | Quvenzhané Wallis | Beasts of the Southern Wild |
| 2013 | Emayatzy Corinealdi | Middle of Nowhere |
| 2013 | Dwight Henry | Beasts of the Southern Wild |
| 2013 | Amandla Stenberg | The Hunger Games |
| 2013 | Omar Sy | The Intouchables |

### 2020s

| Year | Actor / Actress | Film |
| 2024 |
| 2024 | Fantasia Barrino | The Color Purple |
| 2024 | Halle Bailey | The Little Mermaid |
| 2024 | Danielle Brooks | The Color Purple |
| 2024 | Jerrod Carmichael | Poor Things |
| 2024 | Archie Madekwe | Gran Turismo |
| 2024 | Phylicia Pearl Mpasi | The Color Purple |
| 2024 | Tia Nomore | Earth Mama |
| 2024 | Vivian Oparah | Rye Lane |
| 2024 | Dewayne Perkins | The Blackening |
| 2024 | Teyana Taylor | A Thousand and One |
| 2025 | | |
| 2025 | Clarence Maclin | Sing Sing |
| 2025 | Naomi Ackie | Blink Twice |
| 2025 | Ryan Destiny | The Fire Inside |
| 2025 | Ray Fisher | The Piano Lesson |
| 2025 | Elliott Heffernan | Blitz |
| 2025 | Ethan Herisse | Nickel Boys |
| 2025 | Blake Cameron James | We Grown Now |
| 2025 | Jharrel Jerome | Unstoppable |
| 2025 | Lamorne Morris | Saturday Night |
| 2025 | Brandon Wilson | Nickel Boys |