Regina King Announced as ABFF’s 2026 Ambassador
The 30th annual American Black Film Festival (ABFF) announced Nov. 4 that Oscar®, Golden Globe®, and Emmy® Award-winning artist Regina King will serve as its Ambassador.
via Variety:
Oscar, Golden Globe and Emmy-winning actor, director and producer Regina King will serve as the ambassador for the American Black Film Festival‘s landmark 30th anniversary edition.
This year’s ABFF, presented by Nice Crowd, will be held in Miami Beach from May 27–31 under the celebratory theme “The Homecoming.”
As ambassador, King will play a central role in the milestone event, welcoming attendees to the festival on opening night and headlining a featured “Creator Conversation,” where she’ll reflect on her remarkable career and ABFF’s cultural legacy of empowering emerging talent and showcasing film and TV content by and about people of African descent. King’s relationship with ABFF spans nearly three decades, back to the festival’s inception in 1997, when she participated in what was then known as the Acapulco Black Film Festival.
“ABFF has championed countless artists and storytellers, growing into a powerful global platform,” said King in a statement announcing her role in the 2026 edition. “What Jeff and Nicole Friday have built over 30 years has made a lasting impact across our industry. Returning feels like a homecoming — a celebration of our creativity, resilience, and excellence. I’m truly honored to serve as ambassador for this milestone year.”
Previous ABFF ambassadors include Issa Rae, Lena Waithe, Halle Berry, Magic Johnson, Anthony Mackie, Common, Taye Diggs, Taraji P. Henson, Mary J. Blige, Tracee Ellis Ross, Lala, Regina Hall, Morris Chestnut, Omari Hardwick, Idris Elba, Jay Ellis and the late John Singleton. Last year’s ambassadors were “Love Jones” stars Nia Long and Larenz Tate.
“Regina has been part of the ABFF family since the very beginning,” said Nice Crowd CEO and founder Jeff Friday and president Nicole Friday. “From those early years in Acapulco to everything she’s achieved since, we’ve watched her journey with so much pride — cheering her on from up close and from afar. She represents everything this festival was created to celebrate — artistry, integrity, and excellence. Having her serve as our festival ambassador for our 30th year is truly a full-circle moment and a reflection of the mutual respect and admiration we’ve shared over the years.”
King’s decades-spanning career began with her role as Brenda Jenkins in the sitcom “227” and her resume includes memorable roles in films such as “Boys N the Hood,” “Jerry Maguire” and “Ray.” She won an Oscar for her role in “If Beale Street Could Talk” and is a four-time Primetime Emmy winner for her work in the television series “American Crime,” “Seven Seconds” and “Watchmen.” Her other acting credits include “The Harder They Fall” and “Shirley,” where she portrayed America’s first Black congresswoman Shirley Chisholm.
King’s directing credits include episodes of “This is Us,” “Scandal,” “Insecure” and “A Man In Full” (for which she also served as executive producer). In 2020, she made history as the first Black woman to debut a film at the Venice International Film Festival with her feature “One Night in Miami”; she earned a best director nomination at the Golden Globes for the movie.
Most recently, King directed and executive produced the adaptation of Judy Blume’s “Forever” for Netflix; the series, from showrunner Mara Brock Akil, has already been picked up for a second season. King can currently be seen starring opposite Austin Butler in Darren Aronofsky’s crime thriller “Caught Stealing” for Sony; next, she is part of the star-studded ensemble cast for Paramount’s film adaptation of “The Children of Blood and Bone,” directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood.