Nominations for the BET Awards are out. Winners will be announced during a June 30 show hosted by Chris Tucker.
And the nominees for BEST MOVIE, with the BET descriptions:
“Beasts of the Southern Wild” — Launching the careers of lead actors Quvenzhane Wallis and Dwight Henry, this Benh Zietlin directed independent fantasy drama about a young girl faced with the failing health of her father and floods that threaten her community.
“Django Unchained” — This Oscar-winning movie was easily the most controversial film of the year, Quentin Tarantino’s latest resonated with audiences and critics. Starring Jamie Foxx as a freed slave determined to rescue his wife from a ruthless plantation owner.
“Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap” — Ice-T directed this comprehensive documentary on the craft of writing rap verses. The film features interviews from hip hop pioneers to those that have kept the genre alive and growing.
“Sparkle” — Whitney Houston was the visionary behind bringing this 1976 classic back for a new generation and, sadly, it was her last film before she passed away. Though the pop music icon didn’t live to see her dream reach audiences, co-stars Jordin Sparks, Derek Luke and Mike Epps fulfilled her legacy.
“Think Like a Man” — The 2012 breakout hit not only launched the Hollywood careers of Kevin Hart, BET’s Terrence Jenkins and many others, it revived the Black rom-com genre. A sequel is already in the works for the ensemble comedy.
BEST ACTOR
Denzel Washington (above) — This perennial leading man added to his impressive body of work this year with “Flight.” Denzel Washington was nominated for an Oscar for his role as Whip Whitaker, a talented airline pilot with a drug and alcohol problem whose act of heroism exposes his dark side.
Don Cheadle — The prolific actor and activist has been pulling double duty as a film and television star this year. After winning a Golden Globe for his leading role on Showtime’s “House of Lies,” Cheadle returned to the big screen in “Flight” and most recently, “Iron Man 3.”
Common — Common’s profile as an actor continues to rise. The Grammy-nominated rapper stars in AMC’s drama “Hell on Wheels” and this year added to his feature film credits with mega-ensemble comedy “Movie 43,” “The Odd Life of Timothy Green” and “LUV,” which he starred in and produced.
Jamie Foxx — Ever since he vowed, during his 2008 Oscars acceptance speech, to “live this African-American dream,” Foxx has been doing just that. The A-list actor continued to push boundaries last year with the title role in Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained.”
Samuel L. Jackson — Samuel L. Jackson is the Guinness Book of World Record’s highest-grossing actor of all time and continues to reign with roles in “The Avengers” and “Django Unchained.” The latter is Tarantino’s most profitable film to date.
BEST ACTRESS
Angela Bassett (left) — Still one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood after three decades in the business, Bassett showed off her tough side this year with in “Olympus Has Fallen” as well as the role of Coretta Scott King in Lifetime Television’s historical biopic “Betty & Coretta.”
Halle Berry — The Oscar winner continues to bring it on the big screen. The former beauty queen took on her most challenging role to date in Tom Hanks’ “Cloud Atlas,” where she played a multitude of characters. She also scored a box office hit with the thriller “The Call.”
Taraji P. Henson — The Academy Award-nominated actress (for 2008’s “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”) followed up her breakthrough hit “Think Like a Man” with a leading role on the CBS procedural “Person of Interest.”
Gabrielle Union — After charming audiences in “Think Like a Man,” Union is bringing her beauty and brains to the table for the BET original movie “Being Mary Jane.” She plays a TV journalist trying to balance work, family and love.
Kerry Washington — She has skyrocketed to the top of the A-list with leading roles on television’s hottest show, “Scandal.” Washington shows her lighter side in the romantic comedy “Peeples,” also starring Craig Robinson and David Alan Grier.
What, no Quvenzhane Wallis? She is among the nominees for a Youngstar Award along with Gabrielle Douglas, Jacob Latimore, Keke Palmer and Jaden Smith.
And the answer is: $84,091,000 since opening day and $70,555,000 for Friday through Sunday. 
WHAT HE LEARNED FROM DIRECTOR J.J. ABRAMS: “I would say primarily that it’s always possible to maintain a level of respect and equanimity and humor, even in very stressful situations which could — under different situations 
