As our Road to the NAACP Image Awards series comes to a close, it feels only right that we end on a performer whose presence lingers long after the credits roll. 

Karen Pittman has built a career on quiet power, and it’s the kind of power that doesn’t beg for attention, but commands it anyway. 

This year, she earned dual recognition with nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for both “Forever,” which streams on Netflix, and “The Morning Show,” which streams on Apple TV+. 

This is a testament to her range and remarkable consistency.

On “The Morning Show,” Pittman delivers a layered portrayal of Mia Jordan, navigating newsroom politics, ambition, and vulnerability with striking emotional precision. In this recent season of the show, she’s showing women what it looks like to walk away and choose themselves. 

In “Forever,” she steps into a different register, which is more grounded, maternal, and fiercely protective, revealing yet another dimension of her artistry.

To be nominated twice in the same category in a single year is no small feat. 

It speaks to an actor operating at the height of her craft, trusted to anchor complex worlds with nuance and depth. As we celebrate the nominees shaping this awards season, 

Pittman stands tall and not just as a contender, but as a masterclass in intentional, enduring performance.

For the actress, the NAACP Image Awards are deeply personal. 

“It’s my community. It’s the people that I speak to. It’s my audience,” she says. 

Particularly with “Forever,” a series rooted in Black family and Black life in America, the recognition feels sacred. 

“It’s meaningful to be recognized, but it matters who the nominating body is. And the NAACP is top tier.” 

She calls the organization “the most important we have in this country still advocating for people of color,” adding that its legacy has been “a source of inspiration for generations.”

On “The Morning Show,” her character Mia Jordan’s evolution this season, as she chooses herself without apology, and it resonated widely. 

Pittman describes it as a rare gift. 

“Not very often on American television are you with a character long enough to see her do a 180,” she says. “The writers turned this character all the way around and said, ‘Hey, I’m gonna do something completely different.’ And the audience came with us.” 

Mia walking through the newsroom in a bold red suit wasn’t just style, but it was a statement. 

“They loved seeing her choose herself,” Pittman says. “But also continue pulling other women up as she climbs.”

When conversations turn to being passed over in Hollywood, the 51-year-old doesn’t flinch. 

“It is the story of Black Hollywood,” she says with a knowing laugh, referencing the lineage of Sidney Poitier, Lena Horne, Dorothy Dandridge, Halle Berry, Angela Bassett, who are artists who demanded to be seen. 

Still, her compass remains steady. 

“The greatest director, the greatest producer in the world is God,” she says. 

“No one can get in the way of the light that I have except for me.” 

In moments of invisibility, she gathers her tribe. 

“I tackle those feelings head on. I find my source of strength and inspiration and keep moving. We walk by faith, not by sight.”

That faith informs how she builds her team, too. 

“I believe I am the CEO of my journey,” she says.

 She values collaborators who align with her work ethic and moral compass. 

“If you say you can get it done, I trust you to do it. I’m not a micromanager.” 

Success, she adds, must be bigger than money. 

“If I wanted to make a lot of money, I wouldn’t be acting.”

At a recent appearance, Pittman reflected on the difference between being seen and being recognized. After “Forever” premiered, she said she felt something shift. 

“People so desperately wanted to see that type of woman exist in the world.” 

Recognition is praise, while being seen is resonance. 

“You simply create a world and invite people in. If they choose to come, they choose to come.”

Across her recent roles, women reclaiming authorship over their lives feels like a theme and Pittman welcomes it. 

“All of these characters have served to heal me,” she shares. “A little soul medicine.” 

When you move with intention, she believes, “things come to you to keep you fueled and keep you moving in that direction.”