The musical "Dreamgirls" and the TV comedy "Everybody Hates Chris" each collected a leading eight NAACP Image Award nominations Tuesday. "Dreamgirls" star Beyonce Knowles led the individual nominees with five nods.

The awards honor "projects and individuals that promote diversity in the arts."

"Dreamgirls" was nominated for best picture and soundtrack, and six members of its ensemble cast — Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, Danny Glover, Jennifer Hudson, Anika Noni Rose and Knowles — earned acting nods.

Other best-picture nominees were "Akeelah and the Bee," "Blood Diamond," "Catch a Fire" and "The Pursuit of Happyness."

The stars of "Akeelah and the Bee" — Keke Palmer, Laurence Fishburne and
Angela Bassett — also earned acting nominations, as did Djimon Honsou of "Blood Diamond" and "Pursuit of Happyness" stars Thandie Newton, Will Smith and his son, Jaden Christopher Syre Smith.

Other big-screen acting nominees were Forest Whitaker ("The Last King of Scotland"), Denzel Washington ("Inside Man"), Harry Belafonte ("Bobby") and
Kerry Washington ("The Last King of Scotland").

Besides its best-comedy nomination, "Everybody Hates Chris" earned two directing and five acting nods. Other best-comedy nominees were "All of Us," "The
Bernie Mac Show," "Everybody Hates Chris," "Girlfriends" and "Ugly Betty. Best-drama nominations went to "24," "Grey's Anatomy," "Heroes," "The Unit" and "The Wire."

Best-album nominees included "B'Day" by Knowles, Corinne Bailey Rae's self-titled debut, John Legend's "Once Again," Mary J. Blige's "Reflections: A Retrospective" and the "Dreamgirls" soundtrack.

Knowles, Blige and Rae were also nominated for best female artist, as was Fantasia and India.Arie. Competing for best male artist are Legend, Chris Brown, Jay-Z,
Lionel Richie and Prince.

The 38th NAACP Image Awards ceremony will be held March 2 in Los Angeles and broadcast live on Fox.