Kampala, Feb 2023 – Nickelodeon has released the official list of nominees for the highly anticipated 2023 Kids’ Choice Awards (KCAs). Set to premiere on Wednesday, 8 March at 16:10 CAT on NickToons (DStv channel 308), the slime sludging award ceremony celebrates some of the biggest local and international media personalities and artists, as voted for by the fans.
Topping the list in the Favourite African Star category are International Emmy Award nominated actress and The Woman King star Thuso Mbedu, award-winning comedian and former host of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Trevor Noah, as well as former soccer player and first-team coach at Manchester United, Benni McCarthy. South African women’s national soccer team, Banyana Banyana and fashion designer and Vogue and Valentino collaborator Thebe Magugu are also on the nominations list.
Vying for this popular category this year are Nigerian sports stars Giannis Antetokoumpo, Ethan Nwaneri, and Tobi Amusan, while Tik Tok star Khaby Lame and footballer Sadio Mané are putting the West African mecca, Senegal on the map. Multi-award-winning Kenyan actress, Lupita Nyong’o makes a return to the KCAs this year as she was previously nominated for Favourite African Star in 2017 and Favourite Movie Actress in 2019.
“The evolution of the African creative industry is being felt across all spheres of global entertainment,” remarked Dillon Khan, Vice President of Paramount Africa for Comedy Central Africa, Nickelodeon & Creative Services. “These nominations resonate with all of Africa, and we’re glad to see so much African talent being recognised for all the hard work they put into the global entertainment industry. This is just the start.”
Some of Africa’s favourite Kidfluencers are being recognised for having gained a considerable online following by creating child-centred content on social media through the Favorite African Kidfluencers category. Previously won by then-four-year-old internet phenomenon Sbahle Mzizi, this year’s nominees are YouTuber Alakhe Mdoda, young prodigy Lethukuthula Bhengu, dancer, singer, and social media influencer Rethabile Mokgatla, social media sensation, Siba Bogopa and multiple-award-winning and officially The Worlds Youngest DJ, DJ Arch JNR, with Nigeria’s favourite ‘Unidentical Duo’ twin models Olianna and Olivia closing off the list.
The face of Nickelodeon Africa, Lerai Radikotse will be heading out to Los Angeles to host the official 2023 KCA Nickelodeon Africa Special. She will be bringing all the home-grown action celebrating children’s top choices in entertainment media.
“Lerai has been making waves since she became the first African host on NickMusic, it is incredible to see her soaring to even greater heights as the host of the Africa leg of the Kid’s Choice Awards on NickToons. As a platform partner to NickToons, MultiChoice is proud to be associated with a brand that nurtures and recognizes talent, especially that of young artists on the African continent,” said Georginah Machiridza, Executive Head Content Strategy at Multichoice.
“Hosting NFL Slimetime is always a blast, and I can’t wait to bring that same energy and slime as co-host of the iconic Kids’ Choice Awards! I grew up on Nickelodeon and my kids love watching, so we’re all ready for the stunts, surprises and superstars that await us at this year’s show”, said Nate Burleso, Host of American weekly television sports show NFL Slimetime.
“I got slimed at the KCA’s in 2021, saw my sister get slimed at last year’s show and now, no one is safe with me as co-host! I’m looking forward to make sure this year’s show is even slimier with epic dances and silly tricks along the way”, said Charli D’Amelio, Social media personality, the reigning queen of TikTok and Dancer.
First-time nominees include Jenna Ortega, Jack Harlow, GAYLE, Joji, Nicky Youre and Letitia Wright, amongst others. Stranger Things leads the pack with six nominations, followed by That Girl Lay Lay, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and The Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder with four nominations each.
Musical performances will be announced at a later date.
Starting today, fans across the globe can cast their votes across 31 categories on the official Kids’ Choice Awards website, KidsChoiceAwards.com, with an additional 32 international categories available in regions around the world.
Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2023 will broadcast on NickToons (DStv channel 308) on 8 March 2023 at 16:10 CAT.
Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2023 nominees are:
FAVOURITE AFRICAN STAR
Trevor Noah
Thuso Mbedu
Wizkid
Sadio Mané
Banyana Banyana
Lupita Nyong’o
FAVOURITE AFRICAN KIDFLUENCERS
Alakhe Mdoda
Lethukuthula Bhengu
Rethabile Mokgatla
Olianna and Olivia
Siba Bogopa
DJ Arch JNR
TELEVISION:
FAVOURITE KIDS TV SHOW
Are You Afraid of the Dark?
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series
Ms. Marvel
Raven’s Home
That Girl Lay Lay
The Fairly Odd Parents: Fairly Odder
The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers
The Really Loud House
FAVOURITE FAMILY TV SHOW
Cobra Kai
iCarly
Obi-Wan Kenobi
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
Stranger Things
Wednesday
Young Rock
Young Sheldon
FAVOURITE REALITY SHOW
America’s Funniest Home Videos
America’s Got Talent
American Ninja Warrior
Floor Is Lava
MasterChef Junior
The Masked Singer
FAVOURITE ANIMATED SHOW
Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous
Rugrats
SpongeBob SquarePants
Teen Titans Go!
The Loud House
The Smurfs
FAVOURITE FEMALE TV STAR (KIDS)
Audrey Grace Marshall (Vivian Turner, The Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder)
Imogen Cohen (Zina, The Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder)
Olivia Rodrigo (Nini, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series)
Raven-Symoné (Raven Baxter, Raven’s Home)
Sofia Wylie (Gina, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series)
That Girl Lay Lay (Lay Lay, That Girl Lay Lay)
FAVOURITE MALE TV STAR (KIDS)
Brady Noon (Evan Morrow, The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers)
Israel Johnson (Noah Lambert, Bunk’d)
Joshua Bassett (Ricky, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series)
Tyler Wladis (Roy, The Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder)
Wolfgang Schaeffer (Lincoln Loud, The Really Loud House)
Young Dylan (Young Dylan, Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan)
FAVOURITE FEMALE TV STAR (FAMILY)
Hilary Duff (Sophie, How I Met Your Father)
Jenna Ortega (Wednesday Addams, Wednesday)
Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven, Stranger Things)
Miranda Cosgrove (Carly Shay, iCarly)
Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield, Stranger Things)
Tracee Ellis Ross (Bow Johnson, Black-ish)
FAVOURITE MALE TV STAR (FAMILY)
Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair, Stranger Things)
Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi, Obi-Wan-Kenobi)
Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler, Stranger Things)
Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson, Stranger Things)
Jerry Trainor (Spencer Shay, iCarly)
Ralph Macchio (Daniel LaRusso, Cobra Kai)
FILM:
FAVOURITE MOVIE
Avatar: The Way of Water
Black Adam
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Hocus Pocus 2
Jurassic World Dominion
Monster High The Movie
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Top Gun: Maverick
FAVOURITE MOVIE ACTOR
Chris Hemsworth (Thor, Thor: Love and Thunder)
Chris Pratt (Owen Grady, Jurassic World: Dominion)
Dwayne Johnson (Black Adam/Teth-Adam, Black Adam)
Jim Carrey (Dr. Robotnik, Sonic the Hedgehog 2)
Ryan Reynolds (Big Adam, The Adam Project)
Tom Cruise (Capt. Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell, Top Gun: Maverick)
FAVOURITE MOVIE ACTRESS
Elizabeth Olsen (Wanda Maximoff/The Scarlet Witch, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness)
Letitia Wright (Shuri, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)
Lupita Nyong’o (Nakia, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)
Millie Bobby Brown (Enola Holmes, Enola Holmes 2)
Natalie Portman (Jane Foster/The Mighty Thor, Thor: Love and Thunder)
Sarah Jessica Parker (Sarah Sanderson, Hocus Pocus 2)
FAVOURITE ANIMATED MOVIE
DC League of Super-Pets
Hotel Transylvania: Transformania
Lightyear
Minions: The Rise of Gru
The Bad Guys
Turning Red
FAVOURITE VOICE FROM AN ANIMATED MOVIE (MALE)
Andy Samberg (Dale, Chip N’ Dale: Rescue Rangers)
Andy Samberg (Jonathan, Hotel Transylvania: Transformania)
Chris Evans (Buzz Lightyear, Lightyear)
Dwayne Johnson (Krypto, DC League of Super-Pets)
Kevin Hart (Ace, DC League of Super-Pets)
Steve Carell (Gru, Minions: The Rise of Gru)
FAVOURITE VOICE FROM AN ANIMATED MOVIE (FEMALE)
Awkwafina (Tarantula, The Bad Guys)
Keke Palmer (Izzy Hawthorne, Lightyear)
Salma Hayek (Kitty Softpaws, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish)
Sandra Oh (Ming, Turning Red)
Selena Gomez (Mavis, Hotel Transylvania: Transformania)
Taraji P. Henson (Belle Bottom, Minions: The Rise of Gru)
MUSIC:
FAVOURITE FEMALE ARTIST
Adele
Beyoncé
Billie Eilish
Cardi B
Lady Gaga
Lizzo
Rihanna
Taylor Swift
FAVOURITE MALE ARTIST
Bad Bunny
Drake
Ed Sheeran
Harry Styles
Justin Bieber
Kendrick Lamar
Post Malone
The Weeknd
FAVOURITE MUSIC GROUP
5 Seconds of Summer
Black Eyed Peas
BLACKPINK
BTS
Imagine Dragons
One Republic
Panic! At the Disco
Paramore
FAVOURITE SONG
“About Damn Time”- Lizzo
“Anti-Hero”- Taylor Swift
“As It Was”- Harry Styles
“Bejeweled”- Taylor Swift
“Break My Soul” – Beyoncé
“First Class”- Jack Harlow
“I Ain’t Worried”- OneRepublic
“Lift Me Up”- Rihanna
FAVOURITE MUSIC COLLABORATION
“Bam Bam”- Camila Cabello, featuring Ed Sheeran
“Don’t You Worry” – Black Eyed Peas, David Guetta, Shakira
“I Like You (A Happier Song)”- Post Malone, featuring Doja Cat
“Numb”- Marshmello, featuring Khalid
“Stay With Me”- Calvin Harris, featuring Justin Timberlake, Halsey, Pharrell
“Sweetest Pie”- Megan Thee Stallion, Dua Lipa
FAVOURITE BREAKOUT ARTIST
Devon Cole
Dove Cameron
GAYLE
Joji
Lauren Spencer Smith
Nicky Youre
FAVOURITE ALBUM
“Dawn FM”- The Weeknd
“GOD DID”- DJ Khaled
“Harry’s House”- Harry Styles
“Midnights (3am Edition)”- Taylor Swift
“Renaissance”- Beyoncé
“Special”- Lizzo
FAVOURITE GLOBAL MUSIC STAR
Bad Bunny (Latin America)
BLACKPINK (Asia)
Harry Styles (UK)
Rosalía (Europe)
Taylor Swift (North America)
Tones and I (Australia)
Wizkid (Africa)
FAVOURITE SOCIAL MUSIC STAR
Bella Poarch
Dixie D’Amelio
JoJo Siwa
Oliver Tree
Stephen Sanchez
That Girl Lay Lay
OTHER CATEGORIES:
FAVOURITE MALE CREATOR
Austin Creed
MrBeast
Ninja
Ryan’s World
SeanDoesMagic
Unspeakable
FAVOURITE FEMALE CREATOR
Addison Rae
Charli D’Amelio
Dixie D’Amelio
Gracie’s Corner
Kids Diana Show
Miranda Sings
FAVOURITE SOCIAL MEDIA FAMILY
FGTeeV
Ninja Kidz TV
Ohana Adventure Family
The Bucket List Family
The Royalty Family
The Williams Family
FAVOURITE FEMALE SPORTS STAR
Candace Parker
Chloe Kim
Naomi Osaka
Serena Williams
Simone Biles
Venus Williams
FAVOURITE MALE SPORTS STAR
LeBron James
Lionel Messi
Patrick Mahomes
Shaun White
Stephen Curry
Tom Brady
FAVOURITE CELEBRITY PET
Dexter Lipa Hadid
Dodger Evans
Gino Chopra Jonas
Olivia Benson Swift
Piggy Lou Bieber
Toulouse Grande
FAVOURITE BOOK
Cat Kid Comic Club Book Series
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book Series
Five Nights at Freddy’s Book Series
Harry Potter Book Series
The Adventures of Captain Underpants Books Series
The Bad Guys Book Series
FAVOURITE VIDEO GAME
Adopt Me!
Brookhaven
Just Dance 2023
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
Minecraft
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet