HALLE BERRY AND TYLER PERRY TO HOST LIVE BROADCAST OF "40TH NAACP IMAGE AWARDS" THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, ON FOX

Star-Studded Special Coincides with Organization's Centennial Nominations Announced Wednesday, January 7

Academy Award winner Halle Berry and critically acclaimed screenwriter/actor Tyler Perry will host the 40TH NAACP IMAGE AWARDS, broadcast live from Los Angeles' historic Shrine Auditorium, Thursday, Feb. 12 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX. The star-studded event, which coincides with the NAACP's 100th anniversary, is executive-produced by Vicangelo Bulluck and will kick off the organization's year-long centennial celebration. Previously announced honorees include Former Vice President Al Gore and Dr. Wangari Muta Maathai, who will both receive the Chairman's Award.

"We are extremely honored to have former Image Awards winners Ms. Halle Berry and Mr. Tyler Perry host this historic event," said Image Awards Chairperson Clayola Brown. "Halle and Tyler have broken many barriers in the entertainment industry. In this historic centennial year, their successes remind us of the immense progress that has been made in the last 100 years and gives us continued hope for the progress that our nation will achieve in the future."

"This year's show will air February 12, which is the 100th Anniversary of the NAACP to the day," added NAACP Hollywood Bureau Executive Director Vicangelo Bulluck, who serves as executive producer of the awards telecast. "This year's Image Awards is not just a special event, it is an historic occasion, and I hope all Americans will tune in. With Halle and Tyler as our hosts, I know our viewers are going to get a spectacular show."

Nominations for the annual awards show that recognizes the artistic achievements of people of color and honors projects and individuals that promote diversity in the arts will be announced Wednesday, Jan. 7 in Los Angeles. Performers and presenters on the 40TH NAACP IMAGE AWARDS will be announced shortly.

Critics and filmgoers first took notice of Halle Berry in her feature film debut in Spike Lee's "Jungle Fever," and she then went on to star opposite Warren Beatty in the socio-political comedy "Bulworth." For her brilliant performance in "Monster's Ball", she was honored with the Academy Award for Best Actress, the SAG Award, the Berlin Silver Bear Award, and was named Best Actress by the National Board of Review. Her other film credits include "Catwoman" and "Gothika," the psychological thriller that helped cement her status as an international box-office draw. In 2002, Berry starred opposite Pierce Brosnan in "Die Another Day," which celebrated the 40th anniversary of the James Bond franchise and went on to become the largest-grossing Bond film to date.

Other television credits include starring in the highly rated miniseries "Oprah Winfrey Presents: The Wedding," directed by Charles Burnett, as well as the title role in Alex Haley's miniseries "Queen." The latter performance earned Berry her first NAACP Image Award for Best Actress. Berry earned an Emmy, a Golden Globe, a SAG Award and an NAACP Image Award for her extraordinary performance in "Introducing Dorothy Dandridge," which she also produced. Berry is currently working on the psychological thriller "Frankie and Alice" alongside Stellan Skarsg�rd. The film, which Berry stars in and serves as producer, centers on a young woman afflicted with a multiple-personality disorder who struggles to remain her true self and not give in to her racist alter-ego.

Currently, Berry is an International Spokesperson for Revlon, and devotes considerable time and support to numerous charitable and humanitarian causes and organizations.

Tyler Perry's inspirational journey from the hard streets of New Orleans to the heights of Hollywood's A-list is the stuff of American legend. Born into poverty and raised in a household scarred by abuse, Tyler fought from a young age to find the strength, faith and perseverance that would later form the foundations of his much-acclaimed plays, films, books and television shows.

In early 2005, Tyler's first feature film, "Diary of a Mad Black Woman," debuted at No. 1 nationwide and received four NAACP Image Awards nominations. By 2007, Tyler expanded his reach to television with the series "Tyler Perry's House of Payne," the highest-rated original cable sitcom of all time and top-rated new daily series in broadcast syndication in fall 2008. Also, adding to his accomplishments, Perry recently opened Tyler Perry Studios which is the first African-American owned studio in the country.

In addition, he has been intimately involved in civil rights cases, including the trial of the Jena 6 in his home state of Louisiana, as well as with charities that focus on helping the homeless including America's Second Harvest, the Atlanta Food Bank and Perry Place�a 20-home community in New Orleans that Tyler built for survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Perry practices what he preaches, and what he preaches has endeared him to millions of fans drawn to his unique blend of spiritual hope and down-home humor that shapes his inspiring life and extraordinary body of work.

Founded on February 12, 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its half-million adult and youth members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, and monitor equal opportunity in the public and private sectors. For more information on the NAACP IMAGE AWARDS, please visit naacpimageawards.net.