The 30th annual American Black Film Festival (ABFF) announced today that Oscar®, Golden Globe®, and Emmy® Award-winning actress, director, and producer Regina King will serve as the festival’s Ambassador. 

A defining voice in contemporary cinema and a longtime advocate for creative authenticity and representation, King embodies the artistic excellence and cultural impact that have defined ABFF for three decades. 

In her ambassadorial role, she will help champion the festival’s mission to showcase groundbreaking storytelling, elevate emerging talent, and empower the next generation of artists to thrive across film and television. The milestone 30th-anniversary edition of ABFF returns to Miami Beach, Florida, May 27–31, 2026, under the celebratory theme “The Homecoming.”

Regina King’s longstanding relationship with the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) spans nearly three decades, beginning with her early participation in 1997 when the festival was then known as the Acapulco Black Film Festival. As both have grown—King into an acclaimed actor, director, producer, and entrepreneur, and ABFF into a leading global platform for Black creatives—their paths have remained closely aligned in a shared commitment to authentic storytelling and artistic excellence. 

As Festival Ambassador for ABFF 2026, King will play a central role in the milestone celebration, welcoming attendees on Opening Night and headlining a featured “Creator Conversation with Regina King,” underscoring the enduring connection between her remarkable career and ABFF’s cultural legacy.

“ABFF has championed countless artists and storytellers, growing into a powerful global platform,” said Regina King. “What Jeff and Nicole Friday have built over 30 years has made a lasting impact across our industry. Returning feels like a homecoming – a celebration of our creativity, resilience, and excellence. I’m truly honored to serve as Ambassador for this milestone year.”

“Regina has been part of the ABFF family since the very beginning,” said NICE CROWD CEO and Founder Jeff Friday and President Nicole Friday. “From those early years in Acapulco to everything she’s achieved since, we’ve watched her journey with so much pride — cheering her on from up close and from afar. She represents everything this festival was created to celebrate — artistry, integrity, and excellence. Having her serve as our Festival Ambassador for our 30th year is truly a full-circle moment and a reflection of the mutual respect and admiration we’ve shared over the years.”

Regina King is an award-winning actress, director and producer who has a decades-spanning career in Hollywood beginning with her role as ‘Brenda Jenkins’ in the sitcom 227. She is known for many other memorable roles in films such as Boys N the Hood, Jerry Maguire and Ray to name a few. 

She won an Oscar for her role in If Beale Street Could Talk and is a four-time Primetime Emmy Award winner for her work in the television series’ American Crime, Seven Seconds and Watchmen. King is also behind the camera directing episodes of acclaimed TV shows such as This Is Us, Scandal and Insecure among others. 

In 2020, King made history as the first black female director to debut a film at the 77th Annual Venice International Film Festival with One Night in Miami and garnered her a “Best Director – Motion Picture” Golden Globes nomination. 

In 2021, she was part of the all-star cast in Netflix’s critically acclaimed western film The Harder They Fall. 

Last year, King portrayed America’s first Black Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm in the feature Shirley again teaming with writer/director John Ridley for Netflix as well as adapted Tom Wolfe’s novel A Man in Full into a Netflix series as executive producer and director with David E. Kelley. 

Most recently, King directed, and executive produced the Judy Blume adaptation of Forever with showrunner Mara Brock Akil for Netflix which has already been picked up for a second season. 

She can currently be seen starring opposite Austin Butler in Darren Aronofsky’s crime thriller Caught Stealing for Sony Pictures, based on the books by Charlie Huston. Next up, she will be seen in the film adaptation of Children of Blood and Bone from Tomi Adeyemi’s bestselling YA novel for Paramount directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood slated for release in 2027. 

ABFF sponsors and partners to date include Warner Bros. Discovery and HBO (Founding), Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) (Host), Ally Financial (Presenting), American Airlines, City of Miami Beach (Major), Netflix (Supporting), and Variety (Media).

Additional details and programming announcements will be released in the coming weeks.