| 100% | SAMUELLJACKSON | 14 | Actor who has earned four NAACP Image Awards, for his work in 19-Across, 46-Across, "Mother and Child," and "Django Unchained" (3 wds.) |
| 49% | DAVIDOYELOWO | 12 | 19-Across and 33-Across actor who won a 2015 NAACP Image Award for his portrayal of Martin Luther King Jr. in "Selma" (2 wds.) |
| 35% | ASBRAVEASYOU | 12 | 29-Across novel that won the Kirkus Prize in 2016 and the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work for Youth/Teen in 2017 (4 wds.) |
| 34% | LESLIEODOMJR | 12 | Nominee for the Best Supporting Actor and Best Original Song Oscars for his work in "One Night in Miami ...": 3 wds., abbr. |
| 33% | WILLSMITH | 9 | "Ali" actor who won the NAACP Image Award for Entertainer of the Year in 1999: 2 wds. |
| 33% | JAMIEFOXX | 9 | "Ray" actor who won the NAACP Image Award for Entertainer of the Year in 2013: 2 wds. |
| 33% | DWAYNEJOHNSON | 13 | "Hobbs & Shaw" actor who won the NAACP Image Award for Entertainer of the Year in 2017: 2 wds. |
| 33% | MACAULAYCULKIN | 14 | Child actor who starred in 19-Across and 47-Across: 2 wds. |
| 32% | EVANRACHELWOOD | 14 | "Westworld" actor who has earned a black belt in taekwondo: 3 wds. |
| 32% | COUNTRYFOROLD | 13 | "No ___ Men," a movie in which Javier Bardem starred in and won the Best Actor Award at the Oscars for his performance: 3 wds. |
| 31% | MICHAELBJORDAN | 14 | He won the 2020 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor for "Just Mercy": 3 wds. |
| 31% | JAMESEARLJONES | 14 | "Coming 2 America" actor who won two Tony Awards for Best Actor in a Play, for "The Great White Hope" and "Fences" (3 wds.) |
| 30% | MICHAELKEATON | 13 | Actor who shared SAG Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Motion Picture with the casts of 18-Across and 33-Across (2 wds.) |
| 30% | ISSA | 4 | Rae who won NAACP Image Awards in 2022 for both acting in and writing "Insecure" |
| 30% | EDGARALLANPOE | 13 | American writer who is famous for his work "The Pit and the Pendulum": 3 wds. |
| 30% | BEVERLYCLEARY | 13 | Children's author of 18-Across and 30-Across who has a public school named for her in Portland, Oregon (2 wds.) |
| 30% | CUBAGOODINGJR | 13 | Actor who won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in the 1996 film "Jerry Maguire" (3 wds.) |
| 30% | JEFFDANIELS | 11 | "Dumb and Dumber" actor who founded a theater for local actors in his Michigan hometown: 2 wds. |
| 30% | MOTHERTERESA | 12 | Canonized nun who is known for her work in India and has a "family" name: 2 wds. |
| 30% | JAMESEARLJONES | 14 | Actor who voiced Darth Vader and won two Tony Awards for Best Actor: 3 wds. |
| 29% | NEIL | 4 | With 15-Across, "How I Met Your Mother" actor who won a 2014 Tony Award for starring in "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" |
| 29% | MICHAELJFOX | 11 | Actor who won Emmys for his roles on "Rescue Me," "Spin City," and "Family Ties": 3 wds. |
| 29% | TOMMYJOHN | 9 | Pitcher who's known for his successful elbow surgery and played to age 46, in 1989: 2 wds. |
| 29% | JONFAVREAU | 10 | Actor who plays Happy Hogan in Marvel films, and has directed the pilot for "The Orville": 2 wds. |
| 29% | KACEYMUSGRAVES | 14 | 19-Across and 46-Across singer who won four 2019 Grammys, including Album of the Year and Best Country Album for "Golden Hour" (2 wds.) |
| 29% | NOBELPRIZE | 10 | Award 18-Across won twice, for her work in physics and chemistry: 2 wds. |
| 29% | DENVERPYLE | 10 | TV actor known for playing 16-Across and 33-Across who would have turned 100 years old in 2020 (2 wds.) |
| 29% | EUGENELEVY | 10 | Former SCTV regular who won the 2020 Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for playing Johnny Rose on 46-Across (2 wds.) |
| 28% | KEVINCOSTNER | 12 | Actor who plays Frank Farmer in 18a and has also won an Oscar for Best Director for "Dances with Wolves": 2 wds. |
| 28% | ATKINSON | 8 | Rowan ___, actor best known for his role as "Mr. Bean" and who has a degree in Electrical Engineering |