| Year | Nominated work | Association | Category | Result |
| 2007 | Dreamgirls |
| New York Film Critics Circle | Best Supporting Actress | Won |
| New York Film Critics Online | Best Supporting Actress | Won |
| Best Breakthrough Performer | Won |
| Boston Society of Film Critics | Best Supporting Actress | Runner-up |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association | Best Supporting Actress | Runner-up |
| Alliance of Women Film Journalists | Best Performance by an Actress or Actor in Support of a Female Protagonist or Female Perspective | Won |
| Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated |
| Central Ohio Film Critics Association | Best Supporting Actress | Won |
| Best Breakthrough Performance | Won |
| Chicago Film Critics Association | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated |
| Online Film Critics Society | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated |
| Breakthrough Performer | Nominated |
| Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Won |
| North Texas Film Critics Association | Won |
| Oklahoma Film Critics Circle | Best Breakthrough Performance | Won |
| Online Film & Television Association | Best Supporting Actress | Won |
| Best Breakthrough Performance: Female | Won |
| Best Music, Adapted Song | Won |
| Best Music, Original Song | Nominated |
| Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association | Best Supporting Actress | Won |
| Best Breakthrough Performance | Won |
| African-American Film Critics Association | Best Supporting Actress | Won |
| Palm Springs International Film Festival | Breakthrough Performance | Won |
| Las Vegas Film Critics Association | Best Supporting Actress | Won |
| Florida Film Critics Circle | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated |
| Pauline Kael Breakout Award | Won |
| ShoWest Convention | Female Star of Tomorrow | Won |
| Oklahoma Film Critics Circle | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated |
| Breakout Performance | Won |
| National Society of Film Critics | Best Supporting Actress | Runner-up |
| St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association | Best Supporting Actress | Won |
| Phoenix Film Critics Society | Breakout Performance of the Year - On Screen | Won |
| Austin Film Critics Association | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated |
| Breakout Artist | Won |
| Toronto Film Critics Association | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated |
| TV Land Awards | Big Screen Star of the Year | Won |
| 2013 | Winnie Mandela | Women Film Critics Circle | Best Actress | Nominated |
| Best Song | Won |
| 2014 | Black Nativity | Acapulco Black Film Festival | Best Ensemble Cast | Nominated |
| 2015 | Empire | Online Film & Television Association | Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series | Won |
| 2022 | Respect | African-American Film Critics Association | Best Actress | Won |
| AACTA International Awards | Best Actress | Nominated |
| Black Film Critics Circle | Best Actress | Runner-up |
| Detroit Film Critics Society | Best Actress | Nominated |
| Sunset Circle Awards | Best Actress | Nominated |
| Savannah Film Festival | Virtuoso Award | Won |
| Women's Image Network Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film | Nominated |