2017 Golden Globes nominations: Meet 20 nominees of color who deserve a "yaaass!"

The 2017 Golden Globes nominations are in — and 20 people of color are up for golden statuettes in an epic showing of diversity for the awards show.

Out of 81 nominations for acting and directing categories, nearly a quarter (24.6%) of them are for people of color. The number represents a big increase from the 2016 awards, as 14 out of the 88 acting and directing nominees were of color, or 15.9%. Several categories — including supporting actress in a motion picture, actor and actress in a TV or musical and actor in a TV drama — boasted multiple people of color. Seven black actresses received nods.

Take a look at who could win a coveted golden statuette on Jan. 8, 2017.

Actor in a motion picture, drama

Denzel Washington, Fences

Actress in a motion picture, drama

Ruth Negga, Loving

Supporting actor in a motion picture

Mahershala Ali, Moonlight

Dev Patel, Lion

Supporting actress in a motion picture

Viola Davis, Fences

Naomie Harris, Moonlight

Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures

Director of a motion picture

Barry Jenkins, Moonlight

Actress in a limited series or TV movie

Kerry Washington, Confirmation

Actor in a limited series or TV movie

Riz Ahmed, The Night Of

Courtney B. Vance, The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story

Actress in a TV musical or comedy

Issa Rae, Insecure

Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin

Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish

Actor in a TV musical or comedy

Donald Glover, Atlanta

Anthony Anderson, Black-ish

Gael Garcia Bernal, Mozart in the Jungle

Actor in a TV drama

Rami Malek, Mr. Robot

Sterling K. Brown, The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story

Supporting actress in a TV series

Thandie Newton, Westworld

Twenty yaaass-es for these stellar on-screen performances. Here's hoping that other awards shows take notice, too.