Last night, the 30th Critics Choice Awards ceremony took place in Los Angeles, one of the most prestigious events in the film industry. As always, the gala was a star-studded affair, featuring world-renowned celebrities such as Angelina Jolie, Jeff Goldblum, Ariana Grande, Demi Moore, Adrian Brody, Ralph Fiennes, Denzel Washington, Kathy Bates, Zoë Saldana, Orlando Bloom, Katie Holmes, and Michelle Yeoh. – Virág Vida, Los Angeles
This year, Chelsea Handler hosted the event for the third time, once again dazzling the audience with her brilliant humor.
The Significance of the Critics Choice Awards
The Critics Choice Awards have historically been one of the most reliable predictors of the Oscars, often spotlighting nominees who later receive Academy recognition. Beyond the accolades, the ceremony has always been one of the film industry’s most glamorous and significant gatherings. The milestone 30th edition was no exception.
Special Guests at the Gala
This year’s event was held under extraordinary circumstances, as the Los Angeles wildfires forced organizers to reschedule the ceremony twice. In light of these tragic events, a special delegation of Los Angeles firefighters was welcomed as honored guests, with some organization members even giving up their seats for them. This heartfelt gesture highlighted the human side of the awards and the solidarity within the community.
Major Winners
Two true Hollywood icons, Demi Moore and Adrian Brody, emerged victorious in the most prestigious categories. Demi Moore won Best Actress for her performance in The Substance, while Adrian Brody took home Best Actor for his lead role in The Brutalist. The film also holds significance for Hungary, not only because it tells the story of a Hungarian immigrant and features Brody, who has Hungarian roots but also due to its filming locations in Hungary and the involvement of a large Hungarian crew.
The award for Best Picture went to the unique and captivating Anora, while The Wild Robot won in the Best Animated Feature category. Zoë Saldana earned Best Supporting Actress for her role in Emilia Perez, and additional Critics Choice Awards were given to Kathy Bates (Matlock) and Hiroyuki Sanada (Shogun). As expected, Emilia Perez won Best Foreign Language Film.
The competition in the television categories was equally fierce, with HBO’s Hacks – Pénz beszél winning Best Comedy Series.
Hungarian Success at the Critics Choice Awards
This year’s prestigious ceremony also featured Hungarian representation, with editor Dávid Jancsó nominated for Best Editing for The Brutalist. Although the award ultimately went to Marco Costa for Challengers, Jancsó still has a major challenge ahead, as he is also an Oscar nominee—his biggest test is yet to come.
The full list of winners can be found here.
Photo: Virág Vida / Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association
