The organization is proud of the fact that, historically, it has been the most accurate predictor of Oscar contenders. This year’s winners, however, brought a few surprises, so it remains to be seen how closely the opinions of American critics will align with those of the Academy voters this year. As in previous years, the 31st Critics Choice Awards took place at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, with nearly three hundred world-famous stars in attendance.
Based on my informal, on-the-spot polling inside the room, the competition in the major categories was extremely tight. The Best Picture field was defined above all by its diversity, featuring films such as Bugonia, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Jay Kelly, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, Sinners, Sentimental Value, Train Dreams, and Wicked: For Good. Each film stood out within its own genre, which meant that personal taste played a bigger role than purely professional arguments. The critics I spoke to did not share a unified opinion: several named Hamnet and Sinners as frontrunners, though most ultimately predicted One Battle After Another.
Opinions were even more divided in the Best Actor category, where Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothée Chalamet, and Michael B. Jordan were considered the strongest contenders. To the surprise of many, the award went to the star of Marty Supreme, who — as host Chelsea Handler put it — “made ping-pong sexy.”
American actress and comedian Chelsea Handler hosted the ceremony for the third time, and once again did not hold back on the jokes. She even referenced Leonardo DiCaprio’s 2024 yacht incident. “Luckily Leo was able to make it to the ceremony, despite being trapped on a boat in the middle of the ocean. It was almost like Titanic, just a little worse — because Jeff Bezos was also there…” she joked, recalling that by pure coincidence Bezos’s yacht happened to be the closest one able to assist the actor in distress.
The Best Actress award went to Jessie Buckley, whose name is worth remembering: her powerful, suggestive performance in Hamnet and her outstanding acting are very likely to earn her an Oscar this year as well. She surpassed formidable colleagues such as Emma Stone for Bugonia, Leonardo DiCaprio’s co-star Chase Infiniti from One Battle After Another, and Amanda Seyfried for The Testament of Ann Lee.
Netflix’s most downloaded (!) film, K-Pop Demon Hunters — a global phenomenon among young audiences and children alike — took home two major awards. It won Best Animated Feature over Zootopia and In Your Dreams, and Ejah also received the Critics Choice Award for Best Song.
Being present at the event each year — as a Hungarian journalist and voting member of the organization — is a cathartic experience. All of the nearly 1,400 guests (140 tables) are primarily industry professionals: actors, directors, cinematographers, composers, studio and agency representatives, publicists, and of course the hosts themselves — American and Canadian critics. This is precisely what makes the Critics Choice Awards one of the most respected and professionally recognized Hollywood award ceremonies.
Winner: One Battle After Another
Other nominees: Bugonia, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Jay Kelly, Marty Supreme, Sentimental Value, Sinners, Train Dreams, Wicked: For Good
Best Actor
Winner: Timothee Chalamet (Marty Supreme)
Other nominees: Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another), Joel Edgerton (Train Dreams), Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon), Michael B Jordan (Sinners), Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent)
Best Actress
Winner: Jessie Buckley (Hamnet)
Other nominees: Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You), Chase Infiniti (One Battle After Another), Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value), Amanda Seyfried (The Testament of Ann Lee), Emma Stone (Bugonia)
Best Supporting Actor
Winner: Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein)
Other nominees: Benicio Del Toro (One Battle After Another), Paul Mescal (Hamnet), Sean Penn (One Battle After Another), Adam Sandler (Jay Kelly), Stellan Skarsgard (Sentimental Value)
Best Supporting Actress
Winner: Amy Madigan (Weapons)
Other nominees: Elle Fanning (Sentimental Value), Ariana Grande (Wicked: For Good), Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (Sentimental Value), Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners), Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another)
Best Young Actor/Actress
Winner: Miles Caton (Sinners)
Other nominees: Everett Blunck (The Plague), Cary Christopher (Weapons), Shannon Mahina Gorman (Rental Family), Jacobi Jupe (Hamnet), Nina Ye (Left Handed Girl)
Best Director
Winner: Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another)
Other nominees: Ryan Coogler (Sinners), Guillermo del Toro (Frankenstein), Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme), Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value), Chloe Zhao (Hamnet)
Best Original Screenplay
Winner: Ryan Coogler (Sinners)
Other nominees: Noah Baumbach and Emily Mortimer (Jay Kelly), Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme), Zach Cregger (Weapons), Eva Victor (Sorry, Baby), Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value)
Best Adapted Screenplay
Winner: Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another)
Other nominees: Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar (Train Dreams), Park Chan-wook, Lee Kyoung-mi, Don McKellar, and Jahye Lee (No Other Choice), Guillermo del Toro (Frankenstein), Will Tracy (Bugonia), Chloe Zhao and Maggie O’Farrell (Hamnet)
Best Casting and Ensemble
Winner: Francine Maisler (Sinners)
Other nominees: Nina Gold (Hamnet), Douglas Aibel and Nina Gold (Jay Kelly), Jennifer Venditti (Marty Supreme), Cassandra Kulukundis (One Battle After Another), Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Tesley (Wicked: For Good)
Best Cinematography
Winner: Adolpho Veloso (Train Dreams)
Other nominees: Claudio Miranda (F1), Dan Lausten (Frankenstein), Lukasz Zal (Hamnet), Michael Bauman (One Battle After Another), Autumn Durald Arkapaw (Sinners)
Best Production Design
Winner: Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau (Frankenstein)
Other nominees: Kasra Farahani and Jille Azis (The Fantastic Four: First Steps), Fiona Crombie and Alice Felton (Hamnet), Jack Fisk and Adam Willis (Marty Supreme), Hannah Beachler and Monique Champagne (Sinners), Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales (Wicked: For Good)
Best Editing
Winner: Stephen Mirrione for (F1)
Other nominees: Kirk Baxter (A House of Dynamite), Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme), Andy Jurgensen (One Battle After Another), Viridiana Lieberman (The Perfect Neighbour), Michael P Shawer (Sinners)
Best Costume Design
Winner: Kate Hawley (Frankenstein)
Other nominees: Malgosia Turzanska (Hamnet), Lindsay Pugh (Hedda), Colleen Atwood and Christine Cantella (Kiss of the Spider Woman), Ruth E. Carter (Sinners), Paul Tazewell (Wicked: For Good)
Best Hair and Makeup
Winner: Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel, Cliona Furey (Frankenstein)
Other nominees: Flora Moody and John Nolan (28 Years Later), Sian Richards, Ken Diaz, Mike Fontaine and Shunika Terry (Sinners), Kazu Hiro, Felix Fox, and Mia Neal (The Smashing Machine), Leo Satkovich, Melizah Wheat and Jason Collins (Weapons), Frances Hannon, Mark Coulier and Laura Blount (Wicked: For Good)
Best Visual Effects
Winner: Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon, and Daniel Barrett (Avatar: Fire and Ash)
Other nominees: Ryan Tudhope, Nikeah Forde, Robert Harrington, Nicholas Chevallier, Eric Leven, Edward Price, and Keith Dawson (F1), Dennis Beradi, Ayo Burgess, Ivan Busquets, Jose Granell (Frankenstein), Alex Wuttke, Ian Lowe, Jeff Sutherlan, Kirstin Hall (Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning), Michael Ralla, Espen Nordahl, Guido Wolter, Donnie Dean (Sinners), Stephane Ceretti, Enrico Damm, Stephane Naze, Guy Williams (Superman)
Best Stunt Design
Winner: Wade Eastwood (Mission: Impossible – The Reckoning)
Other nominees: Stephen Dunlevy, Kyle Gardiner, Jackson Spidell, Jeremy Marinas, Jan Petrina, Domonkos Pardanyi, Kinga Kosa Gavalda (Ballerina), Gary Powell, Luciano Bacheta, Craig Dolby (F1), Brian Machleit (One Battle After Another), Andy Gill (Sinners), Giedrius Nagys (Warfare)
Best Animated Feature
Winner: K-Pop Demon Hunters
Other nominees: Arco, Elio, In Your Dreams, Little Amelie or the Character of Rain, Zootopia 2
Best Comedy
Winner: The Naked Gun
Other nominees: The Ballad of Wallis Island, Eternity, Friendship, The Phoenician Scheme, Splitsville
Best Foreign Language Film
Winner: The Secret Agent
Other nominees: It Was Just an Accident, Left-Handed Girl, No Other Choice, Sirat, Belen
Best Song
Winner: ‘Golden’ – Ejae, Mark Sonnenblick, Ido, 24, Teddy – KPop Demon Hunters
Other nominees: ‘Drive’ – Ed Sheeran, John Mayer, Blake Slatkin (F1), ‘I Lied to You’ – Raphael Saadiq, Ludwig Goransson (Sinners), ‘Clothed by the Sun’– Daniel Blumberg (The Testament of Ann Lee), ‘Train Dreams’– Nick Cave, Bryce Dessner (Train Dreams), The Girl in the Bubble – Stephen Schwartz (Wicked: For Good)
Best Score
Winner: Ludwig Goransson (Sinners)
Other nominees: Hans Zimmer (F1), Alexandre Desplat (Frankenstein), Max Richter (Hamnet), Daniel Lopatin (Marty Supreme), Jonny Greenwood (One Battle After Another)
Best Sound
Winner: Al Nelson, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Gary A Rizzo, Juan Peralta, Gareth John (F1)
Other nominees: Nathan Robitaille, Nelson Ferreira, Christian Cooke, Brad Zoern, Greg Chapman (Frankenstein), Jose Antonio Garcia, Christopher Scarabosio, Tony Villaflor (One Battle After Another), Chris Welcker, Benny Burtt, Brandon Proctor, Steve Boeddeker, Felipe Pacheco, David V Butler (Sinners), Laia Casanovas (Sirat), Mitch Low, Glenn Freemantle, Ben Barker, Howard Bargroff, Richard Spooner (Warfare)
Best Drama Series
Winner: The Pitt
Other nominees: Alien: Earth, Andor, The Diplomat, Paradise, Pluribus, Severance, Task
Best Actor in a Drama Series
Winner: Noah Wyle (The Pitt)
Other nominees: Sterling K Brown (Paradise), Diego Luna (Andor), Mark Ruffalo (Task), Adam Scott (Severance), Billy Bob Thornton (Landman)
Best Actress in a Drama Series
Winner: Rhea Seehorn (Pluribus)
Other nominees: Kathy Bates (Matlock), Carrie Coon (The Gilded Age), Britt Lower (Severance), Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us), Keri Russell (The Diplomat)
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Winner: Tramell Tillman for (Severance)
Other nominees: Patrick Ball (The Pitt), Billy Crudup (The Morning Show), Ato Essandoh (The Diplomat), Wood Harris (Forever), Tom Pelphrey (Task)
Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Winner: Katherine LaNasa (The Pitt)
Other nominees: Nicole Beharie (The Morning Show), Denee Benton (The Gilded Age), Allison Janney (The Diplomat), Greta Lee (The Morning Show), Skye P Marshall (Matlock)
Best Comedy Series
Winner: The Studio
Other nominees: Abbott Elementary, Elsbeth, Ghosts, Hacks, Nobody Wants This, Only Murders in the Building, The Righteous Gemstones
Best Actor in a Comedy Series
Winner: Seth Rogen (The Studio)
Other nominees: Adam Brody (Nobody Wants This), Ted Danson (A Man on the Inside), David Alan Grier (St Denis Medical), Danny McBride (The Righteous Gemstones), Alexander Skarsgard (Murderbot)
Best Actress in a Comedy Series
Winner: Jean Smart (Hacks)
Other nominees: Kristen Bell (Nobody Wants This), Natasha Lyonne (Poker Face), Rose McIver (Ghosts), Edi Patterson (The Righteous Gemstones), Carrie Preston (Elsbeth)
Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Winner: Ike Barinholtz (The Studio)
Other nominees: Paul W Downs (Hacks), Asher Grodman (Ghosts), Oscar Nunez (The Paper), Chris Perfetti (Abbott Elementary), Timothy Simons (Nobody Wants This)
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Winner: Janelle James (Abbott Elementary)
Other nominees: Danielle Brooks (Peacemaker), Hannah Einbinder (Hacks), Justine Lupe (Nobody Wants This), Ego Nwodim (Saturday Night Live), Rebecca Wisocky (Ghosts)
Best Limited Series
Winner: Adolescence
Other nominees: All Her Fault, Chief of War, Death by Lightning, Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy, Dope Thief, Dying for Sex, The Girlfriend
Best Movie Made for Television
Winner: Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy
Other nominees: Deep Cover, The Gorge, Mountainhead, Nonnas, Summer of ’69
Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television
Winner: Stephen Graham (Adolescence)
Other nominees: Michael Chernus (Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy), Brian Tyree Henry (Dope Thief), Charlie Hunnam (Monster: The Ed Gein Story), Matthew Rhys (The Beast in Me), Michael Shannon (Death by Lightning)
Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie made for Television
Winner: Erin Doherty (Adolescence)
Other nominees: Betty Gilpin (Death by Lightning), Marin Ireland (Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy), Sophia Lillis (All Her Fault), Julianne Moore (Sirens), Christine Tremarco (Adolescence)
Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie made for Television
Winner: Owen Cooper Adolescence)
Other nominees: Wagner Moura (Dope Thief), Nick Offerman (Death by Lightning), Michael Pena (All Her Fault), Ashley Walters (Adolescence), Ramy Youssef (Mountainhead)
Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie made for Television
Winner: Erin Doherty (Adolescence)
Other nominees: Betty Gilpin (Death by Lightning), Marin Ireland (Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy), Sophia Lillis (All Her Fault), Julianne Moore (Sirens), Christine Tremarco (Adolescence)
Best Foreign Language Series
Winner: Squid Game
Other nominees: Acapulco, Last Samurai Standing, Mussolini: Son of the Century, Red Alert, When No One Sees Us
Best Animated Series
Winner: South Park
Other nominees: Bob’s Burgers, Harley Quinn, Long Story Short, Marvel Zombies, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
Best Talk Show
Winner: Jimmy Kimmel Live
Other nominees: The Daily Show, Hot Ones, Late Night With Seth Meyers, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen
Best Variety Series
Winner: Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
Other nominees: Conan O’Brien Must Go, Saturday Night Live
Best Comedy Special
Winner: SNL50: The Anniversary Special
Other nominees: Brett Goldstein: The Second Best Night of Your Life, Caleb Hearon: Model Comedian, Leanne Morgan: Unspeakable Things, Marc Maron: Panicked, Sarah Silverman: PostMortem
– Virág Vida –
