It’s been more than two years since the Critics Choice Awards last took place in person, and more than two months since they were again delayed up by the pandemic from their early January date.
So the mood was buoyant as nominees, presenters, members and guests crowded into the ballroom at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles and the Savoy Hotel in London for the 27th annual edition of the CCAs, hosted by Taye Diggs and Nicole Byer and broadcast on the CW and TBS.
With 10 nominees for best picture, Netflix’s”The Power of the Dog” took the prize and its director, Jane Campion, won the trophy as best director. Both had been favored to win but Campion created some controversy during her acceptance speech when she mentioned Venus and Serena Williams, the tennis legends who were there as producers of another best picture contender, “King Richard,” saying that she had to compete against “the boys.”
While many applauded and no one can deny that there are very few lauded female film directors, Campion herself among them, others felt she offended the Williams sisters by comparing herself to them. However, they were all later seen dancing together at the Netflix after party.
“King Richard’s” star Will Smith, who had won the Screen Actors Guild award as best actor two weeks ago, also took the CCA for his role as the father of Serena and Venus Williams.
The SAG was also a precursor award for Jessica Chastain, who also took the Critics Choice trophy for her leading role in “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.”
“CODA’s” Troy Kotsur also rode the wave of his SAG award for best supporting actor, and accepted the CCA from London, where most of the attendees had also been at the BAFTAs—and Kotsur took the trophy there as well.
It was the same story for “West Side Story’s” Ariana DeBose, who also had two statuettes at the end of her night in London.
“Belfast” won CCA’s prize for Acting Ensemble, and the Focus Features film’s Jude Hill also picked up the award for f Young Actor/Actress. In accepting the cast prize, star Jamie Dornan said, “As someone from Belfast, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of telling a story about a place people don’t have a really big idea about it. … without a politicized or military lens, seeing it through the eyes of family — something we can all relate to in Ukraine, families going through this hardship.”
Dornan’s was one of a number of mentions of the Russian invasion of that country, adding somber notes to the proceedings as the war raged near Kyiv.
On the television side, “Succession” and “Ted Lasso” were the big winners for drama and comedy, with the awards love spreading to their actors as Kieran Culkin, Sarah Snook, Brett Goldstein and Hannah Waddingham all took supporting trophies. Ted Lasso himself, Jason Sudeikis, also added to his mantle with the prize for best actor in a comedy series.
Jean Smart won Best Actress in a Comedy for HBO Max’s “Hacks.” She and Sudeikis also won at the Emmys last year.
“Squid Game’s” Lee Jung-jae was awarded best actor in a drama., while Melanie Lynskey won for the Showtime drama “Yellowjackets.” Both were considered surprises in their respective categories.
Honorary awards are always a highlight in Jimmy Kimmel had the Los Angeles crowd in stitches as he introduced Critics Choice Lifetime Achievement Award winner Billy Crystal, who began his remarks by saying,” Oh, I thought I was going to get Jimmy Fallon.”
After watching a clip reel of many of his indelible performances beginning in the 1970s with “Soap” and “Saturday Night Live,” and on through film classics like “When Harry Met Sally…” “City Slickers,” “Analyze This” and “Forget Paris, Crystal said, “I could just think of one word, residuals.”
The six-time Emmy winner also talked about the war in Ukraine, saying, “I pray that somehow someway there can be laughter and joy in that part of the world again.”
“Bruised” director, producer and star Halle Berry received the SeeHer Award from Issa Rae and gave a moving, heartfelt speech. “I knew exactly the power of this story because I said if you had a hard time, if it made you uncomfortable watching that story, imagine being that woman living that story,” the Oscar winner said. “We true need to see each other’s reality no matter how uncomfortable it makes us so that we might stop judging and stop pointing figures, but rather find compassion and empathy for others.”
Here are the nominees and winners in the major categories:
Best Picture
“Belfast”
“CODA”
“Don’t Look Up”
“Dune”
“King Richard”
“Licorice Pizza”
“Nightmare Alley”
“The Power of the Dog” *WINNER
“tick, tick…Boom!”
“West Side Story”
Best actor
Nicolas Cage — “Pig”
Benedict Cumberbatch — “The Power of the Dog”
Peter Dinklage — “Cyrano”
Andrew Garfield — “tick, tick…Boom!”
Will Smith — “King Richard” *WINNER
Denzel Washington — “The Tragedy of Macbeth”
Best actress
Jessica Chastain — “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” *WINNER
Olivia Colman — “The Lost Daughter”
Lady Gaga — “House of Gucci”
Alana Haim — “Licorice Pizza”
Nicole Kidman — “Being the Ricardos”
Kristen Stewart — “Spencer”
Best supporting actor
Jamie Dornan — “Belfast”
Ciarán Hinds — “Belfast”
Troy Kotsur — “CODA” *WINNER
Jared Leto — “House of Gucci”
J.K. Simmons — “Being the Ricardos”
Kodi Smit-McPhee — “The Power of the Dog”
Best supporting actress
Caitríona Balfe — “Belfast”
Ariana DeBose — “West Side Story” *WINNER
Ann Dowd — “Mass”
Kirsten Dunst — “The Power of the Dog”
Aunjanue Ellis — “King Richard”
Rita Moreno — “West Side Story”
Best young actor/actress
Jude Hill — “Belfast” *WINNER
Cooper Hoffman –” Licorice Pizza”
Emilia Jones — “CODA”
Woody Norman — “C’mon C’mon”
Saniyya Sidney — “King Richard”
Rachel Zegler — “West Side Story”
Best acting ensemble
“Belfast” *WINNER
“Don’t Look Up”
“The Harder They Fall”
“Licorice Pizza”
“The Power of the Dog”
“West Side Story”
Best director
Paul Thomas Anderson — “Licorice Pizza”
Kenneth Branagh — “Belfast”
Jane Campion — “The Power of the Dog” *WINNER
Guillermo del Toro — “Nightmare Alley”
Steven Spielberg — “West Side Story”
Denis Villeneuve — “Dune”
Best comedy
“Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar”
“Don’t Look Up”
“Free Guy”
“The French Dispatch”
“Licorice Pizza” *WINNER
Best animated feature
“Encanto”
“Flee”
“Luca”
“The Mitchells vs the Machines” *WINNER
“Raya and the Last Dragon”
TELEVISION
Best drama series
“Evil” (Paramount+)
“For All Mankind” (Apple TV+)
“The Good Fight” (Paramount+)
“Pose” (FX)
“Squid Game” (Netflix)
“Succession” (HBO) *WINNER
“This Is Us” (NBC)
“Yellowjackets” (Showtime)
Best actor in a drama series
Sterling K. Brown — “This Is Us” (NBC)
Mike Colter — “Evil” (Paramount+)
Brian Cox — “Succession” (HBO)
Lee Jung-jae — “Squid Game” (Netflix) *WINNER
Billy Porter — “Pose” (FX)
Jeremy Strong — “Succession” (HBO)
Best actress in a drama series
Uzo Aduba — “In Treatment” (HBO)
Chiara Aurelia — “Cruel Summer” (Freeform)
Christine Baranski — “The Good Fight” (Paramount+)
Katja Herbers — “Evil” (Paramount+)
Melanie Lynskey — “Yellowjackets” (Showtime) *WINNER
MJ Rodriguez — “Pose” (FX)
Best supporting actor in a drama series
Nicholas Braun — “Succession” (HBO)
Billy Crudup — “The Morning Show” (Apple TV+)
Kieran Culkin — “Succession” (HBO) *WINNER
Justin Hartley — “This Is Us” (NBC)
Matthew Macfadyen — “Succession” (HBO)
Mandy Patinkin — “The Good Fight” (Paramount+)
Best supporting actress in a drama series
Andrea Martin — “Evil” (Paramount+)
Audra McDonald — “The Good Fight” (Paramount+)
Christine Lahti — “Evil” (Paramount+)
J. Smith-Cameron — “Succession” (HBO)
Sarah Snook — “Succession” (HBO) *WINNER
Susan Kelechi Watson — “This Is Us” (NBC)
Best comedy series
“The Great” (Hulu)
“Hacks” (HBO Max)
“Insecure” (HBO)
“Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)
“The Other Two” (HBO Max)
“Reservation Dogs” (FX on Hulu)
“Ted Lasso” (Apple TV+) *WINNER
“What We Do in the Shadows” (FX)
Best actor in a comedy series
Iain Armitage — “Young Sheldon” (CBS)
Nicholas Hoult — “The Great” (Hulu)
Steve Martin — “Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)
Kayvan Novak — “What We Do in the Shadows” (FX)
Martin Short — “Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)
Jason Sudeikis — “Ted Lasso” (Apple TV+) *WINNER
Best actress in a comedy series
Elle Fanning — “The Great” (Hulu)
Renée Elise Goldsberry — “Girls5eva” (Peacock)
Selena Gomez — “Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)
Sandra Oh — “The Chair” (Netflix)
Issa Rae — “Insecure” (HBO)
Jean Smart — “Hacks” (HBO Max) *WINNER
Best supporting actor in a comedy series
Ncuti Gatwa — “Sex Education” (Netflix)
Brett Goldstein — “Ted Lasso” (Apple TV+) *WINNER
Harvey Guillén — “What We Do in the Shadows” (FX)
Brandon Scott Jones — “Ghosts” (CBS)
Ray Romano — “Made for Love” (HBO Max)
Bowen Yang — “Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
Best supporting actress in a comedy series
Hannah Einbinder — “Hacks” (HBO Max)
Kristin Chenoweth — “Schmigadoon!” (Apple TV+)
Molly Shannon — “The Other Two” (HBO Max)
Cecily Strong — “Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
Josie Totah — “Saved By the Bell” (Peacock)
Hannah Waddingham — “Ted Lasso” (Apple TV+) *WINNER
Best limited series
“Dopesick” (Hulu)
“Dr. Death” (Peacock)
“It’s a Sin” (HBO Max)
“Maid” (Netflix)
“Mare of Easttown” (HBO) *WINNER
“Midnight Mass” (Netflix)
“The Underground Railroad” (Amazon Prime Video)
“WandaVision” (Disney+)
Best actor in a limited series or movie made for television
Olly Alexander — “It’s a Sin” (HBO Max)
Paul Bettany — “WandaVision” (Disney+)
William Jackson Harper — “Love Life” (HBO Max)
Joshua Jackson — “Dr. Death” (Peacock)
Michael Keaton — “Dopesick” (Hulu) *WINNER
Hamish Linklater — “Midnight Mass” (Netflix)
Best actress in a limited series or movie made for television
Danielle Brooks — “Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia” (Lifetime)
Cynthia Erivo — “Genius: Aretha” (National Geographic)
Thuso Mbedu — “The Underground Railroad” (Amazon Prime Video)
Elizabeth Olsen — “WandaVision” (Disney+)
Margaret Qualley — “Maid” (Netflix)
Kate Winslet — “Mare of Easttown” (HBO) *WINNER
Best supporting actor in a limited series or movie made for television
Murray Bartlett — “The White Lotus” (HBO) *WINNER
Zach Gilford — “Midnight Mass” (Netflix)
William Jackson Harper — “The Underground Railroad” (Amazon Prime Video)
Evan Peters — “Mare of Easttown” (HBO)
Christian Slater — “Dr. Death” (Peacock)
Courtney B. Vance — “Genius: Aretha” (National Geographic)
Best supporting actress in a limited series or movie made for television
Jennifer Coolidge — “The White Lotus” (HBO) *WINNER
Kaitlyn Dever — “Dopesick” (Hulu)
Kathryn Hahn — “WandaVision” (Disney+)
Melissa McCarthy — “Nine Perfect Strangers” (Hulu)
Julianne Nicholson — “Mare of Easttown” (HBO)
Jean Smart — “Mare of Easttown” (HBO)
Best foreign language series
“Acapulco” (Apple TV+)
“Call My Agent!” (Netflix)
“Lupin” (Netflix)
“Money Heist” (Netflix)
“Narcos: Mexico” (Netflix)
“Squid Game” (Netflix) *WINNER
