Pride Month arrived a few days early in Los Angeles as the Critics Choice Association hosted its 3rd Annual Celebration of LGBTQ+ Cinema & Television on May 29 at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, honoring a diverse group of actors, writers, directors and creators whose work has helped expand queer representation across film and television. The event celebrated both established trailblazers and a new generation of LGBTQ+ storytellers, with heartfelt speeches, standing ovations and a recurring message about the importance of visibility at a moment when representation remains more vital than ever.
Among the night’s most warmly received honorees was Emmy winner Dan Levy, who accepted the Vanguard Award for his Netflix series Big Mistakes. Levy reflected on the power of telling queer stories without compromise and spoke about the responsibility that comes with creating characters audiences can see themselves in. The room also erupted for Jane Lynch, who received the Groundbreaker Award recognizing a career that has helped normalize LGBTQ+ visibility across television and comedy. Lynch, never one to miss an opportunity for humor, mixed laughs with gratitude as she reflected on the progress made by the community and the work still ahead.
Hacks star Hannah Einbinder accepted the Performance Award for a Comedy Series and received one of the evening’s longest ovations. The actress spoke emotionally about the show’s impact on queer audiences and the importance of authentic representation on-screen. Fellow television honoree Bre-Z was recognized with the Performance Award for a Drama Series for her work on All American, while Ghosts scene-stealer Brandon Scott Jones received the Supporting Performance Award for a Comedy Series. Jones drew applause as he discussed the value of portraying queer characters whose identities are only one part of their larger stories.
The evening also spotlighted one of television’s newest and most inclusive ensembles, as the cast of Paramount+’s Star Trek: Starfleet Academy accepted the Ensemble Award. Honorees included Tig Notaro, Karim Diané, Gina Yashere and Kerrice Brooks. The Critics Choice Association cited the series’ “dynamic romantic storylines exploring queer love,” including Diané’s groundbreaking portrayal of Jay-Den Kraag, the franchise’s first gay Klingon, along with the workplace romance between Notaro’s Jett Reno and Yashere’s Lura Thok. The quartet received a warm ovation from the ballroom, with attendees celebrating the show’s expansion of LGBTQ+ representation within the long-running Star Trek universe.
The event also spotlighted creators behind the camera. Emmy-winning director Dearbhla Walsh accepted the Director Award for Margo’s Got Money Troubles, while Jacob Tierney received the Showrunner Award for the hockey romance phenomenon Heated Rivalry, which became one of the breakout queer television successes of the year. Tierney spoke about the passionate audience that embraced the series and the importance of telling LGBTQ+ love stories with the same scope and emotional stakes traditionally afforded to heterosexual romances.
Comedy legend Paula Pell was honored with the Trailblazer Award and delivered one of the night’s most heartfelt speeches, thanking the writers, performers and executives who helped create opportunities for queer voices throughout her career. Pell’s remarks about community and mentorship resonated throughout the ballroom and underscored the celebratory spirit of the evening.
As the ceremony concluded, the collective achievements of the honorees illustrated the growing breadth of LGBTQ+ storytelling across entertainment. The 2026 class included Lynch, Levy, Pell, Einbinder, Bre-Z, Jones, Walsh and Tierney, representing comedy, drama, directing and producing at the highest levels of the industry. More than an awards ceremony, the Critics Choice Association’s annual gathering served as a reminder of how far queer representation has come—and how artists across television and film continue to push it forward.
