The 2026 awards season kicked off in significant style as the Critics' Choice Awards honoured the year's finest screen talent, with Timothee Chalamet and Jessie Buckley emerging as the night's major acting winners. The ceremony, held in Santa Monica, California and hosted by comedian Chelsea Handler, is widely viewed as a crucial early bellwether for the upcoming Academy Awards.
Major Film Honours Set Oscar Stage
In a result that solidifies their positions as frontrunners, both Chalamet and Buckley are strongly tipped for Oscar nominations when they are revealed later this month. Timothee Chalamet secured the Best Actor award for his role as an aspiring table tennis champion in Marty Supreme. During his acceptance speech on Monday 5 January 2026, the 30-year-old star thanked director Josh Safdie and gave a heartfelt shout-out to his partner, Kylie Jenner, stating their three-year relationship was a foundation he couldn't do without.
Jessie Buckley was named Best Actress for her performance in the historical drama Hamnet, based on Maggie O'Farrell's novel. In her speech, the Irish actress paid a colourful tribute to her co-star Paul Mescal, calling him a "giant of the heart." The top film prize, Best Picture, went to One Battle After Another, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, while Paul Thomas Anderson won Best Director.
British Drama Adolescence Dominates Television Categories
The ceremony also celebrated outstanding television, where the acclaimed British drama Adolescence was the undeniable standout, collecting four awards. The Netflix series, one of the platform's most-watched titles of 2025, follows a 13-year-old boy arrested for a classmate's murder. Its young star, Owen Cooper, now 16, won Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series, calling the past year a "complete whirlwind." His co-stars Stephen Graham and Erin Doherty won Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress in a limited series, respectively.
Other notable winners included Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy for Best Movie Made for Television, horror film Sinners which won four technical awards, and KPop Demon Hunters' track Golden for Best Song. The success for the Adolescence cast follows several Emmy wins and comes ahead of this weekend's Golden Globes ceremony, where many of the night's winners are also nominated.
Awards Season Momentum Builds
The Critics' Choice Awards, voted on by critics and journalists, have effectively set the tone for the hectic awards period ahead. Chalamet's win came just a day after he accepted the Spotlight Award at The Palm Springs International Film Awards, underscoring his powerful momentum. With Oscar nominations imminent and the Golden Globes this weekend, the victories for Chalamet, Buckley, and the team behind Adolescence have positioned them as ones to watch in the race for Hollywood's highest honours.
