The race for the Academy Awards has been dramatically reshaped following the results of the Critics Choice Awards, held on Sunday. Timothée Chalamet and Jessie Buckley emerged as the night's biggest acting winners, instantly transforming them into frontrunners for the upcoming Oscars.
Major Wins Reshape Oscar Landscape
In a significant upset, Timothée Chalamet secured the Best Actor award for his role in Marty Supreme, beating out the widely-tipped favourite, Leonardo DiCaprio, for One Battle After Another. Chalamet's victory, also over contenders Michael B. Jordan and Ethan Hawke, marks a pivotal moment in the awards season. In his emotional acceptance speech, the actor thanked his partner, Kylie Jenner, stating his success was shared with her.
On the Best Actress front, Jessie Buckley solidified her position as a leading Oscar contender for her performance in Hamnet. She triumphed over a strong field including Renate Reinsve, Emma Stone, and Amanda Seyfried. In a characteristically warm tribute, Buckley praised her co-star Paul Mescal, declaring her admiration for his talent and humanity.
Key Contenders and Surprise Packages
Despite Chalamet's win, One Battle After Another proved its overall strength by claiming the ceremony's top honours: Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay for Paul Thomas Anderson. This triple victory ensures the film remains a heavyweight in the Oscar conversation.
In terms of sheer numbers, however, two other films led the tally. Both Frankenstein and Sinners walked away with four awards each. Highlights included Jacob Elordi winning Best Supporting Actor for Frankenstein and Ryan Coogler taking Best Original Screenplay for Sinners.
Television Triumphs and Political Jabs
The television categories were dominated by the hard-hitting limited series Adolescence, which won Best Limited Series and three acting awards for its stars Stephen Graham, Owen Cooper, and Erin Doherty.
The ceremony also featured pointed commentary on the political landscape. South Park was awarded Best Animated Series for its satire of Donald Trump, while Jimmy Kimmel, who has publicly clashed with the former president, won Best Talk Show. In a curious note, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy won Best Movie Made for Television due to its US streaming premiere, despite a global cinematic release.
The awards are voted on by the Critics Choice Association and the Broadcast Television Journalists Association, representing the largest group of broadcast film and TV critics in the US and Canada.
