The 2026 Critics Choice Awards started off the awards season, taking the place of the Golden Globes as the first major awards show (the Globes are next Sunday). The first show almost always sets the tone, although this year’s tone is “the acting categories are up for grabs.” I think it’s pretty certain that Paul Thomas Anderson and One Battle After Another storm through the season, picking up all of the major Best Director and Best Picture awards, not to mention awards for Original Screenplay. Those are the awards OBAA picked up last night at the Critics Choice – PTA won director, screenplay and best picture, while OBAA’s actors went home empty-handed.
One of the biggest shocks, to me, was that Benicio del Toro didn’t win Supporting Actor for OBAA. He’s picked up tons of critics’ awards, and he is hands-down the critics’ favorite, right? Wrong. Jacob Elordi won supporting actor for Frankenstein, and he was genuinely surprised by it. Suddenly, Elordi might be a contender? Supporting Actress was a surprise too – Amy Madigan won for Weapons. A bold choice, a fun choice, and if nothing else, Madigan deserves awards for her body of work.
The best actress race has pretty much come down to Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You) versus Jessie Buckley (Hamnet). Byrne, like Benicio, has picked up a lot of critics’ awards in the past four weeks. But Jessie Buckley won the Critics Choice Award. So… that race will be interesting to watch. Jessie wore Dior, btw. Her dress was kind of terrible!
As for Best Actor… Timothee Chalamet won the Critics Choice for Marty Supreme. He beat Leo DiCaprio (OBAA), Joel Edgerton (Train Dreams), Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon), Michael B. Jordan (Sinners) and Walter Moura (The Secret Agent). I think the Oscar nominees list will be similar to that, give or take Ethan Hawke. Is Chalamet now the favorite of that group? Perhaps. Remember, Chalamet won the SAG Award last year for A Complete Unknown, then he lost the Oscar to Adrien Brody. Also: there’s been some gossip that “Hollywood is mad” that Chalamet has been bringing Kylie Jenner as his date to awards-circuit events, but I don’t believe it. Kylie has made it perfectly clear that she’s just attending these events as a plus-one, and she’s there to support Timmy. During his speech, he thanked Kylie as his “partner of three years” and called her his “foundation.” Aw.
Timothée Chalamet ended his Best Actor speech by thanking Kylie Jenner:
"Thank you to my partner of three years. Thank you for our foundation. I love you. I couldn't do this without you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart." pic.twitter.com/RnLVIAGPxm
— Spencer Althouse (@SpencerAlthouse) January 5, 2026
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Getty.
Jezebel predicted that Michael B Jordan would get the Oscar for Sinners and I’m still rooting for that, but in all fairness I haven’t yet seen Timmy’s movie.
So, Kylie is holding up her boobs in that pic, right? I bet sometimes those girls just feel way too heavy.
I’ve seen his film and Sinners and Blue Moon and Secret Agent and DiCaprio’s. And for me, Ethan Hawke’s performance was the strongest, followed by Jordan, then Moura, then Chalamet
Thanks for the tip! I will check out Blue Moon. The premise and cast are right up my alley but it wasn’t on my radar.
I’m glad that OBAA is winning things — that movie was phenomenal and everyone in it was so good. I wish The Secret Agent had a better shot at best picture, but at least it’s winning in the foreign language category.
As for Chalamet… eh. I feel like he takes on a lot of diverse roles but still mostly just plays himself. Like he doesn’t have a lot of range, so… someone else should’ve won here.
I just can’t get past the fact that he looks like a 12 yr old, even with the horrible mustache!
I think Ethan Hawke should have received the award instead of Timothee.
I think Chalamet can act, but as he ages abut he doesn’t have the glamor I’d associate with a big male movie star. Maybe dating Kylie Jenner doesn’t help …she’s definitely no Nicole Kidman.
He deserves his awards. It’s just kind of boring watching him receive them haha. If I didn’t have to hear about Kylie Jenner, his wins might be more interesting. Now I get why Ryan Gosling shows up alone – the star getting the award shines more as an actual big star.
I 🥰 PTA…EVA since opening weekend in the theater of “Hard Eight” in 1996….HOWEVA…I may NEVA watch OBAA & won’t have ANY issue if it won NOT NARY another award…
Though…I am glad it was made…and sad that current 🇺🇸 society makes it IMPOSSIBLE for me to ingest that movie WITHOUT causing self-harm
Sigh 😕
Hooray! Amy Madigan wins everything for me, just for wearing that great Dior ensemble.
I want that outfit-not that I am winning awards, but I would wear that every day for a month like a toddler with a tutu.
Kinda a bummer that the depth and artistry Timothee brings to his film roles really IS just acting, and when it comes down to it, he’s a basic bro.
They need to be considering Lee Byung Hun from No Other Choice. His performance is up there if not better than a lot of the ones nominated.
Appalled how much OBAA is picking up this late in the game for a horribly mid movie. The fetishization of the Black women’s body, white men as saviors for any kind of resistance movement is laughable, the exploitation of Black women’s sexuality were the major talking points I see surrounding this movie. Just the fact that Teyanna’s character is named that is atrocious. We all called it back in April and May when Sinners was going strong. The industry would fold over itself before they give any true and serious recognition to the amazing groundbreaking filmmaking that was. When Spike Lee gives his approval and crown over to a film no way we can ignore that.
I really loved OBAA. Great performances. Sinners and Weapons too. Chalamet has annoyed me over the last few months but I’m going to see the film tomorrow. Ethan Hawke was great in Blue Moon. Jessie is a terrific actress but I rarely like her fashion sense.