Critics Choice Awards 2026 Winners List: I watched this year’s Critics Choice Awards with a pretty clear expectation of how the night would go, and honestly, it still managed to surprise me in a few smart ways.
Yes, One Battle After Another did exactly what everyone thought it would do. But the real story of the night wasn’t just dominance. It was momentum, quiet upsets, and a few wins that genuinely felt earned rather than predicted.
One Battle After Another Is Now the Film to Beat
There’s no dancing around it anymore. One Battle After Another didn’t just win Best Picture at the Critics Choice Awards; it tightened its grip on the entire awards season.
Paul Thomas Anderson winning Best Director felt inevitable, but the film also picking up Best Adapted Screenplay confirmed something bigger: critics aren’t just impressed by the craft, they’re fully behind the movie’s vision. When critics rally this hard, the Oscars usually follow.
That said, the night wasn’t a clean sweep, and that’s what made it interesting.
The Biggest Acting Surprise of the Night
Leonardo DiCaprio losing Best Actor definitely raised a few eyebrows. The win went to Timothée Chalamet for Marty Supreme, and if you’ve seen that performance, it’s not hard to understand why.
Chalamet’s win felt like a generational shift moment. Not flashy. Not loud. Just confidence from a voting body that clearly believes this was the performance of the year.
Jessie Buckley winning Best Actress for Hamnet was another critics-forward choice, subtle, emotionally precise, and very much in line with what this group tends to reward.
Critics Being Critics (In the Best Way)
One reason I always enjoy the Critics Choice Awards is that they’re voted on by journalists. That matters. The choices tend to lean a little braver, a little less safe.
Jacob Elordi winning Best Supporting Actor for Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein is a perfect example. It’s a bold, physical performance in a film that isn’t playing things safe at all.
Amy Madigan’s Supporting Actress win for Weapons was another great call. It’s one of those performances that steals scenes without demanding attention, and critics love that kind of confidence.
Animation, Tech, and Genre Love Done Right
Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters winning Best Animated Feature wasn’t just expected, it was deserved. The film has been a genuine phenomenon, and it showed up again with a Best Song win.
On the technical side, Frankenstein quietly cleaned up with wins for Production Design, Costume Design, and Hair and Makeup. Guillermo del Toro films tend to live in these categories, and this one clearly made an impression.
Full Critics Choice Awards Winners List
Film Awards
Best Picture
One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)
Best Actor
Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme (A24)
Best Actress
Jessie Buckley – Hamnet (Focus Features)
Best Supporting Actor
Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein (Netflix)
Best Supporting Actress
Amy Madigan – Weapons (Warner Bros.)
Best Young Actor / Actress
Miles Caton – Sinners (Warner Bros.)
Best Director
Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
Best Original Screenplay
Ryan Coogler – Sinners
Best Adapted Screenplay
Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
Best Casting and Ensemble
Francine Maisler – Sinners
Best Cinematography
Adolpho Veloso – Train Dreams
Best Production Design
Tamara Deverell, Shane Vieau – Frankenstein
Best Editing
Stephen Mirrione – F1
Best Costume Design
Kate Hawley – Frankenstein
Best Hair and Makeup
Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel, Cliona Furey – Frankenstein
Best Visual Effects
Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon, Daniel Barrett – Avatar: Fire and Ash
Also Read: Critics Choice Awards 2026: One Battle After Another Takes Best Picture and Shakes Up Oscar Season
Best Stunt Design
Wade Eastwood – Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
Best Animated Feature
KPop Demon Hunters (Netflix)
Best Comedy
The Naked Gun (Paramount)
Best Foreign Language Film
The Secret Agent (Neon)
Best Song
“Golden” – KPop Demon Hunters
Best Score
Ludwig Göransson – Sinners
Best Sound
F1 (Apple Original Films)
Television Awards
Drama
- Best Drama Series: The Pitt (HBO Max)
- Best Actor: Noah Wyle – The Pitt
- Best Actress: Rhea Seehorn – Pluribus
- Best Supporting Actor: Tramell Tillman – Severance
- Best Supporting Actress: Katherine LaNasa – The Pitt
Comedy
- Best Comedy Series: The Studio (Apple TV+)
- Best Actor: Seth Rogen – The Studio
- Best Actress: Jean Smart – Hacks
- Best Supporting Actor: Ike Barinholtz – The Studio
- Best Supporting Actress: Janelle James – Abbott Elementary
Limited Series & TV Movies
- Best Limited Series: Adolescence (Netflix)
- Best TV Movie: Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy
- Best Actor: Stephen Graham – Adolescence
- Best Actress: Sarah Snook – All Her Fault
- Best Supporting Actor: Owen Cooper – Adolescence
- Best Supporting Actress: Erin Doherty – Adolescence
Additional Categories
- Best Foreign Language Series: Squid Game
- Best Animated Series: South Park
- Best Talk Show: Jimmy Kimmel Live!
- Best Variety Series: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
- Best Comedy Special: SNL50: The Anniversary Special
Final Thoughts
The Critics Choice Awards didn’t try to reinvent the wheel this year, and that’s exactly why they worked.
One Battle After Another looks unstoppable heading into the Oscars, Timothée Chalamet just added another major milestone to his career, and television continues to prove that this era of storytelling is far from slowing down.
If this ceremony is any indication, the rest of the awards season is going to be very interesting to watch.
