The Critics Choice Awards can be one of the biggest predictors for Oscar gold.
Several stars followed up their honors from last week’s Golden Globes with Critics Choice trophies.
Joaquin Phoenix, Laura Dern, and Renee Zellweger were all repeat winners. And while Brad Pitt also won once again, he opted to skip the ceremony.
Trophy time: Joaquin Phoenix won the first Critics’ Choice Award of the evening, following up last week’s Golden Globes win for Best Actor with another top acting gong
Joaquin was the first win of the evening, taking the stage to thank the awards for their green approach, offering plant-based meals to offset their carbon footprint.
Then he offered a heartfelt message to his mom, telling her she’d ‘always been [his] greatest inspiration and even when self-pity got in the way.’
He went on to thank Scott Silver and director Todd Phillips for creating an introspective, nuanced look into the effects of mental illness.
‘Scott Silver and Todd Phillips, you checked us. You took a comic book character and used it to talk about childhood trauma, gun violence, isolation and mental health. And instead of inciting violence, you invited the audience in to see what it feels like when you’re one of the forgotten,’ he said.
Seth Meyers came out to give out the Best Supporting Actress award.
The award went to Laura Dern for her role in Marriage Story. During her acceptance speech she gave a shout out to the rest of the women in her category.
‘I share this with all of you,’ she told Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Lopez, her Little Women co-star Florence Pugh, Margot Robbie, The Farewell’s Zhao Shuzhen.
Then she made a reference to her hit HBO show Big Little Lies, inviting all the gals to ‘come to Monterrey.’
Winner: Laura Dern won Best Supporting Actress for her role in Marriage Story
Congrats: She hugged her co-star Adam Driver before taking the stage
Nancy Drew’s Kennedy McMann and Scott Wolfe gave out Best Supporting Actress And Actor In A Comedy Series.
The awards went to Alex Borstein for Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Andrew Scott for Fleabag.
Borstein thanked her parents for being her ‘harshest critics’ while always supporting her.
After joking about he and Alex’s matching red outfits, he thanks the States for welcoming the British comedy with open arms.
Family to thank: Alex Borstein thanked her parents for being her ‘harshest critics’ while always supporting her after winning Best Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series.
Color coordinated: Best Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series winner Andrew Scott joked about he and Alex’s matching red outfits, before thanking the States for welcoming the British comedy with open arms
Then Scott thanked creator Phoebe Waller Bridge and the show’s team for fostering ‘an atmosphere that was so creative, generous and wonderful.’
Kate Beckinsale stepped on stage to give out Best Action Movie, which went to Avengers: Endgame. After naming the litany of stars in the film, Kate accepted the award on the cast’s behalf.
Lucy Hale and Ashley Murray from Riverdale gave out the award for Best Supporting Actor and Actress in a Drama Series.
Jean Smart won for Watchmen while Billy Crudup won for The Morning Show.
In their stead: Presenter Kate Beckinsale accepted the Best Action Film award for Avengers: Endgame on behalf of the cast and filmmakersv
Supportive: Lucy Hale and Ashley Murray from Riverdale gave out the award for Best Supporting Actor and Actress in a Drama Series
Best Animated feature went to Toy Story 4, which was accepted by director Josh Cooley.
The Unicorn’s Walton Goggins and TV host Chris Hardwick gave out Best Actor In A Drama Series which went to Jeremy Strong for Succession.
He joked about how co-stars Kiernan Culkin and Nicholas Braun bet him $100 if he started rapping during his speech, but that he was stopped by his wife. Then he offered heartfelt thanks to the writers and creators of the show.
Best Actress in a drama series went to Regina King for Watchmen. Not in attendance, the presenters accepted her award on her behalf.
Success! Best Actor In A Drama Series which went to Jeremy Strong for Succession
Lifetime honor: One of the major events of the evening was Eddie Murphy’s Lifetime Achievement Award
One of the major events of the evening was Eddie Murphy’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
He was full of gratitude – and a few expletives – as he thanked the critics and fans.
‘Being able to make a living as an actor is privilege and a blessing and to make living making people laugh your the luckiest person in the world to be able to do that,’ he told the room of actors and critics.
Schitt’s Creek’s Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy gave out the honor for Best Limited Series.
The award went to HBO’s When You See Us, the drama based on the trial of the Exonerated Five, previously known as the Central Park 5.
Creator/co-writer/director Ava DuVernay accepted the award, first sending her gratitude to the 179 actors, 312 crew members who made the show happen. She went on to thank her ‘champions at Netflix’ for letting ‘a black women do her thing.
A story of justice: Ava DuVernay accepted the Best Limited Series award for HBO’s When You See Us, the drama based on the trial of the Exonerated Five, previously known as the Central Park 5
Then she thanked the real life Exonerated Five for inspiring her to tell their story.
‘This series began with a tweet from Raymond Santana and now he, Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam and the mighty Korey Wise, stand for something larger than they ever imagined,’ she told the audience.
‘They stand for justice, they shine bright like the gems they always were but that we never saw. If you watch their story and felt something in that moment, I invite you to consider doing something.’
She went on: ‘There’s no right thing to do. Do what you feel, where you are but don’t let your anger and sadness be all. Cases like this are happening all around the world, in this country, most specifically on our watch. People who are poor and innocent are behind bars, while the rich and guilty walk free and gain power.’
Laugh out: Best Comedy went to Dolemite Is My Name. Star Eddie Murphy and producer John Davis accepted the honor
Comedian Sebastian Maniscalco gave out Best Comedy, which went to Dolemite Is My Name.
Producer John Davis accepted the speech, first thanking Eddie for having the ‘pleasure of making five movies with funniest guy in the world.’
Eddie shared few words as well, thanking the team as well as Netflix and their chief content officer Ted Sarandos.
Prodigal Son’s Michael Sheen and Tom Payne presented Best Actress In A Comedy Series.
Winning streak: Phoebe Waller Bridge proved she was on a roll, following up her Golden Globe win of last week with another acting honor
Phoebe Waller Bridge proved she was on a roll, following up her Golden Globe win of last week with another acting honor.
She joked about how her big week and repeat awards speeches had given her a scratchy yet ‘sexy’ voice before thanking the critics.
Kelly Clarkson gave out Best Actor In A Comedy Series which went to Bill Hader for Barry. Kelly accepted the award for the comedian, who was not present.
Allison Brie and Sam Heughan presented Best Acting Ensemble, which went to The Irishman.
Leading man Robert DeNiro was joined by a sunglasses-clad Al Pacino, who thanked the A-list cast and director Martin Scorsese for ‘making it possible.’
Group effort: The Irishman’s lead Robert DeNiro accepted the film’s award for Best Ensemble
After ribbing network The CW a bit, Nick Kroll presented Best Talk Show which ended in a tie.
The Late Late Show With James Corden won alongside Late Night With Seth Meyers.
Seth himself took the stage to thank the critics, as well as all the people in the audience that had appeared during his late night slot, lending to its success.
Meanwhile, Corden’s executive producer Ben Winston accepted the award for the team.
Ted Danson gave the evening’s #SeeHer Award for inspirational female talent to his The Good Place castmate Kristen Bell.
The award ‘recognizes a woman who embodies the values set forth by the SeeHer movement, to push boundaries on changing stereotypes and acknowledge the importance of authentic portrayals of women across the entertainment landscape.’
Talking about womanhood in the modern age, Kristen told audiences: ‘Sometimes I do get asked, What does it mean to be a woman today? And I respond always by asking them to repeat the question so I can buy more time because it’s a really, really hard question.’
‘It is just about giving yourself permission to be the things that you really are, which seems very easy but it is not because women have been conditioned to fit into boxes.’
Good going: Ted Danson gave the evening’s #SeeHer Award for inspirational female talent to his The Good Place castmate Kristen Bell
JB Smoove and Niecy Nash gave out Best Comedy Special. It went to ABC’s Live in Front of a Studio Audience presentation of classic episodes of Norman Lear’s All in the Family and The Jeffersons.
TV legend and executive producer Norman Lear accepted the honor.
‘I have long thought and said that laughter adds time to ones life and you guys, all of you have added so much time to my life,’ he said.
The sprightly nonagenarian concluded his speech with some levity, saying: ‘Somebody asked me earlier in this room how it feels to be an old man… I said I’m only 97 and when I run into an old man I’ll ask him.’
He also gave special thanks to Jimmy Kimmel, for inspiring the whole project.
A legend: Best Comedy Special went to ABC’s Live in Front of a Studio Audience presentation of classic episodes of Norman Lear’s All in the Family and The Jeffersons. The award was accepted by Lear himself
Sara Gilbert and Bradley Whitford presented Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television.
The award went to Michelle Williams, who was not present to accept.
Gilbert and Whitford went on to award Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television to Jharrel Jerome of When They See Us.
Like director DuVernay, he sent his gratitude to the Exonerated Five and ‘everything they’ve been through.’
An honor: Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made For Television went to Jharrel Jerome of When They See Us. Like director DuVernay he thanked the Exonerated Five for ‘everything they’ve been through.’
Lupita Nyong’o awarded Best Supporting Actor to Brad Pitt for Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood, who was not there to accept his award.
But his director Quentin Tarantino stepped in, saying he agreed with the critics ‘for the very first time’ when it came to Brad’s win.
Brian Cox of Succession handed out Best Comedy Series to Fleabag, so Phoebe took the stage once more.
After thanking her team and giving a special shout out to the show’s composer, she thanked Supporting Actress nominee Jennifer Lopez for being a surprising inspiration.
Explaining, the show creator revealed that she decided The Priest’s favorite song was her hit Jenny From The Block and it ‘really opened up the character.’
Adam Devine and Edi Patterson awarded Best Drama Series to Succession. Executive Producer Kevin Messick thanked the critics for spotting the potential of the show early on and getting people to watch.
Ray Liotta presented the Best Actress award, which went to Renée Zellweger for Judy, making her another one of the many people following up their Golden Globes wins from last week.
During her speech Renee thanked the rest of the women in her category as well as some other divas in the audience, telling them: ‘I admire you and your work and the women you are representing this community. You made me proud to be part of it.’
John Lithgow had the honor of giving Best Director, which was a tie between 1917’s Sam Mendes, who was not present, and Parasite’s Bong Joon Ho.
He spoke through a translator, admitting the award was unexpected.
‘Today I was just trying to enjoy the vegan burger and the ceremony,’ he joked before expressing how honored he was to be in a category alongside Noah Baumbach, Greta Gerwig, fellow winner Sam Mendes, the Safdie brothers, Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino.