Awards season has officially kicked off in Los Angeles, and the Critics Choice Awards is next on the calendar in the countdown to the Oscars. The ceremony was set for this Sunday, January 12th, but Deadline broke the news that the major awards event has been postponed until January 26th to the wildfires raging across LA right now.
Film and TV buffs have their eyes on major film nominees like Wicked and A Complete Unknown, stars like Cynthia Erivo and Ralph Fiennes, and more celebrated works from 2024. Here’s everything you should know leading up to the Critics Choice Awards in Los Angeles.
When and where are the Critics Choice Awards?
The Critics Choice Awards is now scheduled to take place on Sunday, January 26th, 2025, from 7-10 pm PT/ET in the Barker Hanger at Santa Monica Airport in Santa Monica, CA.
The event was originally scheduled for January 12th but was postponed due to the nearby Pacific Palisades fire, which is raging in the hills a few miles away.
What are the Critics Choice Awards?
The American-Canadian Critics Choice Association (CCA) presents the Critics Choice Awards every year to honor achievements in film and television. Awards are given via a voting body of entertainment journalists and CCA film critics, which results in a more critical perspective than some other awards shows. Movie buffs often see Critics Choice award winners as a good predictor for the Oscars.
Who is hosting the Critics Choice Awards in 2025?
Chelsea Handler is returning to host the 30th annual Critics Choice Awards.
Where can I watch the 2025 Critics Choice Awards?
You can watch the awards show live on E! or stream it the next day on Peacock.
What are the rules for the Critics Choice Awards?
Nearly 600 voting members of the Critics Choice Association vote for the Critics Choice Awards. To qualify for membership in the CCA, applicants must be working film critics or TV journalists serving a wide audience.
The Critics Choice Awards are known to have more nominees for each category compared to the Oscars. This can result in a more diverse and inclusive selection. For example, there are ten nominees this year for Best Picture.
How do the Critics Choice Awards relate to the Oscars?
The Critics Choice Awards are considered a strong predictor for the acclaimed Academy Awards (Oscars), which Conan O’Brien will host on March 2, 2025. While the Critics Choice Awards include both film and TV, the Academy Awards are exclusively for film.
As mentioned, the Critics Choice Awards are voted on by film critics and journalists. However, the Oscars are voted on by AMPAS (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) members, who come from all over the industry.
Other relevant film and TV award shows include the Golden Globes, which took place on Jan. 5th, and the SAG Awards, which will happen on Feb. 23rd.
What are the most nominated films this year?
Wicked and Conclave are the Critics Choice Awards’ two most-nominated films this year, with 11 nominations each including the coveted Best Picture.
Wicked, the beloved musical telling the backstory of the Wicked Witch of the West, has racked up nominations including Cynthia Erivo for Best Actress, Ariana Grande for Best Supporting Actress, and John M. Chu for Best Director.
Conclave is a mystery thriller following a cardinal through the Vatican as he works to help select a new pope. Among its nominations are Ralph Fiennes for Best Actor, Isabella Rossellini for Best Supporting Actress, and Edward Berger for Best Director.
Dune: Part Two and Emilia Perez follow with ten nominations each including Best Picture. Dune: Part Two‘s Denis Villanueve got a nomination for Best Director, and Emilia Perez was also nominated for Best Foreign Language Film.
Who are the nominees for the most-coveted categories?
Here’s the rundown of nominees for some of the Critics Choice Awards’ most-coveted categories: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Drama Series. You can see the full list of nominees and categories on Rotten Tomatoes.
Best Picture
- A Complete Unknown
- Anora
- The Brutalist
- Conclave
- Dune: Part Two
- Emilia Pérez
- Nickel Boys
- Sing Sing
- The Substance
- Wicked
Best Actor
- Adrien Brody, The Brutalist
- Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown
- Daniel Craig, Queer
- Colman Domingo, Sing Sing
- Ralph Fiennes, Conclave
- Hugh Grant, Heretic
Best Actress
- Cynthia Erivo, Wicked
- Karla Sofía Gascón, Emilia Pérez
- Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hard Truths
- Angelina Jolie, Maria
- Mikey Madison, Anora
- Demi Moore, The Substance
Best Director
- Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez
- Sean Baker, Anora
- Edward Berger, Conclave
- Brady Corbet, The Brutalist
- Jon M. Chu, Wicked
- Coralie Fargeat, The Substance
- RaMell Ross, Nickel Boys
- Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two
Best Drama Series
- The Day of the Jackal
- The Diplomat
- Evil
- Industry
- Interview with the Vampire
- The Old Man
- Shōgun
- Slow Horses