This week, the Critics Choice Awards 2026 well and truly kicked off the entertainment industry’s award season to plenty of glitz and fanfare.
The night was a huge success for director Paul Thomas Anderson who won Best Picture and Best Director for One Battle After Another. Plus, actors Timothée Chalamet and Jessie Buckley who won best actor and actress for their work on Marty Supreme and Hamnet respectively.
It was also an exciting night for home-grown star Jacob Elordi who won Best Supporting Actor for his role in Frankenstein.
But along with the actual Critics Choice Awards, there were plenty of moments in between that the internet (and the TV WEEK team!) can’t stop talking about. Here, we’ve compiled all the special moments you might have missed.
For the full list of winners and nominees, click HERE.
Chelsea Handler’s tribute to Rob Reiner
For the fourth time in a row, comedian Chelsea Handler was tasked with hosting the Critics Choice Awards 2026. By all accounts, she did a wonderful job.
During her opening monologue, the Chelsea Lately host poked fun at celebrities like Leonard DiCaprio and Jeff Bezos, like all award show hosts are want to do.
However, at the end of her opener, Chelsea’s speech took a serious turn as she spoke about the shock death of her friend and beloved director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer, who were killed in their home in December 2025. Their son, Nick Reiner, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
“Everyone in this room knows that the nicest guy in Hollywood was Rob Reiner,” Handler said.
“The minute you met him, he felt like an old friend. When you were in a conversation, he was present, he was focused, he was funny and he would ask you a ton of questions, whether you were discussing politics, film or the latest beauty trends. He was all in.
After i sent him a text thanking him for dinner a few months ago, he sent me a text back saying ‘we had so much fun with you last night. Thanks for explaining so much about plastic surgery. It was very edifying’.”
You can watch the heartfelt moment below.
Owen Cooper makes history
At just 16 year old, Owen Cooper took home the Critics Choice award for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television role for his work in Stephen Graham’s Netflix series Adolescence. This win officially makes him the youngest person to ever win a Critics Choice Award.
“The past year has been a complete whirlwind for me and my family. Honestly, it’s changed our lives forever and we’re forever grateful,” he said whilst collecting the trophy on stage.
“Receiving this award means more to me than I can put even into words, to be standing here with you all tonight is something that I’ll never forget.”
The series follows a 13-year-old boy named Jamie Miller (Cooper) who is accused of murdering a girl at his school. The accusations shock everyone around him, including his family, as they’re left to reckon with what really went down.
Since Adolescence came out, Owen has been praised for his truly terrifying and nuanced portrayal of Jamie. The latest award comes after he won an Emmy in 2025 for the role.
Timothee Chalamet declares his love for Kylie Jenner
When actor Timothée Chalamet and reality star-turned-make up-mogul Kylie Jenner first got together, fans were sceptical. However, three years later, the glowing couple have stood the test of time.
Despite appearing at awards shows and premieres together, usually, the couple keep their PDA to a minimum. But as the Marty Supreme star accepted his award for Best Actor, he gave Kylie a special shout out.
“I’ve got a lot of people to thank. I don’t know if I’ll be up here again, so give me a second,” he said, before thanking his fellow nominees and Marty Supreme director Josh Safdie.
“Thank you to my partner of three years. Thank you for our foundation,” he said. “I love you. I couldn’t do this without you.”
You can watch the special moment below.
Hacks stars Meg Stalter and Paul W. Downs’ inspired red carpet look
One of the biggest red carpet moments at the Critics Choice Awards 2026 was when Hacks stars Meg Stalter and Paul W Downs stepped on the red carpet in outfits identical to what Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner wore to the Marty Supreme premiere a month prior.
“We’ve been shooting season five of Hacks so we haven’t had a lot of time to shop or pull so we just borrowed from friends,” Paul told the Hollywood Reporter.
“Yeah my really close friend — I’m not going to name any names — but she let me borrow this dress. Fits like a glove,” Meg added with a sly smile.
It’s truly one of the most iconic things to come out of the entire night with the comedy powerhouses proving that they are just as hilarious as their show is.
Well, there you have it. You’re all caught up!
The Critics Choice Awards are just the first step in the long-winded awards season so don’t worry — we’ll have more glitz and glamour for you soon!
