Critics' Choice Awards Best Moments
Critics’ Choice Awards Best Moments ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

The winners of the 31st Critics Choice Awards have been declared. One Battle After Another, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, took home the coveted Best Picture prize as Timothée Chalamet won Best Actor for his performance in the sports drama Marty Supreme. The Best Actress trophy went to Jessie Buckley for her emotionally powerful act in Hamnet, directed by Chloé Zhao.

Beyond the awards, the ceremony delivered plenty of memorable onstage moments that kept viewers thoroughly engaged. Here are the five standout highlights that truly stole the spotlight.

1. Rob Reiner Tribute

The Critics Choice Awards ceremony took an emotional turn as the host paid tribute to Rob Reiner, the celebrated multi-hyphenate whose work left a lasting mark on film and television. After rising to fame with the iconic 1970s sitcom All in the Family, the Primetime Emmy winner went on to be associated with acclaimed films such as This Is Spinal Tap, Misery, A Few Good Men, and The Wolf of Wall Street.

Chelsea Handler led the heartfelt tribute, fondly calling Reiner “the nicest guy in Hollywood.” She also shared a personal anecdote, recalling her last text exchange with him just months earlier. As the first major awards ceremony following his passing, the moment resonated deeply with the audience, making it one of the night’s most moving highlights.

2. Owen Cooper’s Win

Young English actor Owen Cooper made Critics Choice history by winning Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series for his powerful performance in Adolescence. He was recognised for portraying Jamie Miller, a 13-year-old boy arrested for the murder of a schoolmate. With this win, Cooper became the youngest recipient in this category, marking a major milestone in his early career.

During his emotional acceptance speech, Owen said, “This past year has been a complete whirlwind for me and my family, honestly. It’s changed our lives forever. We’re forever grateful. We cherish every single moment of it.”

3. Timothée Chalamet’s Endearing ‘Thank You’ To Kylie Jenner

As mentioned earlier, Timothée Chalamet won the Best Actor award for his nuanced portrayal of gifted table tennis player Marty Mauser in the period sports drama Marty Supreme. While accepting his first Critics’ Choice trophy, he graciously acknowledged fellow nominees, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Ethan Hawke, Joel Edgerton, Wagner Moura, and Michael B. Jordan.

The moment turned especially heartfelt when he looked toward Kylie Jenner and said, “Thank you to my partner for three years. I love you. I couldn’t do this without you.” Kylie Jenner was seen mouthing “I love you” back, making it one of the night’s most endearing highlights.

4. Kathy Bates & A Ping-Pong Paddle

Chelsea Handler kicked off a playful segment involving Timothée Chalamet. She revealed that Timothée Chalamet had arrived at the venue and that a ping-pong paddle (an obvious nod to Marty Supreme) was hidden under one lucky seat. The host joked that the person who found it would get a chance to spank the actor at the afterparty. The cameras then cut to Kathy Bates, who was holding the paddle. Then she casually licked the paddle, turning the moment into one of the night’s most entertaining highlights.

5. Jessie Buckley’s Words To Her Co-Star Paul Mescal

Jessie Buckley, who nailed the role of William Shakespeare’s wife Agnes in Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet, won the Best Actress trophy for her heartrending performance in the film. While Buckley and Paul Mescal’s performances brought audiences to tears in the movie, that wasn’t the case with the 2026 Critics Choice Awards. In fact, it was quite the opposite.
While accepting the award, she gave a playful shout-out to the Gladiator II actor, Mescal. She said, “Paul, I bloody love you, man. And I know loads of other women in this room do too, but – tough ****.”

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