Celebrity smorgasbord: Critics Choice Awards celebrates talent, from ‘The Bear’ to ‘Barry’
Live, from the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles, the 29th Critics Choice Awards air Sunday, Jan. 14, on the CW.
The Critics Choice Awards, presented annually, honor the best in both film and television throughout the year. The event, which celebrates innovation, talent and storytelling, shares accolades and praise throughout multiple categories, including: Best Comedy/Drama Series, Best Actor/Actress in a Drama Series, Best Supporting Actor/Actress in a Drama Series, Best Foreign Language Series, Best Talk Show and Best Comedy Special, just to name a few. Additionally, each year the SeeHer Award honors a woman who portrays characters with authenticity and advocates for gender equality. This year, the eighth annual SeeHer Award is presented to long-time activist, actor, director and producer America Ferrera (“Barbie,” 2023).
Currently, “The Morning Show” (Apple TV+) leads with six nominations, including Best Drama Series and Best Actress in a Drama Series, for both Jennifer Aniston (“Friends”) and Reese Witherspoon (“Big Little Lies”). HBO’s “Succession” comes in a close second with five nominations, including that for Best Drama Series and Best Actor in a Drama Series, given to former Roys Kieran Culkin (“Igby Goes Down,” 2002) and Jeremy Strong (“The Big Short,” 2015).
“A Small Light” (Netflix), “Abbott Elementary” (ABC), “Beef” (Netflix), “Lessons in Chemistry” (Apple TV+), “Loki” (Disney+), “Reservation Dogs” (FX) and “The Bear” (FX) all follow with four nominations a piece. Keeping to trend for this year’s award season, HBO/Max has earned the most nominations for a singular network, with 23 nods across all categories. Netflix tails in a close second with 21 nominations, while Apple TV+ and FX tied with 16.
When asked what fans can expect throughout the night, Critics Choice Awards CEO Joey Berlin stated: “Viewers of the 29th annual Critics Choice Awards will see more film and television stars — as well as producers, directors, craftspeople and studio executives — than any other show, period.” In fact, this year’s event will be hosted by comedian Chelsea Handler (“Chelsea Lately”), who returns to the stage for a second year, replacing Taye Diggs (“All American”) in the role.
“I am very happy and excited to be hosting the Critics Choice Awards again this year, as last year was one of the most fun nights I’ve had,” Handler told Deadline. “There is no greater reward than making fun of actors and then getting drunk with them afterward. It’s an honor.”
With names like Bill Hader (“Barry”), Ke Huy Quan (“Loki”), Pedro Pascal (“The Last of Us”) and Sarah Snook (“Succession”) all nominated for their work throughout 2023, it’s sure to be a who’s who of Hollywood’s best and brightest.
Prepare to do some star-spotting, as the 29th annual Critics Choice Awards air Sunday, Jan. 14, on the CW.