31st Annual Critics' Choice Awards here to kick off the new year and 2026 awards season.
The 2026 Critics Choice Awards will honor the best in film, television and streaming performances when they air on Sunday, January 4th. The impressive list of nominees includes big and small screen stars such as Timothée Chalamet, Kathy Bates, Ariana Grande and Sterling K. Brown. Those who win awards in the film categories could be the frontrunners for the Oscars this awards season, as the Critics' Choice Awards have historically been “the most accurate predictor of Academy Award nominations,” according to a press release.
On the film side, The Sinners led the way with 17 nominations, followed by One Battle After Another with 14. On the television side, Teenager received six nominations, while Nobody Wants It was nominated in five categories.
This year, the three-hour ceremony will again take place at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California, and will be hosted by comedian Chelsea Handler. It will also feature four new categories: Best Variety Series, Best Stunt Design, Best Cast and Ensemble and Best Sound.
Read on to find out everything you need to know about the 2026 Critics Choice Awards, including how to tune in.
When is the 2026 Critics' Choice Awards?
The 2026 Critics Choice Awards will take place on Sunday, January 4th, marking the first major awards ceremony of the new year.
What time is the 2026 Critics' Choice Awards?
The ceremony will be broadcast live on both coasts starting at 7:00 pm ET/4:00 pm PT. The show will end at 10:00 pm ET/7:00 pm PT.
How to Watch and Stream the 2026 Critics' Choice Awards
The 2026 Critics Choice Awards will air live on E! and US networks.
TV and film fans can also watch the show on USANetwork.com or the USA, E!, SYFY and Oxygen apps.
Will there be a pre-show?
Viewers can tune in early to the pre-show to see all the red carpet arrivals. Eh! and USA Network will air the “LIVE from E!: Critics Choice Awards” red carpet special starting at 5:00 pm ET/2:00 pm PT. The special offer will be valid until the start of the show.
The red carpet show will be hosted by Justin Sylvester and Keltie Knight, along with Will Marfuggi and Erin Lim Rhodes.
In addition, Rhodes will host a live broadcast of E! Creator Cam, which will begin at 6:15 pm ET/3:15 pm. Rhodes' behind-the-scenes content from the red carpet will air on E! News accounts on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube Shorts; Eh! Entertainment's YouTube Shorts; and Instagram, TikTok and YouTube Shorts from USA Network.
Additional content will also be available on the Critics Choice Awards Instagram, YouTube Shorts and TikTok pages.
If you miss the show, a 30-minute recap of E! “Live RE!CAP: Critics' Picks” will air immediately following the show's conclusion at 10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT. Marfuggi, Robin Delmonte and Monét X Change will host the final show.
Who will be hosting the 2026 Critics Choice Awards?
Comedian Chelsea Handler will return to host the 2026 Critics Choice Awards for the fourth year in a row.
“Kicking off the year with the Critics Choice Awards feels right—nothing says 'new beginnings' like a room full of critics ready to tell you how you did last year,” Handler joked in an interview. statement.
Who will present the 2026 Critics Choice Awards?
A host of stars will take to the stage throughout the evening to present awards. Some of the speakers will also be nominated.
The list of speakers included:
- Ali Larter
- Alicia Silverstone
- Allison Janney (also nominated)
- Arden Cho
- Ava DuVernay
- Bradley Whitford
- Billy Bob Thornton (also nominated)
- Diego Luna (also nominated)
- EJAE (also nominated)
- Hannah Einbinder (also nominated)
- Jeff Goldblum
- Jessica Williams
- Justin Hartley
- Justin Sylvester
- Kaley Cuoco
- Kate Hudson
- Celtic knight
- Marcello Hernandez
- McKenna Grace
- Michelle Randolph
- Noah Schnapp
- Owen Cooper (also nominated)
- Quinta Brunson
- Regina Hall
- Rhea Seehorn (also nominated)
- Sebastian Maniscalco
- William H. Macy
Who's nominated for the 2026 Critics' Choice Awards?
The 2026 Critics Choice Awards will see stars like Timothée Chalamet, Michael B. Jordan and Leonardo DiCaprio go head-to-head in the best actor category. Meanwhile, Chase Infinity, Amanda Seyfried and Emma Stone are just some of the big names nominated in the Best Actress category.
Competition is also fierce on television, with Sterling K. Brown, Diego Luna and Noah Wyle vying for best actor in a drama series, and Kathy Bates, Keri Russell and Carrie Coon vying for best actress in a drama series.
Here are a few more nominees in categories such as Best Picture and Best Comedy Series:
Best Film
- “Bugonia”
- “Frankenstein”
- “Hamnet”
- “Jay Kelly”
- “Marty Supreme”
- “One battle after another”
- “Sentimental Value”
- “Sinners”
- “Dream Train”
- “Wicked: For Good”
Best Actor
- Timothée Chalamet – “Marty Supreme”
- Leonardo DiCaprio – “One Battle After Another”
- Joel Edgerton – “Dream Train”
- Ethan Hawke – “Blue Moon”
- Michael B. Jordan – “Sinners”
- Wagner Moura – “Secret Agent”
Best Actress
- Jessie Buckley – “Hamnet”
- Rose Byrne – “If I Had Legs, I'd Kick You”
- Chase Infinity – “One Battle After Another”
- Renate Reinsve – “Sentimental Value”
- Amanda Seyfried – “The Testament of Ann Lee”
- Emma Stone – “Bugonia”
Best Drama Series
- “Alien: Earth”
- “Andor”
- “Diplomat”
- “Paradise”
- “Pitt”
- “More”
- “Break”
- “Task”
Best Actor in a Drama Series
- Sterling K. Brown – “Paradise”
- Diego Luna – “Andor”
- Mark Ruffalo – “The Assignment”
- Adam Scott – “Break”
- Billy Bob Thornton – “The Landlord”
- Noah Wyle – Pitt
Best Actress in a Drama Series
Kathy Bates – “Matlock”
Carrie Coon – “The Gilded Age”
Britt Lower – “Break”
Bella Ramsey – “The Last of Us”
Keri Russell – “The Diplomat”
Rhea Seehorn – “More”
Best Comedy Series
“Abbott Elementary”
“Elsbeth”
“Ghosts”
“Khaki”
“Nobody wants this”
“Only murders in the building”
“Righteous Gems”
“Studio”
Best Actor in a Comedy Series
Adam Brody – “Nobody Wants It”
Ted Danson – “Inside Man”
David Alan Grier – Saint Denis Medical
Danny McBride – “Righteous Gems”
Seth Rogen – “The Studio”
Alexander Skarsgård – “Killer Robot”
Best Actress in a Comedy Series
Kristen Bell – “Nobody Wants This”
Natasha Lyonne – “Poker Face”
Rose McIver – “Ghosts”
Edie Patterson – “Righteous Gems”
Carrie Preston – “Elsbeth”
Jean Smart – “Khaki”
View the full list of nominees Here.
