The 2025 Critics Choice Awards delivered plenty of excitement, but perhaps the biggest shock of the night was Zoe Saldaña taking home the Best Supporting Actress award for her role in Emilia Pérez.
The 46-year-old actress was visibly emotional as she accepted the honor, reflecting on the ups and downs of her career.
She also poked fun at some of the criticism she has received over the years, joking about how people say she is in “too many franchises” and that she is “too blue” thanks to her roles in Avatar and Guardians of the Galaxy.
Her win was particularly surprising given the controversy surrounding her film.
Emilia Pérez faced backlash after old racist and Islamophobic tweets from co-star Karla Sofía Gascón resurfaced.
While Saldaña thanked the cast and crew during her speech, she notably did not mention Gascón by name.
Conclave Kicks Off the Show with a Win
The ceremony, hosted by Chelsea Handler, began with Conclave winning Best Ensemble.
Ralph Fiennes, who stars in the film about the secretive process of selecting a new pope, accepted the award on behalf of the cast.
With an impressive ensemble that includes Stanley Tucci and John Lithgow, the film has been gaining momentum as an Oscars contender.
Delays and Devastation: The Impact of LA Fires
Originally scheduled for January, the Critics Choice Awards had to be postponed twice due to the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles.
The venue, Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, was dangerously close to fire-ravaged areas, leading officials to push the event to February.
Big Wins in Television
The night also saw some exciting wins on the television side.
Hacks and Shrinking stars Hannah Einbinder and Michael Urie took home awards for Best Supporting Actor and Actress in a Comedy Series, delivering a hilarious acceptance speech where they spoke over each other in a playful back-and-forth.
Meanwhile, Shōgun made a strong showing with back-to-back wins.
Tadanobu Asano and Moeka Hoshi both won in their respective supporting actor and actress categories for drama.
Hoshi, who traveled from Japan for the ceremony, gave a heartfelt speech acknowledging the impact of the LA fires and offering words of support to those affected.
The Penguin Takes Center Stage
Colin Farrell continued his awards-season dominance, winning Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for his transformation in The Penguin.
Covered in heavy prosthetics to play the Batman villain Oz Cobb, Farrell charmed the audience with his trademark wit, jokingly thanking the makeup department for their incredible work.
He also gave a heartfelt shoutout to first responders who battled the LA fires before amusingly searching the audience for Kathy Bates to personally acknowledge her.
Cristin Milioti, his Penguin co-star, also had her moment of glory, winning Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie.
Her portrayal of Sofia Gigante, the reluctant daughter of a mob boss, resonated with audiences and critics alike.
Baby Reindeer and Shōgun Dominate TV Categories
Netflix’s Baby Reindeer took home Best Limited Series, with Jessica Gunning, who had already won Best Supporting Actress, returning to the stage to accept the honor.
Hiroyuki Sanada won Best Actor in a Drama Series for his role in Shōgun, delivering an emotional speech.
Kathy Bates, legendary as ever, took home Best Actress in a Drama Series for her gender-swapped take on Matlock.
Shōgun further solidified its success by winning Best Drama Series, with co-creator Justin Marks leading the acceptance speech.
Emilia Pérez Wins Despite Controversy
Despite ongoing backlash against Karla Sofía Gascón, Emilia Pérez secured the Best Foreign Language Film award.
Director Jacques Audiard accepted the prize in French, joking about receiving an award from Jackie Chan, who had presented it.
Just like Saldaña, Audiard opted to thank the entire cast and crew without specifically mentioning Gascón.
The Battle for Best Picture
As the night moved toward its grand finale, all eyes were on the Best Picture category.
Wicked and Conclave led the nominations, both securing 11 nods.
Other major contenders included Dune: Part Two, The Substance, Anora, and Sing Sing.
Ariana Grande, up for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Wicked, faced tough competition from Danielle Deadwyler (The Piano Lesson), Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (Nickel Boys), Margaret Qualley (The Substance), Isabella Rossellini (Conclave), and winner Zoe Saldaña (Emilia Pérez).
Meanwhile, Cynthia Erivo battled for Best Actress against Angelina Jolie, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Demi Moore, and controversial nominee Karla Sofía Gascón.
A Competitive Field in Directing and Acting
The Best Director race was a tough one, featuring nominees such as Jacques Audiard (Emilia Pérez), Denis Villeneuve (Dune: Part Two), Jon M. Chu (Wicked), and Sean Baker (Anora).
Ralph Fiennes led the Best Actor category, competing against Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown), Adrien Brody (The Brutalist), and Colman Domingo (Sing Sing).
Kieran Culkin, known for his role in Succession, added to his awards-season success by winning Best Supporting Actor for A Real Pain.
Though he wasn’t present, presenter Lupita Nyong’o relayed that he was busy in Broadway rehearsals.
The Final Winners and What’s Next
With Shōgun leading TV nominations and Wicked and Conclave topping the film categories, this year’s Critics Choice Awards set the stage for what’s to come in the Oscars race.
Historically, these awards have been a strong predictor of Academy Award nominations, so many of the night’s winners may find themselves celebrating again soon.
The 30th Annual Critics Choice Awards aired live, recognizing excellence across film and television.
With thrilling wins, emotional speeches, and a few surprises along the way, the night proved once again why this ceremony remains one of the most exciting stops on the awards-season calendar.
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