Critics Choice Awards 2025: The best moments you may have missed


Chelsea Handler returned as the host for the third year in a row


Demi Moore, Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Zoe Saldaña at the 30th Critics Choice Awards© Getty Images
Ahad SanwariSenior Writer - New York
Updated: February 8, 2025
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After two postponements due to the devastating wildfires affecting several parts of Los Angeles, the 30th annual Critics Choice Awards are finally here.

The ceremony, celebrating the critics' picks for the best in film and TV, is being held at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California.

Chelsea Handler returned as the host for the third consecutive time this year, and it looks like this year's race is a very competitive one.

WATCH: Best Picture at the 2025 Critics Choice Awards goes to...

Conclave and Wicked were the films with the highest number of nominations, 11 each, followed by 10 for Dune: Part Two and Emilia Pérez, which has been thrown into controversy over the past few weeks especially over lead Karla Sofía Gascón's resurfaced social media posts. Emilia Pérez, The Substance and Wicked each won three prizes, although indie critical darling Anora surprised with a Best Picture win, its only win of the night.

Shōgun led TV shows with six nominations, following its very successful run at the Golden Globes in January. Abbott Elementary, The Diplomat, Disclaimer, Hacks, The Penguin and What We Do in the Shadows all received four nods each. Shōgun took home four prizes, the most of the night, followed by three for Hacks and two for The Penguin and Baby Reindeer.

Follow along as we recap the best moments from the show and the night's top wins…

© Getty Images for Critics Choice

Anora's surprise in Best FIlm

Despite not taking home any other prizes tonight, indie darling Anora walked away with Best Film, beating favorites Wicked, The Substance, Conclave and Emilia Pérez, making the rest of award season far from a closed case

© Getty Images for Critics Choice

Demi, Wicked, The Substance earn key wins

Wicked's Jon M. Chu surprised with a win in Best Director over favorites Jacques Audiard and Brady Corbet, Coralie Fargeat picked up Best Original Screenplay for The Substance and Peter Straughan for Adapted Screenplay for Conclave, while Demi Moore continued her hot streak with Best Actress and Adrien Brody for Best Actor

© Getty Images

Jackie Chan's return to the spotlight

Jackie Chan made an appearance as a presenter, his first Hollywood award show in over five years, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd and presenting Best Foreign Language Film to Emilia Pérez

© Getty Images for Critics Choice

Shōgun dominates with most TV prizes

Among the TV categories though, no one really dominated quite like Shōgun, with the acclaimed Japanese drama winning three prizes for its cast, plus Best Drama. Hacks took Best Comedy and two cast prizes of its own

© Getty Images for Critics Choice

Baby Reindeer, Hacks win big

Baby Reindeer picked up the Best Limited Series win, with Shōgun sweeping the Supporting categories. Jean Smart continued her awards season success with a prize for Hacks, with Adam Brody getting a win for Nobody Wants This, sweetly thanking his wife Leighton Meester weeks after losing their home in the LA wildfires

© Getty Images for Critics Choice

Emilia Pérez's emotional first win for Zoe Saldaña

Despite its controversial run over the past few weeks, Emilia Pérez continues to rack up the awards, picking up its first win tonight for presumed Oscar frontrunner Zoe Saldaña, who vaguely called out critics for unproductive criticism of the film.

© Getty Images

Conclave, Baby Reindeer take first wins

The first winners of the ceremony have been announced, including Conclave for Best Ensemble, Michael Urie (Shrinking) and Hannah Einbinder (Hacks) for supporting performances in comedies, and Liev Schreiber (The Perfect Couple) and Jessica Gunning (Baby Reindeer) for supporting performances in limited series

© Getty Images for Critics Choice

Chelsea Handler roasts Blake Lively v Justin Baldoni, Ariana Grande's new boyfriend, more

Chelsea Handler kicked things off with an explosive monologue ripping on the Blake Lively v Justin Baldoni legal battle, Ariana Grande's romance with Ethan Slater, Demi Moore's turn in The Substance and her commentary on aging, Nicole Kidman's erotic turn in Babygirl, and much more

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