5 key moments from the 2026 Critics Choice Awards that stole the spotlight
Once again, the awards season is around the corner. The 2026 edition of the Critics Choice Awards was held at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California, on Sunday, January 4. As expected, the event was a star-studded affair with Chelsea Handler appearing as the host of the night. This year's nominations for the coveted Best Picture category included several heavyweight entries such as Paul Thomas Anderson's 'One Battle After Another' and Ryan Coogler's 'Sinners'. While the former bagged the top prize, there were several memorable moments. Here are our top five picks.
Tribute to Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner
The tragic deaths of the celebrated actor-director and his film producer wife were poised to hang heavy on the awards night. However, as reported by Vogue, Handler spoke for everyone when she paid a tribute to Rob Reiner, referring to him as the "nicest guy in Hollywood". It is a testament to the countless lives that were touched by Reiner that Handler's monologue rang true: "Anyone who ever spent time with Rob Reiner knows that the minute you met him, he felt like an old friend when you were in a conversation with him. He was present, he was focused, and he was funny, and he would ask you tons of questions, whether you were discussing politics or film or the latest beauty trends."
Kathy Bates and the Ping Pong Puddle
When Handler finally announced that Chalamet had arrived at the venue, and that one lucky member of the gathering would soon find a ping pong paddle hidden beneath their seat in true 'Marty Supreme' fashion, little did anyone guess that the person in question would be Kathy Bates. As the camera whipped to Bates, everyone rolled in peals of laughter while she proceeded to lick the paddle, as Handler declared that the former would have the opportunity to spank Chalamet with the paddle at the afterparty, as per Us Weekly.
'Adolescence' leads the way
The Netflix show bagged the award for Best Limited Series, with the stars Stephen Graham, Erin Doherty, and Owen Cooper all taking home their own awards. Of particular note is Cooper's achievement, which, coupled with the fact that he's just sixteen years old, heralds a new era of success for the young actor. Cooper's acceptance speech confirmed this when he said, "We’ve cherished every single moment of it. To the directors, to the producers, to the cast, the crew, you took me on an emotional journey I never imagined I could go on.”
Timothée Chalamet's shout-out to Kylie Jenner
Chalamet spoke from the stage of the Critics Choice Awards while accepting the award for Best Actor and rolled out a special shout-out to his partner, Kylie Jenner. He said, "Thank you to my partner of three years. Thank you for our foundation. I love you. I couldn't do this without you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."
Diane Keaton tribute
Handler made it a point to honor the late actress Diane Keaton's memory, who passed away on October 11, 2025, by donning a black pantsuit. Handler remarked, "This little outfit is my nod to Diane Keaton, another person I think we should be remembering tonight." Handler further added that to her, Keaton was "somebody who made a big contribution to all of us and all the people in the room here. So I think it's good vibrations to remember all of these good people, right? Let’s keep the vibes high."
