Timothée Chalamet Stuns at Critics Choice Awards 2026, Oscar Race Heats Up
So, the 2026 Critics Choice Awards have officially kicked off this year’s Hollywood awards season, and right from the start, the Oscar conversation has been shaken up in a big way. The spotlight was firmly on Timothée Chalamet, who walked away with the Best Actor award for his performance in Marty Supreme , beating out none other than Leonardo DiCaprio. And yes, that win is already being seen as a major turning point in the race to the Academy Awards.
Chalamet’s victory came at a crucial moment. The Critics Choice Awards are the first major gala of the season, and momentum gained here is often carried straight into Oscar voting. His portrayal of a fiercely ambitious 1950s table tennis champion clearly struck a chord with critics. The film, loosely inspired by the real-life story of Marty Reisman, follows a flawed man chasing an unlikely dream in a sport that barely registered in the American mainstream at the time. What really elevated the role was the intensity Chalamet brought to it, helped by months of rigorous table tennis training that made the performance feel grounded and authentic.
That said, Leonardo DiCaprio did not leave empty-handed. His political thriller One Battle After Another dominated the night overall, winning Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay for Paul Thomas Anderson. Those wins sent a clear message that the film is a serious heavyweight in the Best Picture race, even if DiCaprio himself missed out on the acting prize this time.
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Elsewhere, the awards spread the love across film and television. Jessie Buckley took Best Actress for her emotional performance in Hamnet , while Jacob Elordi picked up Best Supporting Actor for his striking turn as the Monster in Frankenstein . Netflix also enjoyed success, with its animated musical KPop Demon Hunters winning both Best Animated Feature and Best Song.
On the TV side, The Pitt won Best Drama, The Studio claimed Best Comedy, and Adolescence was named Best Limited Series. The ceremony also mixed emotion with humor, as host Chelsea Handler paid tribute to the late Rob Reiner, while Jimmy Kimmel used his acceptance speech to crack jokes about his public clashes with U.S. President Donald Trump.
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