How are Critics Choice Awards winners selected? Voting process explained ahead of 2026 ceremony

The 31st annual Critics Choice Awards will be held on January 4, 2026.

The awards are decided by a relatively large group of professional critics. These voters watch films and television series and evaluate them within a structured process.

Here are the winners of the Critics Choice Awards 2025:

Film

• Best picture: Anora
• Best actor: Adrien Brody, The Brutalist
• Best actress: Demi Moore, The Substance
• Best supporting actor: Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain
• Best supporting actress: Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez
• Best young actor or actress: Maisy Stella, My Old Ass
• Best acting ensemble: Conclave
• Best director: Jon M. Chu, Wicked
• Best original screenplay: Coralie Fargeat, The Substance
• Best adapted screenplay: Peter Straughan, Conclave
• Best cinematography: Jarin Blaschke, Nosferatu
• Best production design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales, Wicked
• Best editing: Marco Costa, Challengers
• Best costume design: Paul Tazewell, Wicked
• Best hair and makeup: Stéphanie Guillon, Frédérique Arguello, Pierre-Olivier Persin, The Substance
• Best visual effects: Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe, Gerd Nefzer, Dune: Part Two
• Best animated feature: The Wild Robot
• Best comedy, tie: A Real Pain, Deadpool & Wolverine
• Best foreign language film: Emilia Pérez
• Best song: “El Mal”, Emilia Pérez
• Best score: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Challengers

Series categories

• Best drama series: Shōgun
• Best actor in a drama series: Hiroyuki Sanada, Shōgun
• Best actress in a drama series: Kathy Bates, Matlock
• Best supporting actor in a drama series: Tadanobu Asano, Shōgun
• Best supporting actress in a drama series: Moeka Hoshi, Shōgun
• Best comedy series: Hacks
• Best actor in a comedy series: Adam Brody, Nobody Wants This
• Best actress in a comedy series: Jean Smart, Hacks
• Best supporting actor in a comedy series: Michael Urie, Shrinking
• Best supporting actress in a comedy series: Hannah Einbinder, Hacks
• Best limited series: Baby Reindeer
• Best movie made for television: Rebel Ridge
• Best actor in a limited series or movie made for television: Colin Farrell, The Penguin
• Best actress in a limited series or movie made for television: Cristin Milioti, The Penguin
• Best supporting actor in a limited series or movie made for television: Liev Schreiber, The Perfect Couple
• Best supporting actress in a limited series or movie made for television: Jessica Gunning, Baby Reindeer
• Best foreign language series: Squid Game
• Best animated series: X Men ’97
• Best talk show: John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s in L.A.
• Best comedy special: Ali Wong: Single Lady

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How does the Critics Choice voting process work?

The voting process of the Critics Choice Awards is structured. There are separate tracks for film and television categories. As reported by Marca, the detailed timeline for voting is as follows:

Film awards timeline for the Critics Choice Awards

• Early December: Nominating ballots are distributed to CCA members in the film branch. Members submit their picks for each category.
• Mid-December: Official film nominations are announced.
• Early January: Final ballots are sent to members, listing the confirmed nominees.
• Mid-January: Voting closes.
• Mid-January: Winners are revealed during the awards ceremony.

Television awards timeline for the Critics Choice Awards

• Late September: Submissions open.
• Mid-November: Submissions close.
• Mid-November: Nomination committees begin deliberations.
• Early December: Television nominations are announced.
• Early January: Final ballots are sent.
• Mid-January: Voting closes.
• Mid-January: Winners are announced at the ceremony.

Once nominations are finalized, all eligible Critics Choice Awards members vote on the winners. Each category is decided by the majority. For television categories, nomination committees narrow down submissions before the membership votes.

According to the Critics Choice Awards official website:

"The CCA is a group of broadcast, radio, online critics, and entertainment journalists who review films, documentaries, and scripted and unscripted television. Founded 30 years ago by Joey Berlin, Rod Lurie and 42 founding members, the CCA is now the largest critics organization in the U.S. and Canada with more than 600 members."

Notably, the Critics Choice Real TV Awards have included fan-voted categories previously. However, these fan elements are limited.

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Complete list of nominees for the Critics Choice Awards 2026 film categories

Best picture:

Bugonia

Frankenstein

Hamnet

Jay Kelly

Sentimental Value

Marty Supreme

One Battle After Another

Sinners

Train Dreams

Wicked: For Good

Best actor:

Timothée Chalamet: Marty Supreme

Leonardo DiCaprio: One Battle After Another

Joel Egerton: Train Dreams

Ethan Hawke: Blue Moon

Michael B. Jordan: Sinners

Wagner Moura: The Secret Agent

Best actress:

Rose Byrne: If I Had Legs I’d Kick You

Jessie Buckley: Hamnet

Chase Infiniti: One Battle After Another

Renate Reinsve: Sentimental Value

Emma Stone: Bugonia

Amanda Seyfried: The Testament of Ann Lee

Best supporting actor:

Benicio del Toro: One Battle After Another

Jacob Elordi: Frankenstein

Paul Mescal: Hamnet

Sean Penn: One Battle After Another

Adam Sandler: Jay Kelly

Stellan Skarsgård: Sentimental Value

Best supporting actress:

Elle Fanning: Sentimental Value

Ariana Grande: Wicked: For Good

Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas: Sentimental Value

Amy Madigan: Weapons

Wunmi Mosaku: Sinners

Teyana Taylor: One Battle After Another

Best young actor or actress:

Everett Blunck: The Plague

Miles Caton: Sinners

Cary Christopher: Weapons

Shannon Mahina Gorman: Rental Family

Jacobi Jupe: Hamnet

Nina Ye: Left-Handed Girl

Best director:

Paul Thomas Anderson: One Battle After Another

Ryan Coogler: Sinners

Guillermo del Toro: Frankenstein

Josh Safdie: Marty Supreme

Joachim Trier: Sentimental Value

Chloé Zhao: Hamnet

Best original screenplay:

Noah Baumbach and Emily Mortimer: Jay Kelly

Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie: Marty Supreme

Ryan Coogler: Sinners

Zach Cregger: Weapons

Eva Victor: Sorry, Baby

Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier: Sentimental Value

Best adapted screenplay:

Paul Thomas Anderson: One Battle After Another

Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar: Train Dreams

Park Chan-wook, Lee Kyoung-mi, Don McKellar, Jahye Lee: No Other Choice

Guillermo del Toro: Frankenstein

Will Tracy: Bugonia

Chloé Zhao and Maggie O’Farrell: Hamnet

Best casting and ensemble:

Nina Gold: Hamnet

Douglas Aibel and Nina Gold: Jay Kelly

Jennifer Venditti: Marty Supreme

Cassandra Kulukundis: One Battle After Another

Francine Maisler: Sinners

Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey: Wicked: For Good

Best cinematography:

Claudio Miranda: F1

Dan Laustsen: Frankenstein

Łukasz Żal: Hamnet

Michael Bauman: One Battle After Another

Autumn Durald Arkapaw: Sinners

Adolpho Veloso: Train Dreams

Best production design:

Kasra Farahani and Jille Azis: The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau: Frankenstein

Fiona Crombie and Alice Felton: Hamnet

Jack Fisk and Adam Willis: Marty Supreme

Hannah Beachler and Monique Champagne: Sinners

Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales: Wicked: For Good

Best editing:

Kirk Baxter: A House of Dynamite

Stephen Mirrione: F1

Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie: Marty Supreme

Andy Jurgensen: One Battle After Another

Viridiana Lieberman: The Perfect Neighbor

Michael P. Shawver: Sinners

Best costume design:

Kate Hawley: Frankenstein

Malgosia Turzanska: Hamnet

Lindsay Pugh: Hedda

Colleen Atwood and Christine Cantella: Kiss of the Spider Woman

Ruth E. Carter: Sinners

Paul Tazewell: Wicked: For Good

Best hair and makeup:

Flora Moody and John Nolan: 28 Years Later

Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel, Cliona Furey: Frankenstein

Siân Richards, Ken Diaz, Mike Fontaine, Shunika Terry: Sinners

Kazu Hiro, Felix Fox, Mia Neal: The Smashing Machine

Leo Satkovich, Melizah Wheat, Jason Collins: Weapons

Frances Hannon, Mark Coulier, Laura Blount: Wicked: For Good

Best visual effects:

Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon, Daniel Barrett: Avatar: Fire and Ash

Ryan Tudhope, Nikeah Forde, Robert Harrington, Nicolas Chevallier, Eric Leven, Edward Price, Keith Dawson: F1

Dennis Berardi, Ayo Burgess, Ivan Busquets, José Granell: Frankenstein

Alex Wuttke, Ian Lowe, Jeff Sutherland, Kirstin Hall: Mission: Impossible The Final Reckoning

Michael Ralla, Espen Nordahl, Guido Wolter, Donnie Dean: Sinners

Stephane Ceretti, Enrico Damm, Stéphane Nazé, Guy Williams: Superman

Best stunt design:

Stephen Dunlevy, Kyle Gardiner, Jackson Spidell, Jeremy Marinas, Jan Petřina, Domonkos Párdányi, Kinga Kósa-Gavalda: Ballerina

Gary Powell, Luciano Bacheta, Craig Dolby: F1

Wade Eastwood: Mission: Impossible The Final Reckoning

Brian Machleit: One Battle After Another

Andy Gill: Sinners

Giedrius Nagys: Warfare

Best animated feature:

Arco

Elio

In Your Dreams

KPop Demon Hunters

Little Amélie or the Character of Rain

Zootopia 2

Best comedy:

The Ballad of Wallis Island

Eternity

Friendship

The Naked Gun

The Phoenician Scheme

Splitsville

Best foreign language film:

Belén

It Was Just an Accident

Left-Handed Girl

No Other Choice

The Secret Agent

Sirāt

Best song:

“Drive”: Ed Sheeran, John Mayer, Blake Slatkin: F1

“Golden”: EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick, Ido, 24, Teddy: KPop Demon Hunters

“I Lied to You”: Raphael Saadiq, Ludwig Göransson: Sinners

“Clothed by the Sun”: Daniel Blumberg: The Testament of Ann Lee

“Train Dreams”: Nick Cave, Bryce Dessner: Train Dreams

“The Girl in the Bubble”: Stephen Schwartz: Wicked: For Good

Best score:

Hans Zimmer: F1

Alexandre Desplat: Frankenstein

Max Richter: Hamnet

Daniel Lopatin: Marty Supreme

Jonny Greenwood: One Battle After Another

Ludwig Göransson: Sinners

Best sound:

Al Nelson, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Gary A. Rizzo, Juan Peralta, Gareth John: F1

Nathan Robitaille, Nelson Ferreira, Christian Cooke, Brad Zoern, Greg Chapman: Frankenstein

Jose Antonio Garcia, Christopher Scarabosio, Tony Villaflor: One Battle After Another

Chris Welcker, Benny Burtt, Brandon Proctor, Steve Boeddeker, Felipe Pacheco, David V. Butler: Sinners

Laia Casanovas: Sirāt

Mitch Low, Glenn Freemantle, Ben Barker, Howard Bargroff, Richard Spooner: Warfare

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Complete list of nominees for the 2026 Critics Choice Awards television categories

Best drama series at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards

Alien: Earth

Andor

The Diplomat

Paradise

The Pitt

Pluribus

Severance

Task

Best actor in a drama series

Sterling K. Brown: Paradise

Diego Luna: Andor

Mark Ruffalo: Task

Adam Scott: Severance

Billy Bob Thornton: Landman

Noah Wyle: The Pitt

Best actress in a drama series 2026 Critics Choice Awards

Kathy Bates: Matlock

Carrie Coon: The Gilded Age

Britt Lower: Severance

Bella Ramsey: The Last of Us

Keri Russell: The Diplomat

Rhea Seehorn: Pluribus

Best supporting actor in a drama series 2026 Critics Choice Awards

Patrick Ball: The Pitt

Billy Crudup: The Morning Show

Ato Essandoh: The Diplomat

Wood Harris: Forever

Tom Pelphrey: Task

Tramell Tillman: Severance

Best supporting actress in a drama series 2026 Critics Choice Awards

Nicole Beharie: The Morning Show

Denée Benton: The Gilded Age

Allison Janney: The Diplomat

Katherine LaNasa: The Pitt

Greta Lee: The Morning Show

Skye P. Marshall: Matlock

Best comedy series

Abbott Elementary

Elsbeth

Ghosts

Hacks

Nobody Wants This

Only Murders in the Building

The Righteous Gemstones

The Studio

Best actor in a comedy series 2026 Critics Choice Awards

Adam Brody: Nobody Wants This

Ted Danson: A Man on the Inside

David Alan Grier: St. Denis Medical

Danny McBride: The Righteous Gemstones

Seth Rogen: The Studio

Alexander Skarsgård: Murderbot

Best actress in a comedy series 2026 Critics Choice Awards

Kristen Bell: Nobody Wants This

Natasha Lyonne: Poker Face

Rose McIver: Ghosts

Edi Patterson: The Righteous Gemstones

Carrie Preston: Elsbeth

Jean Smart: Hacks

Best supporting actor in a comedy series:

Ike Barinholtz: The Studio

Paul W. Downs: Hacks

Asher Grodman: Ghosts

Oscar Nuñez: The Paper

Chris Perfetti: Abbott Elementary

Timothy Simons: Nobody Wants This

Best supporting actress in a comedy series:

Danielle Brooks: Peacemaker

Hannah Einbinder: Hacks

Janelle James: Abbott Elementary

Justine Lupe: Nobody Wants This

Ego Nwodim: Saturday Night Live

Rebecca Wisocky: Ghosts

Best limited series:

Adolescence

All Her Fault

Chief of War

Death by Lightning

Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy

Dope Thief

Dying for Sex

The Girlfriend

Best movie made for television:

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy

Deep Cover

The Gorge

Mountainhead

Nonnas

Summer of ’69

Best actor in a limited series or movie made for television

Michael Chernus: Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy

Stephen Graham: Adolescence

Brian Tyree Henry: Dope Thief

Charlie Hunnam: Monster: The Ed Gein Story

Matthew Rhys: The Beast in Me

Michael Shannon: Death by Lightning

Best actress in a limited series or movie made for television

Jessica Biel: The Better Sister

Meghann Fahy: Sirens

Sarah Snook: All Her Fault

Michelle Williams: Dying for Sex

Robin Wright: The Girlfriend

Renée Zellweger: Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy

Best supporting actor in a limited series or movie made for television

Owen Cooper: Adolescence

Wagner Moura: Dope Thief

Nick Offerman: Death by Lightning

Michael Peña: All Her Fault

Ashley Walters: Adolescence

Ramy Youssef: Mountainhead

Best supporting actress in a limited series or movie made for television

Erin Doherty: Adolescence

Betty Gilpin: Death by Lightning

Marin Ireland: Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy

Sophia Lillis: All Her Fault

Julianne Moore: Sirens

Christine Tremarco: Adolescence

Best foreign language series 2026 Critics Choice Awards

Acapulco

Last Samurai Standing

Mussolini: Son of the Century

Red Alert

Squid Game

When No One Sees Us

Best animated series 2026 Critics Choice Awards

Bob’s Burgers

Harley Quinn

Long Story Short

Marvel Zombies

South Park

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man

Best talk show 2026 Critics Choice Awards

The Daily Show

Hot Ones

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Late Night with Seth Meyers

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

Best Variety Series 2026 Critics Choice Awards

Conan O’Brien Must Go

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

Saturday Night Live

Best comedy special 2026 Critics Choice Awards

Brett Goldstein: The Second Best Night of Your Life

Caleb Hearon: Model Comedian

Leanne Morgan: Unspeakable Things

Marc Maron: Panicked

Sarah Silverman: PostMortem

SNL50: The Anniversary Special

For further updates, fans can keep an eye on the official Critics Choice pages.

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