The 29th annual Critics Choice Awards, hosted by Chelsea Handler, celebrated the best of film and television in 2023. The ceremony, which aired live on The CW on Sunday night, honored some of the most acclaimed projects and performances of the year, as voted by the Critics Choice Association.
Oppenheimer dominates with eight awards
Christopher Nolan’s epic biographical thriller Oppenheimer, which tells the story of the physicist who led the development of the atomic bomb, continued its winning streak after sweeping the Golden Globes last week. The film won eight awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor for Robert Downey Jr., Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects, Best Score, and Best Acting Ensemble.
Oppenheimer faced strong competition from other Best Picture nominees, such as Bradley Cooper’s musical drama Maestro, Martin Scorsese’s historical crime drama Killers of the Flower Moon, and Greta Gerwig’s fantasy comedy Barbie. The film also received praise from critics and audiences for its stunning visuals, immersive sound, and stellar cast, including Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, and Mark Ruffalo.
Barbie breaks records with 18 nominations and six wins
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, based on the popular doll franchise, was the most nominated film of the night, with a record-breaking 18 nods. The film, which starred Margot Robbie, America Ferrera, and Ryan Gosling as three friends who enter a fantasy world where they become Barbie dolls, won six awards, including Best Comedy, Best Original Screenplay, Best Hair and Makeup, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, and Best Young Actor/Actress for Dominic Sessa.
Barbie was a surprise hit at the box office, grossing over $1 billion worldwide. The film also received rave reviews for its witty and whimsical script, its colorful and creative design, and its empowering and diverse representation of women and men. America Ferrera, who played the first Latina Barbie in the film, also received the eighth annual SeeHer Award, which recognizes women who embody the values of the SeeHer movement to eliminate gender bias in media.
Other notable winners and highlights
Among the other winners of the night, Emma Stone won Best Actress for her role as a con artist who falls in love with a wealthy widow in Poor Things, a dark comedy based on the novel by Alasdair Gray. Paul Giamatti won Best Actor for his role as a struggling playwright who reconnects with his estranged son in The Holdovers, a drama directed by David Gordon Green.
In the television categories, Succession won Best Drama Series and Best Actor and Actress in a Drama Series for Kieran Culkin and Sarah Snook, respectively. The Bear, a comedy series about a family of bears living in a human world, won Best Comedy Series and Best Actor and Actress in a Comedy Series for Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri, respectively. Beef, a limited series about a feud between two neighbors, won Best Limited Series and Best Actor and Actress in a Limited Series for Steven Yeun and Ali Wong, respectively.
The ceremony also featured some memorable moments, such as Harrison Ford receiving the Career Achievement Award and joking about his age, Chelsea Handler poking fun at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for its lack of diversity, and John Mulaney accepting the award for Best Comedy Special for Baby J via video call from rehab.
