Critics Choice Awards 2026: How to Watch the First Awards Show of the Year

The Oscars and Golden Globes are fairly cool, We suppose. Make its the Critic’s Choice Award.

Yes, those other shows are fancier and schmancier, but as a voting member of the Critics Choice Association, the CCAs are where we – and many of other journalism colleagues – get to have our voices heard annually during awards season at a glamorous presentation in an airline hangar.

The 31st Critics Choice Awards, hosted by Chelsea Handler for the fourth year in a row, are making a big splash as the first major ceremony of the year, with celebrities like Colman Domingo and Jeff Goldblum debuting their 2026 red-carpet finery and Oscar contenders gaining momentum. (The Globes are usually held earlier, but this year they are on January 11.)

The last three greatest films (“Anora,” “Oppenheimer,” and “Everything Everywhere All at Once”) began their winning streaks at the CCAs, as did recent best actor (Adrien Brody and Brendan Fraser) and best actress (Emma Stone and Jessica Chastain) winners.

Who will we choose on the final ballot? Not telling! However, here’s all you should know about this year’s Critics Choice Awards.

How can you watch the 31st Annual Critics Choice Awards?

For the first time, this year’s event will be broadcast live on the USA Network and E! on Sunday, January 4 at 7 p.m. Chelsea Handler will host the CCAs at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California.

Who is nominated for this year’s Critics Choice Awards?

Ryan Coogler’s period horror film “Sinners” has the most nominations (17), including best picture, lead actor (Michael B. Jordan), supporting actress (Wunmi Mosaku), young actor (Miles Caton), and casting. (Yes, we were doing it before the Academy Awards!) In the contest for best film, “Sinners” goes up against “One Battle After Another” (which received 14 nominations), “Bugonia,” “Frankenstein,” “Hamnet,” “Jay Kelly,” “Marty Supreme,” “Sentimental Value,” “Train Dreams,” and “Wicked: For Good.”

The best actors are Jordan, Timothée Chalamet (“Marty Supreme”), Leonardo DiCaprio (“One Battle After Another”), Joel Edgerton (“Train Dreams”), Ethan Hawke (“Blue Moon”), and Wagner Moura (“The Secret Agent”).

Emma Stone of “Bugonia,” who won the best actress award two years ago for “Poor Things,” returns to compete against Jessie Buckley (“Hamnet”), Rose Byrne (“If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”), Chase Infiniti (“One Battle After Another”), Renate Reinsve (“Sentimental Value”), and Amanda Seyfried (“The Testament of Ann Lee”).

In the television categories, “Adolescence” leads all shows with six nominations, including best limited series, while “Nobody Wants This” has five.

Who will appear at the Critics Choice Awards?

Stars such as Timothée Chalamet, Emma Stone, and Ariana Grande are expected to attend the awards ceremony.Colman Domingo, Diego Luna, Quinta Brunson, Regina Hall, Jeff Goldblum, Noah Schnapp, Allison Janney, Kaley Cuoco, Ava DuVernay, Bradley Whitford, Billy Bob Thornton, Mckenna Grace, and William H. Macy have been confirmed as award presenters.

How do you watch the Critics’ Choice Awards red carpet?

The “Live from E!: Critics Choice Awards” red carpet special, hosted by Justin Sylvester and Keltie Knight, will air live on E! and USA Network at 5 ET/2 PT.