Timothée Chalamet and Jessie Buckley Win Top Acting Honors at the Critics Choice Awards 2026

Timothée Chalamet and Jessie Buckley emerged as the standout winners at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards, marking an exciting start to Hollywood’s award season. Chalamet won Best Actor for his performance as an aspiring table tennis champion in *Marty Supreme*, directed by Josh Safdie. In his heartfelt acceptance speech, he praised Safdie’s storytelling and expressed gratitude to his partner Kylie Jenner for her support. The American actor, who was previously nominated for an Oscar for *A Complete Unknown*, continues to affirm his leading position in contemporary cinema.

Irish actress Jessie Buckley claimed Best Actress for her powerful portrayal of Agnes Hathaway, William Shakespeare’s wife, in *Hamnet*, a film adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s acclaimed novel. During her emotional speech, Buckley thanked director Chloé Zhao and co-stars Paul Mescal and Emily Watson, calling Mescal “a giant of the heart” and acknowledging the deep human dimension of their collaboration.

Paul Thomas Anderson won Best Director for *One Battle After Another*, which also took home Best Picture. On the television side, Netflix’s *Adolescence* won four awards, including acting prizes for Stephen Graham, Erin Doherty, and rising star Owen Cooper. Other honors included *Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy* for Best TV Movie, while horror feature *Sinners* earned four trophies, and KPop animated film *Demon Hunters* captured Best Song with “Golden.”

The event, hosted by comedian Chelsea Handler in Santa Monica, is widely seen as an early indicator of Oscar success and continues to shape the trajectory of this year’s awards season.