The 2026 awards season launched in spectacular fashion on Sunday night, with actor Jacob Elordi securing a major career milestone. The 28-year-old star from Brisbane, Australia, took home the Critics Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as the Creature in Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein.
A Surprise Victory for the Rising Star
The ceremony, held at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California, saw Elordi genuinely shocked by his win. In his acceptance speech, the actor, famed for his role as Nate Jacobs in HBO's Euphoria, exclaimed, "Bloody hell - I really didn't plan for this." He paid heartfelt tribute to director Guillermo del Toro, stating, "Thank you, Guillermo del Toro. I love you. We all love you. You made my dreams when I was 11. I'm so happy to be here."
Elordi also credited the creative team behind his transformative role, including production designer Tamara Deverell, costume designer Kate Hawley, and prosthetics specialist Mike Hill. "You guys are geniuses," he said. "I couldn't walk around like this in front of a green screen. You guys made that world - so thank you."
The Critics Choice as Hollywood's Crystal Ball
Hosted for a fourth consecutive year by Chelsea Handler, the 31st annual Critics Choice Awards is widely regarded as a key indicator of Oscar success. The event, which aired live on USA Network and E!, is the first major televised awards ceremony of 2026, following the Golden Globes.
Critics Choice Association CEO Joey Berlin described the awards as "a celebration of the very best in film and television," highlighting the role its voters play in guiding audiences. The ceremony's predictive power was evident last season when Anora leveraged its Critics Choice Best Picture win to gain momentum all the way to the Academy Awards.
Major Contenders and Winners Revealed
This year's race was fiercely competitive. Ryan Coogler's Sinners led the film nominations with an impressive 17 nods, just one short of the record set by Barbie in 2024. It was closely followed by One Battle After Another with 14 nominations, and Hamnet and Frankenstein with 11 each.
In the night's biggest film categories, One Battle After Another won Best Picture, while Timothée Chalamet claimed Best Actor for Marty Supreme. Jessie Buckley won Best Actress for Hamnet, and Amy Madigan took Best Supporting Actress for Weapons.
On the television side, The Pitt won Best Drama Series, and The Studio won Best Comedy Series. The limited series Adolescence was a major winner, taking home the top prize in its category along with acting awards for Stephen Graham and Erin Doherty.
The 2026 Critics Choice Awards has undeniably set the stage for the coming months in Hollywood, with Elordi's breakthrough win signalling the arrival of a powerful new force in the industry's supporting ranks.
