The 31st Critics' Choice Awards at Santa Monica's Barker Hangar delivered its usual glitz and predictive power for the upcoming Oscars, but one of the night's most memorable moments came from the sheer, unbridled joy of actress and singer Teyana Taylor.
Uncontainable Enthusiasm on a Big Night
Taylor, a supporting actress nominee for Warner Bros.'s One Battle After Another, became an instant viral sensation for her passionate reactions to the film's victories. When director Paul Thomas Anderson, known as PTA, won the award for Best Director, Taylor sprang from her seat, fiercely embraced him, and cheered him on with palpable excitement. The filmmaker briefly returned the hug before heading to the stage.
Her energy, however, was far from spent. When One Battle After Another was announced as the winner of the night's top prize, Best Picture, the 35-year-old star loudly shouted "Let's go!" as she joined her elated co-stars on stage. Her unrestrained delight visibly amused both her castmates and the star-studded audience, setting the tone for a celebratory gathering.
Netizens Declare Her the Ultimate Supporter
Viewers watching the ceremony on Sunday night were quick to immortalise Taylor's reactions online. One fan promptly tweeted, "Teyana Taylor, hype woman of the year," a sentiment that was widely echoed across social media platform X.
The online commentary was filled with affectionate humour. "Teyana Taylor too excited about Paul winning best director! Know he wanted to tell her 'girl, be calm,'" one user quipped, adding laughing-crying emojis. Another wrote, "I love Teyana Taylor but sometimes she needs to bring it down a notch," also with a laughing emoji.
The consensus was clear: Taylor's support was unmatched. "We may love Paul Thomas Anderson, but we'll never love him as much as Teyana Taylor loves him," read one message originally posted in Spanish. Another fan observed, "Teyana Taylor is that friend who screams and shouts in your face when you're winning something. Paul Thomas Anderson just discovered now."
A Ceremony That Sets the Awards Season Tone
Hosted for a fourth consecutive year by Chelsea Handler, the Critics' Choice Awards are long considered one of Hollywood's most accurate forecasts for Oscar success. The ceremony, launched in 1995, has a strong track record, with past Best Picture winners like Nomadland and Everything Everywhere All at Once going on to claim the Academy's top honour.
This predictive power was evident last season when Anora used its Critics' Choice win to regain momentum all the way to the Oscars. This year, One Battle After Another cemented its frontrunner status by also winning Best Adapted Screenplay for Paul Thomas Anderson.
Other major film winners included Timothée Chalamet for Best Actor in Marty Supreme and Jessie Buckley for Best Actress in Hamnet. In television, HBO Max's The Pitt won Best Drama Series, while Apple TV's The Studio took Best Comedy Series.
While the night celebrated cinematic and television excellence across dozens of categories, the pure, unfiltered enthusiasm of Teyana Taylor provided a human and hugely relatable highlight, reminding everyone that at its heart, awards season is about celebrating artistic achievement—and sometimes, you just can't help but shout about it.
