The 31st annual Critics Choice Awards on Sunday night was overshadowed by a profound moment of collective grief, as host Chelsea Handler delivered a tearful tribute to legendary filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife Michele, who were tragically murdered last month.
A Heartfelt Monologue Remembering 'The Nicest Guy'
In an emotionally charged opening, Handler addressed the devastating loss that has shaken the entertainment industry. Rob and Michele Reiner were found murdered inside their $13.5 million Brentwood mansion on December 14, 2025. Their 32-year-old son, Nick Reiner, has since been charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
Handler, visibly moved, described Rob Reiner as "the nicest guy in Hollywood," a sentiment met with roaring applause from the star-studded audience. "Anyone who ever spent time with Rob Reiner knows that the minute that you met him he felt like an old friend," she shared, recalling his presence, focus, and humour in conversation.
She fondly remembered a recent text exchange with the Princess Bride director, who died at age 78. "After I sent him a text thanking him for dinner a few months ago, he texted me back and said, 'We had so much fun with you last night. Thanks for explaining so much about plastic surgery. It was very edifying,'" Handler recounted, drawing bittersweet laughter.
Handler also honoured the couple's philanthropic legacy, speaking of their "tireless efforts to so many causes - all stemming from one basic idea: decency." She urged the audience to use the evening as a reminder of that principle before concluding, "Let's get this show started."
The 2026 Contenders: Sinners Leads the Pack
As the first major televised awards ceremony of 2026, the Critics Choice Awards hold significant predictive power for the upcoming Oscars. This year, the race is dominated by Ryan Coogler's Sinners, which secured a staggering 17 nominations, just one shy of the record set by Barbie in 2024.
Close behind is Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another with 14 nods, while Hamnet and Frankenstein each earned 11 nominations.
The acting categories are fiercely competitive. The Best Actor race features:
- Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme)
- Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another)
- Joel Edgerton (Train Dreams)
- Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon)
- Michael B. Jordan (Sinners)
- Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent)
In the Best Actress category, nominees include Emma Stone (Bugonia), Jessie Buckley (Hamnet), and Amanda Seyfried (The Testament of Ann Lee).
Television Highlights and New Categories
On the television side, the limited series Adolescence leads with six nominations. The drama series field includes heavyweights like Severance, The Diplomat, and The Pitt, while the comedy categories feature Hacks, Abbott Elementary, and Nobody Wants This.
This year's ceremony introduced four new awards: best variety series, casting, stunt design, and sound, reflecting the evolving landscape of film and television production.
With Warner Bros. leading in film nominations and Netflix dominating television, the 2026 Critics Choice Awards set the stage for what promises to be a dramatic and emotionally charged awards season, now forever marked by the memory of Rob and Michele Reiner.
