Timothée Chalamet made headlines at the 2026 Critics’ Choice Awards after publicly thanking his girlfriend, Kylie Jenner, during his best actor acceptance speech.
The 30-year-old actor won the award for his role in Marty Supreme, in which he plays an ambitious table-tennis player rising through the ranks in 1950s America. Appearing visibly nervous on stage, Chalamet thanked his fellow nominees, director Josh Safdie, and the film’s creative team before turning his attention to Jenner.
“Thank you to my partner of three years. Thank you for our foundation. I love you. I couldn’t do this without you,” he said, as cameras showed Jenner mouthing “I love you” back from the audience.
The ceremony, hosted by Chelsea Handler, took place at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica and celebrated achievements across film, television, and streaming.
Irish actress Jessie Buckley won best actress for her performance in Hamnet, an adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel exploring William Shakespeare’s marriage and the loss of his son. In her speech, Buckley praised director Chloé Zhao and co-star Paul Mescal, calling him a “giant of the heart.”
Netflix’s psychological drama Adolescence also had a strong night, winning four awards. Sixteen-year-old Owen Cooper received best supporting actor in a limited series, describing the past year as “a complete whirlwind” for him and his family.
Seth Rogen took home best actor in a comedy series for The Studio, joking that the win meant he could finally stop therapy because critics’ approval mattered deeply to him.
Jimmy Kimmel won best talk series and used his acceptance speech to poke fun at former US President Donald Trump, continuing his long-running tradition of political satire.
The top prize of the night, best picture, went to Leonardo DiCaprio’s action thriller One Battle After Another, with Paul Thomas Anderson winning best director. The film is considered a strong contender for the upcoming Oscars.
Fashion also played a major role on the night, with stars including Teyana Taylor, Michael B Jordan, Mia Goth, and Ariana Grande drawing attention with bold and elegant looks on the black carpet.
The Critics’ Choice Awards are often seen as an indicator of awards-season momentum, though they remain less influential than other major precursors ahead of the Oscars.
