Who will be presenting?
Of course, there’ll be the usual slate of film and television notables — Ava DuVernay, Carey Mulligan, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Mayim Bialik, to name just a few — but look for some big stars from the sports world this year, too. Serena Williams, whose story is featured in the biopic “King Richard,” and Sean McVay, the Los Angeles Rams coach whose team won the Super Bowl last month, will also hand out awards.
Who will receive special awards?
The Critics Choice Association gives out the #SeeHer Award each year, which honors a woman who pushes “boundaries on changing stereotypes” and furthers “authentic portrayals of women across the entertainment landscape.” This year’s honoree is Halle Berry, who 20 years ago became the first — and only — Black woman to win an Academy Award for best actress. The comedian Billy Crystal will also receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.
What should I watch for?
With the Oscars just around the corner, on March 27, films will be looking to bolster their cases for best picture — or make them. “Belfast,” whose cast hasn’t taken home many prizes during awards season so far, might mount a best picture comeback if it wins big at the Critics Choice Awards. The best actress category is once once more a tossup — as it has been at every awards show this year — with the potential for Jessica Chastain to build momentum following her big win at the Screen Actors Guild Awards for “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.”
On the television side, the hit Netflix series “Squid Game” is up for both best foreign language series and best drama series, though it’ll have stiff competition in the latter category from “Succession,” which leads all shows with eight nominations.
Who do we think will win?
Ariana DeBose, who played Anita in the Steven Spielberg remake of “West Side Story,” is essentially a sure thing for best supporting actress. In the supporting actor category, it’s a two-man race between Kotsur and Kodi Smit-McPhee of “The Power of the Dog.” And best picture? It’s probably between “Belfast” and “The Power of the Dog.”
Why are the Critics Choice Awards happening the same night as the BAFTAs?
Well, the BAFTAs got here first. But following the pandemic forced the Critics Choice Association to scrap the January date, Joey Berlin, the organization’s chief executive, said at the time that there was only one Sunday between the Super Bowl and the Oscars that the show might move to and still honor contractual obligations with networks, sponsors and venues.
