LOS ANGELES — As the 27th annual Critics Choice Awards celebrated the best in television and film, Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog” and “Ted Lasso” led the night’s winners with four trophies apiece. “Succession” took home three awards.
Hosted by Taye Diggs and Nicole Byer, the 2022 ceremony broadcast live on the CW and TBS, as the evening unfolded with celebrations held in both Los Angeles and London. The Critics Choice Association added the satellite location to include nominees who also attended the BAFTAs. The Los Angeles portion of the ceremony is held at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel, while stars gathered for a late-night event at the Savoy Hotel in London.
Campion first took the stage to accept the best director prize, hugging fellow New Zealand-born filmmaker Taika Waititi.
“It’s absolutely stunning to be here tonight among so many incredible women,” the filmmaker began, shouting out See Her award winner Halle Berry, saying the Oscar-winner basically recited her speech earlier in the night (and “absolutely killed it”).
“The Power of the Dog” nabbed a total of four trophies during Sunday’s ceremony, with a win for Campion’s adapted screenplay, best cinematography (Ari Wagner) and best picture. Campion returned to the stage to accept that trophy, the evening’s final award, alongside stars Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons, with producer Roger Frappier.
“I’ve still got some PTSD from critics earlier in my career… some deep wounds, but I’ve also been championed by them,” Campion said, concluding her speech with the note: “I’m like the grandmother of the women’s movement in film now, but I’m still here!”
Campion wasn’t the only person bowled over in the presence of the Williams sisters. When “King Richard” star Will Smith was named best actor, he pointed out Venus and Serena Williams and their sister and the film’s executive producer, Isha Price sitting at the film’s table in the ballroom.
“Thank you for entrusting me with your story,” Smith told the trio. “What your family was able to do inspired everyone in this room, everyone in this country and everyone around the world. You all define the American dream.”
He also dedicated the award to their mother, Oracene Price, who played a very “quiet role” in their family’s story for years.
“Your father didn’t do it alone; it would be disingenuous for me to accept this award without acknowledging Aunjanue Ellis,” Smith added, as the room burst into applause and cheers.
Later in the evening, Venus and Serena Williams presented the best drama series award, earning the night’s biggest standing ovation and greatest roar of applause.
“I knew everyone loved me,” Serena Williams joked about their reception, adding, with a laugh and pat on the arm to Venus, “They love you too.”
HBO’s “Succession” won the drama prize, with cast members Nicholas Braun, Brian Cox, Kieran Culkin, Jeremy Strong, J. Smith Cameron and executive producer Scott Ferguson accepting the trophy. Earlier, Culkin accepted the supporting actor in a drama prize.
The lead acting prizes in the drama category went to “Squid Game’s” Lee Jung-jae and “Yellowjackets” star Melanie Lynskey, who both took home their first honors from the Critics Choice Association. for the mega-hit shows.
The first honors of the night went to “The White Lotus” stars Murray Bartlett and Jennifer Coolidge, who kicked off the party by winning best supporting actor and actress in a limited series for the hit HBO comedy.
In what can only be described as the night’s cutest moment, “Minari’s” Alan Kim presented “Belfast’s” Jude Hill the best young actor honor. Hill went home a double winner with his movie dad Jamie Dornan joining him onstage to accept the award for best acting ensemble.
The duo were honored for their work in the film, which dramatizes filmmaker Kenneth Branagh’s childhood, alongside Ciaran Hinds and Caitriona Balfe (who looked on from the London ceremony), as well as Judi Dench. “Belfast” earned three trophies in total, with the win for Branagh’s original screenplay awarded during commercials. “Dune” also picked up three awards (production design, visual effects and best score) while, Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Licorice Pizza” also earned the best comedy prize as the telecast went to break.
Like the “Belfast” brood, Troy Kotsur and Ariana DeBose also celebrated their wins from the U.K., picking up the best supporting actor and actress trophies for “CODA” and “West Side Story,” as DeBose made a clean sweep of the precursor awards with Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and BAFTA wins.
On the TV side of things, the “Ted Lasso” crew had much reason to toast in London, as the Apple TV plus comedy swept their categories for the second year running. The show picked up the best comedy prize, after Brett Goldstein and Hannah Waddingham nabbed back-to-back honors for supporting actor and actress. (Creator and star Jason Sudeikis won the best comedy actor trophy but was unable to attend the ceremony.)
Waddingham accepted the award, standing alongside Goldstein and Juno Temple, and used the moment to remember the crisis in Ukraine.
“It would be remiss of us to not throw the focus to the most important thing that is happening in the world at the moment,” Waddingham said, getting emotional. “Our beautiful brothers and sisters, and for me more importantly, the babies in the Ukraine that are being utterly decimated at the moment from this putrid, putrid torrent of abuse.”
She continued: “Please think of them as much as you can and give as much as you can. We are so grateful for this, but may this stop. May this stop, please.”
During the telecast Jimmy Kimmel was on hand to present the Lifetime Achievement Award to Billy Crystal — one day before the showbiz icon’s “seventy-blank” birthday. He later noted that he’ll actually be “74 tomorrow; I just can’t remember.”
After teasing Kimmel that he’d really requested Fallon to present the award, Crystal said, “ watching the clip reel made him think of only one word: “residuals.”
“This is a lifetime achievement award, which is a little scary when they say they want to give it to you. So I called my doctor and I said, ‘Do they know something that I don’t?’” But to me, it’s a creative achievement award. My lifetime achievement awards is my family.”
The night’s other special honor went to Halle Berry who received the See Her Award from comedy series nominee Issa Rae.
Other highlights included the acceptance speech from “Dopesick” star Michael Keaton (winner of best actor in a limited series or movie made for television), who
delivered an emotional tribute to the real people affected by opioid addiction, especially those near where “Dopesick” filmed in Virginia.
Another heartfelt moment came from Jean Smart, who was a double winner, as “Mare of Easttown” was named best limited series, and she won the comedy actress prize for “Hacks.” Onstage, Smart called the HBO Max comedy a “gift on a silver platter,” before dedicating her trophy to the series creators Lucia Aniello and Paul W. Downs, who welcomed their first child, a baby boy, on Saturday.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
