The most viral moments at Critics Choice Awards 2026: Timothee and Kylie's love fest, Chelsea Handler's DiCaprio dig and Ariana's shock loss

With countless Hollywood A-listers under one roof, this year's Critics Choice Awards had a number of memorable moments that went viral on social media.

From Timothee Chalamet's long-awaited declaration of love for Kylie Jenner to Ariana Grande's shocking Wicked loss, viewers had plenty to feast on as they tuned into the three-hour award show on Sunday night.

The 31st annual ceremony was held at Santa Monica's Barker Hangar.

Comedian Chelsea Handler, 50, served as host for the fourth consecutive year.

The star-studded night celebrates the latest and greatest in both film and TV while also serving as an early predictor for who will achieve Oscar glory.

The first of many viral moments came at the top of the 2026 show as Handler delivered her opening monologue - which concluded with a tribute to Rob Reiner.

Chelsea Handler's Rob Reiner tribute 

The Critics Choice Awards marked the first award show since Reiner and his longtime wife Michele were murdered inside their Brentwood mansion on December 14, 2025.

The couple's son, Nick Reiner, 32, has since been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the killings.

Handler declared Reiner the 'nicest guy in Hollywood' - a statement that earned a roaring applause from the audience. 

'Everyone in this room knows that the nicest guy in Hollywood was Rob Reiner. Anyone who ever spent time with Rob Reiner knows that the minute that you met him he felt like an old friend,' she began.

'When you were in conversation with him he was present, he was focused and he was funny and he would ask you tons of questions. Whether you were discussing politics or film or the latest beauty trends, he was all in.'

Handler humorously recalled one of her final text exchanges with the Princess Bride director that took place just months before his life was taken 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 then spoke of the 'tireless efforts' Reiner and his wife gave 'to so many causes - all stemming from one basic idea: decency.'

She continued: 'That we should all look out for each other. And I think we all can agree that we definitely need more of that.

'So, lets use tonight as a reminder of that decency and as a reminder of everything Rob and Michele represented and fought so hard for.

'And on that note, lets get this show started,' Handler concluded. 

DiCaprio roasted over Jeff Bezos connection 

She took aim at bonafide climate activist DiCaprio's close ties to Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos while addressing the cast of his acclaimed 2025 film One Battle After Another. 

'Leo's here! Thank God! Leo almost didn't make it tonight because he was trapped on a boat in St. Barth's,' said Handler, in reference to travel restrictions that affected the Caribbean after Trump's airstrikes on Venezuela.

DiCaprio, 51, and his girlfriend Vittoria Ceretti, 27, rang in the new year of Bezos' luxury $500 million superyacht Koru with several big name stars just days before the awards ceremony. 

'It was just like the Titanic, but worse, because Jeff Bezos was there,' Handler quipped.

DiCaprio has seemingly been friends with Bezos for years - even attending the Amazon founder's $50 million wedding to Lauren Sanchez in June of last year - despite critics slamming Amazon's carbon footprint around the globe.

Timothee Chalamet declares his love for Kylie Jenner

Timothee Chalamet had his crowning moment as he earned Best Actor at the 31st annual Critics Choice Awards for his work in Marty Supreme.

But it was the 30-year-old's surprise shout-out to girlfriend Kylie Jenner in his acceptance speech that captivated social media.  

Chalamet, 30, publicly recognized his 28-year-old mogul girlfriend Jenner as he said: 'Thank you to my partner of three years. Thank you for our foundation.

'I love you. I couldn't do this without you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.'

Kylie appeared to have tears in her eyes and she stared adoringly at the actor on stage and said: 'I love you, too.'

The couple have been romantically linked since April 2023 and faced rumors of a split late last year, which were later debunked as they attended the LA premiere of Marty Supreme together in December.

Kylie and Timothee's mid-show kiss also went viral as it marked rare PDA for the typically private couple. 

Kylie and Timothee mocked by Hacks stars on red carpet 

Hacks co-stars Meg Stalter and Paul W. Downs stole the spotlight in Santa Monica on Sunday when they hit the red carpet dressed as pitch-perfect copies of Timothee Chalamet and Kylie Jenner's buzzworthy Chrome Hearts looks from the Marty Supreme premiere just weeks earlier.

Downs, 43, went all in as Chalamet, stepping out in a blazing orange leather suit with a matching silk shirt and boots.

Stalter, 35, fully embodied Jenner in a floor-length orange gown complete with daring cutouts below the bust and across the waist.

The pair hilariously recreated Jenner and Chalamet’s now-iconic Marty Supreme premiere poses, copying everything from the couple's body language to their red carpet choreography.

Like Jenner, Stalter took the lead - pouting for cameras, adjusting Downs’ hand placement, and layering her hands over his in a pitch-perfect mimic of Jenner’s signature gestures.

At one point, she even turned on cue, flicked her hair, and leaned back into Downs’ chest, delivering a sultry over-the-shoulder glance that echoed Jenner’s viral red carpet smolder.

The look was finished with a cross embellishment, coordinating necklace, and orange pumps - a clear nod to Jenner’s original ensemble. 

Ariana Grande's shock loss

Ariana Grande's fans were left outraged after the star failed to win Best Supporting Actress on Sunday night.

Grande was nominated for her performance as Glinda the Good Witch in Wicked: For Good, the final chapter of Jon M. Chu's blockbuster film adaptation of Broadway's Wicked.

This was Grande's second consecutive Critics Choice Awards nomination for the role. 

But it quickly turned to a loss for the 32-year-old actress as the honor went to a surprise frontrunner: Weapons star Amy Madigan.

Madigan, who played antagonistic witch Aunt Gladys in the R-rated Zach Cregger horror flick, beat out Grande, Elle Fanning (Sentimental Value), Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (Sentimental Value), Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners) and Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another).

Grande and the rest of the category's nominees cheered Madigan on as she made her way to the stage to accept the year's Best Supporting Actress gong.

Kimmel wins big after Trump suspension

Jimmy Kimmel roasted President Donald Trump and praised the importance of free speech as he received the award for Best Talk Show.

The late night host's show was controversially suspended last year following comments Kimmel made about Charlie Kirk's alleged assassin in a monologue - a hiatus that was praised by Trump, a frequent butt of the comedian's jokes.

The suspension was lifted less than a week later but raised concerns about the future of free speech in the United States - a topic Kimmel made sure to bring up while accepting his award on Sunday.

'Thanks to all the writers and actors and producers and union members. Many of you were in this room who supported us, who really stepped forward with us, and reminded us that we do not take free speech for granted in this city or in this country,' Kimmel, 58, said. 'Your actions are important, and we appreciate them.'

He then proceeded to mock Trump, 79, and thanked him for 'all the many ridiculous thins you do.'

'And most of all, I want to thank our president, Donald Jennifer Trump,' he continued. 'Without whom we would be going home empty-handed tonight.

'So thank you, Mr. President, for all the many ridiculous things you do each and every day. It's been a banner couple of weeks, and we can't wait to get back on the air tomorrow night to talk about them. Thank you, everyone.' 

Teyana Taylor's 'hype woman' moment 

Teyana Taylor has been declared the 'hype woman of the year' after she very enthusiastically cheered on One Battle After Another director Paul Thomas Anderson's victory at the Critics' Choice Awards. 

Taylor sprung to her feet, fiercely embraced Thomas, and furiously cheered him on after he won the award for Best Director - with the filmmaker briefly reciprocating the hug before proceeding towards the stage.

But as it turns out there was even more energy inside of her. 

When One Battle After Another took home the award for Best Picture, Taylor, 35, loudly shouted 'Let's go!' as she joined her co-stars on stage - to the amusement of her castmates and even the audience.

Netizens quickly took notice, with one tweeting: 'Teyana Taylor, hype woman of the year.'

One humorously quipped: 'Teyana Taylor too excited about Paul winning best director! Know he wanted to tell her "girl, be calm,"' with laughing-crying emojis.  

Kathy Bates thirst after Timothee Chalamet 

Kathy Bates stole the spotlight at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards with a hilariously cheeky tribute to Timothée Chalamet. 

The viral moment arrived during the ceremony as host Chelsea Handler highlighted Chalamet’s nomination for playing a ping pong master in Marty Supreme. 

'I heard that he didn't want a butt double for those spankings in Marty Supreme, so to make things interesting for this evening, someone in this room has a ping pong paddle under their seat,' Handler, 50, remarked. 'So everyone look and whoever has it gets to spank Timothee at the afterparty tonight.'

The cameras quickly revealed Bates, nominated for Best Actress in a Drama Series for Matlock, had the paddle  - and she didn’t hold back. 

In full show-stealing mode, Bates seductively licked the paddle in her seat, sending the audience at Santa Monica’s Barker Hangar into laughter. 

Even she seemed shocked by her own stunt, mouthing to the camera, 'That’s so gross. That’s so gross,' as the moment instantly went viral. 

'I can't believe I did that! Bates added, then turned to Handler to announce that she’d won the paddle.

'Kathy Bates, lucky you! Yes!' Handler cheered from the stage, leaving the audience roaring.

Adolescence star Owen Cooper's historic win 

Owen Cooper earned a massive win as Adolescence nearly swept the limited series categories. 

The 16-year-old rising star became the youngest ever to earn Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television for his name-making role for Netflix.

Adolescence is centered around a 13-year-old named Jamie Miller (Cooper) who is accused of the murder of a classmate, his family, therapist and the detective in charge are all left asking what really happened.

During his speech Cooper was earnest as he began it by saying: 'Thank you to the critics and to everyone behind the scenes who made this night possible.

'This past year has been a complete whirlwind for me and my family, honestly. It's changed our lives forever. We're forever grateful. We cherish every single moment of it.'

Cooper triumphed over an impressive field including: Wagner Moura (Dope Thief), Nick Offerman (Death by Lightning), Michael Peña (All Her Fault), Ashley Walters (Adolescence), and Ramy Youssef (Mountainhead).

Netflix's K-Pop Demon Hunters wins big over Disney flicks

Netflix's K-Pop Demon Hunters became a cultural phenomenon when it debuted on the streamer in October 2025.

It spawned a chart-topping song as well as iconic characters that quickly became among the year's most popular Halloween costumes.

And on Sunday night, the film, which follows K-pop superstars Rumi, Mira and Zoey as they battle demons, won Best Animated Feature at the Critics Choice Awards.

K-Pop Demon Hunters beat out a number of high-profile films, including Netflix's own In Your Dreams, Disney's Zootopia 2 and Pixar's Elio. 

The Maggie Kang-directed movie's hit track Golden also dominated the Best Original Song category.

Sarah Snook's embarrassing admission

Sarah Snook looked flustered while accepting the Best Actress in a Limited Series award for her role in All Her Fault.

The Succession alum admitted that she had totally forgot to prepare any kind of acceptance speech for the occasion.

'My husband was like, "You seem a bit distant," in the car on the way here, and I was like, "Yeah, I just had forgotten what we were doing, and I didn't write a speech or anything, and I'm just trying to go through some things now,"' she told the crowd.

'And then I forgot when we got here again, 'cause it was so nice to see everybody, and now I've gotten up here, and I'm regretting all of it.' 

Jessie Buckley stakes her claim on heartthrob Paul Mescal 

Hamnet's Jessie Buckley didn't hold back expressing her 'love' for co-star Paul Mescal as she accepted the award for Best Actress.

Mescal and Buckley play Shakespeare and his wife Agnes, respectively, in the acclaimed historical drama, which hit theaters in November.

'Paul, I bloody love you, man. And I know loads of other women in this room do too, but, tough sh**!' said Buckley as the camera cut to a blushing Mescal in the audience.

The 31st annual Critics Choice Awards proved to be an exciting evening with One Battle After Another taking home the top prize of the night while Timothee Chalamet beat out Leonardo DiCaprio in the Best Actor category.

Chalamet was recognized for his work in ping-pong drama Marty Supreme. 

The New York native beat out an impressive field including the aforementioned DiCaprio (One Battle After Another), Joel Edgerton (Train Dreams), Ethan Hawke  (Blue Moon), Michael B. Jordan (Sinners), and Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent). 

A24's Marty Supreme did lose the top honor to DiCaprio's One Battle After Another - which was produced by Warner Bros. - at the end of the night as the field also included: Bugonia (Focus Features), Frankenstein (Netflix), Hamnet (Focus Features), Jay Kelly (Netflix), Sentimental Value (Neon), Sinners (Warner Bros.), Train Dreams (Netflix), and Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures). 

Paul Thomas Anderson earned Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay for the action epic.  

Meanwhile, Jessie Buckley upset a star-studded field as she earned Best Actress for her stunning work in Hamnet.

The 36-year-old Irish actress  triumphed over Emma Stone  – Bugonia, Amanda Seyfried – The Testament of Ann Lee, Rose Byne  – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another, Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value in the hotly contested category. 

Noah Wyle led HBO drama The Pitt to top honors at the gala nearly two decades after the end of iconic series E.R.

The 54-year-old actor took home Best Actor in a Drama Series as the show also took home the most coveted television award Best Drama Series. 

The talented actor won over: Sterling K. Brown – Paradise, Diego Luna – Andor, Mark Ruffalo – Task, Adam Scott– Severance, and Billy Bob Thornton – Landman.

For the top television honor, The Pitt won over: Alien: Earth (FX), Andor (Disney+), The Diplomat (Netflix), Paradise (Hulu), Pluribus (Apple TV), Severance (Apple TV), and Task (HBO Max).

Jean Smart made history as she earned her fourth straight Best Actress in a Comedy Series honor.

The 74-year-old acting icon has previously won the same category in 2022, 2023, and 2025. Last year Ayo Edebiri earned the honor for her work on The Bear, but Hacks was not eligible for any awards.

Unfortunately, Hacks did not win the top honor of Best Comedy series as they were bested by the Seth Rogen led The Studio after winning last year.

It also earned individual honors for Seth Rogen in the Best Actor in a Comedy Series category.

Owen Cooper earned a massive win as Adolescence nearly swept the limited series categories.

The 16-year-old rising star became the youngest ever to earn Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television for his name-making role for Netflix.

It wasn't the only big win for Adolescence as Erin Doherty won Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television and Stephen Graham took home Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television.

It also took home the top honor Best Limited Series over All Her Fault (Peacock), Chief of War (Apple TV), Death by Lightning (Netflix), Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy (Peacock), Dope Thief (Apple TV), Dying for Sex (FX on Hulu), and The Girlfriend (Prime Video).