Started in 1995, the Critics Choice Awards honor the best performances in film and television, as voted on by members of the Critics Choice Association (CCA) – a collective of 500+ film and TV critics and entertainment journalists from the US and Canada.
The 31st Critics’ Choice Awards are set to take place on January 4, 2026, with Chelsea Handler hosting for the fourth consecutive time. Here's how to watch it online and from anywhere with a VPN.
Date: Sunday, January 4 |
TV channel: E! and USA Network |
Time: 7-10 pm ET/PT |
US stream: E! via Sling TV, USA Network, or next-day on Peacock. |
The Critics’ Choice Awards, which are taking place before the Golden Globes this year, will be kickstarting the awards season. That also means winners here could enjoy early momentum and shape opinion heading into the Oscars and Emmys, which are the more marquee events. In fact, many CCA winners have gone on to bag major awards, including Oppenheimer (2024), Everything Everywhere All at Once (2023), and Succession (TV).
This year’s ceremony will feature 23 film categories and 21 TV categories, including four new additions: Best Casting and Ensemble, Best Variety Series, Best Sound, and Best Stunt Design.
Ryan Coogler’s Sinners leads with 17 nominations – second only to Barbie in 2023 – including Best Picture, Best Actor (Michael B. Jordan), Best Actress (Miles Caton), Best Cinematography, Best Original Screenplay, and more. Adolescence dominates the TV nominations, with appearances in six categories, including Best Actor (Stephen Graham), Best Supporting Actor (Owen Cooper), and Best Supporting Actress (Erin Doherty).
Read on below and watch the 2026 Critics’ Choice Awards ceremony live or on-demand, and no matter where in the world you are.
How to watch 2026 Critics’ Choice Awards online in the US
Tune in on January 4 when the 2026 Critics’ Choice Awards are broadcast live on E! and the USA Network at 7pm ET/PT. If you miss the initial broadcast, don’t fret: you can simply stream it the next-day on Peacock. Subscription plans to the NBC streamer start from just $7.99 a month.
Don't have cable? Don't worry, you can get E! and the USA Network via one of the best cable alternative providers. Sling TV is our top recommendation, as it's good value and has 40+ channels to choose from. E! and the USA Network are both available on Sling Blue, which starts at $46/month, but you can currently get $10 off your first month.
Subscribe to a service showing the Critics’ Choice Awards but currently away? You can use a VPN like NordVPN to access your usual services from anywhere – more details below.
How to watch 2026 Critics’ Choice Awards from anywhere
If you’re traveling abroad when the Critics’ Choice Awards air, you’ll be unable to watch the show like you normally would due to annoying regional restrictions. Luckily, there’s an easy solution.
Downloading a VPN will allow you to stream online, no matter where you are. It's a simple bit of software that changes your IP address, meaning that you can access on-demand content or live TV just as if you were at home.
Use one of the best VPNs to watch the 2026 Critics’ Choice Awards from anywhere.
How to watch 2026 Critics’ Choice Awards around the world
Can I watch 2026 Critics’ Choice Awards online in Canada?
There’s currently no indication of if and when Canadian users will be able to watch the 2026 Critics’ Choice Awards. If that changes, we’ll be sure to provide all the most up-to-date information here.
A US citizen abroad? You can overcome geo-blocks and access your Peacock subscription with a good VPN, no matter where in the world you’re streaming from.
Can I watch 2026 Critics’ Choice Awards in the UK?
There’s currently no way of watching the 2026 Critics’ Choice Awards in the UK. Peacock is exclusive to the US, and as of yet, no UK network has picked up the rights to air the prestigious event.
As previously mentioned, if you’re out of the country when the Critics’ Choice Awards airs you could try using a VPN – that way you can still access the same streaming services you enjoy back home. We recommend NordVPN.
How to watch 2026 Critics’ Choice Awards in Australia
Although the Aussie streaming service Stan broadcast last year’s Critics’ Choice Awards – and it’s available to watch on demand right now – there’s so far been no word from the provider on whether it'll air the ceremony live this year.
A US citizen in Australia? If you’re trying to stream the glitzy Critics’ Choice Awards bash but are encountering geo-blocks, downloading a VPN such as NordVPN will change your IP address and let you use the services you already pay for back home.
2026 Critics’ Choice Awards Nominations
FILM
Best Picture
- Bugonia
- Frankenstein
- Hamnet
- Jay Kelly
- Marty Supreme
- One Battle After Another
- Sentimental Value
- Sinners
- Train Dreams
- Wicked: For Good
Best Director
- Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
- Ryan Coogler – Sinners
- Guillermo del Toro – Frankenstein
- Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme
- Joachim Trier – Sentimental
- Chloé Zhao – Hamnet
Best Actor
- 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
Best Actress
- Jessie Buckley – Hamnet
- Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
- Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another
- Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value
- Amanda Seyfried – The Testament of Ann Lee
- Emma Stone – Bugonia
Best Supporting Actor
- Benicio del Toro – One Battle After Another
- Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein
- Paul Mescal – Hamnet
- Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
- Adam Sandler – Jay Kelly
- Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value
Best Supporting Actress
- Elle Fanning – Sentimental Value
- Ariana Grande – Wicked: For Good
- Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value
- Amy Madigan – Weapons
- Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners
- Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another
Best Original Screenplay
- Noah Baumbach, Emily Mortimer – Jay Kelly
- Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme
- Ryan Coogler – Sinners
- Zach Cregger – Weapons
- Eva Victor – Sorry, Baby
- Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value
Best Foreign Language Film
- It Was Just an Accident
- Left-Handed Girl
- No Other Choice
- The Secret Agent
- Sirāt
- Belén
TV
Best Drama Series
- Alien: Earth
- Andor
- The Diplomat
- Paradise
- The Pitt
- Pluribus
- Severance
- Task
Best Actor in a Drama Series
- Sterling K. Brown – Paradise
- Diego Luna – Andor
- Mark Ruffalo – Task
- Adam Scott – Severance
- Billy Bob Thornton – Landman
- Noah Wyle – The Pitt
Best Actress in a Drama Series
- Kathy Bates – Matlock
- Carrie Coon – The Gilded Age
- Britt Lower – Severance
- Bella Ramsey – The Last of Us
- Keri Russell – The Diplomat
- Rhea Seehorn – Pluribus
Best Comedy Series
- Abbott Elementary
- Elsbeth
- Ghosts
- Hacks
- Nobody Wants This
- Only Murders in the Building
- The Righteous Gemstones
- The Studio
Best Limited Series
- Adolescence
- All Her Fault
- Chief of War
- Death by Lightning
- Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy
- Dope Thief
- Dying for Sex
- The Girlfriend
You can find the full list of categories and nominees at the official Critics’ Choice Awards website.
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