Chelsea Handler hosts Critics Choice Awards 2026

The first major awards show of 2026 is here to usher in awards season.

The 2026 Critics Choice Awards will be given out tonight, Jan. 4, in a broadcast beginning at 7 p.m. ET.

For the fourth time in a row, Chelsea Handler will host the star-studded night, which honors the best of the best in both film and television.

“Sinners” leads all movies with 17 nominations, while Netflix’s “Adolescence” is the most nominated show with six nods.

Below, check out everything you need to know to tune in to the Critics Choice Awards.

2026 Critics Choice Awards date and time:

The 2026 Critics Choice Awards are tonight, Jan. 4. The broadcast will air live at 7:00 p.m. ET.

What channel are the Critics Choice Awards on?

The 2026 Critics Choice Awards will air on E! and USA Network this year.

How to watch the 2026 Critics Choice Awards for free:

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the Critics Choice Awards for free.

DIRECTV is our favorite service for watching TV live for free — and its five-day free trial includes both E! and USA Network. When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $29.99/month (for the Entertainment Genre Pack plan) and gain access to over 90 live channels.

Sling TV is another affordable way to stream live television; its Blue plan includes E! and USA Network and starts at $45.99/month.

2026 Critics Choice Awards nominees:

These are the films and shows competing for the top prizes, but you can check out a full list of nominations here.

Best Picture

• “Bugonia”
• “Frankenstein”
• “Hamnet”
• “Jay Kelly”
• “Marty Supreme”
• “One Battle After Another”
• “Sentimental Value”
• “Sinners”
• “Train Dreams”
• “Wicked: For Good”

Best Actor

• Timothée Chalamet – “Marty Supreme”
• Leonardo DiCaprio – “One Battle After Another”
• Joel Edgerton – “Train Dreams”
• Ethan Hawke – “Blue Moon”
• Michael B. Jordan – “Sinners”

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 Drama Series

• “Alien: Earth”
• “Andor”
• “The Diplomat”
• “Paradise”
• “The Pitt”
• “Pluribus”
• “Severance”
• “Task”

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”

Who is hosting the 2026 Critics Choice Awards?

Comedian Chelsea Handler will return to host the Critics Choice Awards for the fourth year in a row.

Who is presenting at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards?

Allison Janney, Billy Bob Thornton, Diego Luna, EJAE, Hannah Einbinder, Owen Cooper and Rhea Seehorn will present awards in addition to attending as nominees.

Other presenters include Ali Larter, Alicia Silverstone, Allison Janney, Arden Cho, Ava DuVernay, Bradley Whitford, Jeff Goldblum, Jessica Williams, Justin Hartley, Justin Sylvester, Kaley Cuoco, Kate Hudson, Keltie Knight, Marcello Hernández, Mckenna Grace, Michelle Randolph, Noah Schnapp, Quinta Brunson, Regina Hall, Sebastian Maniscalco and William H. Macy.

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This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for the New York Post, Page Six, and Decider. Angela keeps readers up to date with information on how to watch all of your favorite reality TV shows and movies on each streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, celebrities, and pop culture. Prior to joining The Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews