Film awards: Critics Choice spreads the love among Anora, The Substance & more

Friday night saw the 2025 Critics Choice Awards spread praise among several feature film titles.

Anora took the top prize while Emilia Perez, Wicked, and The Substance each took three prizes.

Film News Blitz’s David Bason breaks down who won what across film and television.

Anora takes top prize

Anora took the top prize of Best Picture, its only win from seven nominations.

“So unexpected, so unexpected,” were the words of Writer, Director and Producer Sean Baker as Anora was honoured on Friday night.

“Critics Choice thank you so much.

“When those who dedicate their lives to their love of film and film criticism and film journalism, when they see something positive in your work just a little it means everything in the world so thank you guys so much.”

Emilia Perez, Wicked, and The Substance won the most prizes on the night with three apiece.

Netflix crime musical Emilia Perez took prizes for Foreign Language Film, Best Song and Zoe Saldana picked up her latest award in the Supporting Actress category.

There was a rousing cheer on the night when Jon M. Chu, snubbed by the Oscars, won Best Director with his incredible Broadway adaptation Wicked picking up further prizes in Costume and Production Design.

Demi Moore took leading actress honours for he role in The Substance, with the body horror’s hair and makeup team awarded as well, along with Director Coralie Fargeat’s for her screenwriting efforts.

Challengers, A Real Pain and Conclave take home two prizes

A trio of films took two honours each: Challengers, A Real Pain and Conclave.

Challengers was completely shut out of the Oscars nominations list but the Critics Choice Association sought to celebrate Director Luca Guadagnino’s film by awarding it prizes for Editing and Score.

A Real Pain’s Keiran Culkin continued his domination of the Supporting Actor category as Jess Eisenberg’s film shared the Comedy prize with Marvel hit Deadpool & Wolverine.

Lastly, Conclave took prizes for Acting Ensemble and Adapted Screenplay.

After Conclave and Wicked came into the night with 11 nominations apiece, Dune: Part Two and Emilia Perez with 10, The Brutalist with nine and Anora and The Substance with seven, it was refreshing to see honours spread out to ensure almost everyone tasted some success.

Shogun rules over TV prizes

In the land of television, Shogun continued its dominance of awards shows taking a leading four prizes.

A triumphant Emmys and successful Golden Globes has been followed by Critics Choice wins in Best Drama, Best Actor in a Drama (Hiroyuki Sanada), Best Supporting Actor in a Drama (Tadanobu Asano) and Best Supporting Actress in a Drama (Moeka Hoshi).

Read on for the full list of winners from the 2025 Critics Choice Awards.

Best Picture

A Complete Unknown

Anora (WINNER)

The Brutalist

Conclave

Dune: Part Two

Emilia Pérez

Nickel Boys

Sing Sing

The Substance

Wicked

Best Actor

Adrien Brody – The Brutalist (WINNER)

Timothée Chalamet – A Complete Unknown

Daniel Craig – Queer

Colman Domingo – Sing Sing

Ralph Fiennes – Conclave

Hugh Grant – Heretic

Best Actress

Cynthia Erivo – Wicked

Karla Sofía Gascón – Emilia Pérez

Marianne Jean-Baptiste – Hard Truths

Angelina Jolie – Maria

Mikey Madison – Anora

Demi Moore – The Substance (WINNER)

Best Supporting Actor

Yura Borisov – Anora

Kieran Culkin – A Real Pain (WINNER)

Clarence Maclin – Sing Sing

Edward Norton – A Complete Unknown

Guy Pearce – The Brutalist

Denzel Washington – Gladiator II

Best Supporting Actress

Danielle Deadwyler – The Piano Lesson

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor – Nickel Boys

Ariana Grande – Wicked

Margaret Qualley – The Substance

Isabella Rossellini – Conclave

Zoe Saldaña – Emilia Pérez (WINNER)

Best Young Actor / Actress

Alyla Browne – Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Elliott Heffernan – Blitz

Maisy Stella – My Old Ass (WINNER)

Izaac Wang – Didi

Alisha Weir – Abigail

Zoe Ziegler – Janet Planet

Best Acting Ensemble

Anora

Conclave (WINNER)

Emilia Pérez

Saturday Night

Sing Sing

Wicked

READ MORE: Film opinion: Five of the best from Christopher Nolan - Oppenheimer, The Dark Knight and more

Best Director

Jacques Audiard – Emilia Pérez

Sean Baker – Anora

Edward Berger – Conclave

Brady Corbet – The Brutalist

Jon M. Chu – Wicked (WINNER)

Coralie Fargeat – The Substance

RaMell Ross – Nickel Boys

Denis Villeneuve – Dune: Part Two

Best Original Screenplay

Sean Baker – Anora

Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum, Alex David – September 5

Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold – The Brutalist

Jesse Eisenberg – A Real Pain

Coralie Fargeat – The Substance (WINNER)

Justin Kuritzkes – Challengers

Best Adapted Screenplay

Jacques Audiard – Emilia Pérez

Winnie Holzman, Dana Fox – Wicked

Greg Kwedar, Clint Bentley – Sing Sing

RaMell Ross & Joslyn Barnes – Nickel Boys

Peter Straughan – Conclave (WINNER)

Denis Villeneuve, Jon Spaihts – Dune: Part Two

Best Cinematography

Jarin Blaschke – Nosferatu (WINNER)

Alice Brooks – Wicked

Lol Crawley – The Brutalist

Stéphane Fontaine – Conclave

Greig Fraser – Dune: Part Two

Jomo Fray – Nickel Boys

Best Production Design

Judy Becker, Patricia Cuccia – The Brutalist

Nathan Crowley, Lee Sandales – Wicked (WINNER)

Suzie Davies – Conclave

Craig Lathrop – Nosferatu

Arthur Max, Jille Azis, Elli Griff – Gladiator II

Patrice Vermette, Shane Vieau – Dune: Part Two

Best Editing

Sean Baker – Anora

Marco Costa – Challengers (WINNER)

Nick Emerson – Conclave

David Jancso – The Brutalist

Joe Walker – Dune: Part Two

Hansjörg Weißbrich – September 5

Best Costume Design

Lisy Christl – Conclave

Linda Muir – Nosferatu

Massimo Cantini Parrini – Maria

Paul Tazewell – Wicked (WINNER)

Jacqueline West – Dune: Part Two

Janty Yates, Dave Crossman – Gladiator II

Best Hair and Makeup

Christine Blundell, Lesa Warrener, Neal Scanlan – Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Hair and Makeup Team – Dune: Part Two

Hair and Makeup Team – The Substance (WINNER)

Frances Hannon, Sarah Nuth, Laura Blount – Wicked

Traci Loader, Suzanne Stokes-Munton, David White – Nosferatu

Mike Marino, Sarah Graalman, Aaron Saucier – A Different Man

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Film analysis: Dune: Part Two reaps at the Grammys but falls prey to Oscars ineligibility

Best Visual Effects

Mark Bakowski, Pietro Ponti, Nikki Penny, Neil Corbould – Gladiator II

Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, Paul Corbould, David Shirk – Wicked

Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe, Gerd Nefzer – Dune: Part Two (WINNER)

Luke Millar, David Clayton, Keith Herft, Peter Stubbs – Better Man

Visual Effects Team – The Substance

Erik Winquist, Stephen Unterfranz, Paul Story, Rodney Burke – Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Best Animated Feature

Flow

Inside Out 2

Memoir of a Snail

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

The Wild Robot (WINNER)

Best Comedy

A Real Pain (WINNER – TIE)

Deadpool & Wolverine (WINNER – TIE)

Hit Man

My Old Ass

Saturday Night

Thelma

Best Foreign Language Film

All We Imagine as Light

Emilia Pérez (WINNER)

Flow

I’m Still Here

Kneecap

The Seed of the Sacred Fig

Best Song

“Beautiful That Way” – The Last Showgirl – Miley Cyrus

“Compress / Repress” – Challengers – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross

“El Mal” – Emilia Pérez – Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, Camille (WINNER)

“Harper and Will Go West” – Will & Harper – Kristen Wiig

“Kiss the Sky” – The Wild Robot – Maren Morris

“Mi Camino” – Emilia Pérez – Selena Gomez

Best Score

Volker Bertelmann – Conclave

Daniel Blumberg – The Brutalist

Kris Bowers – The Wild Robot

Clément Ducol & Camille – Emilia Pérez

Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross – Challengers (WINNER)

Hans Zimmer – Dune: Part Two

Best Drama Series

The Day of the Jackal (Peacock)

The Diplomat (Netflix)

Evil (Paramount+)

Industry (HBO | Max)

Interview with the Vampire (AMC)

The Old Man (FX)

Shogun (FX / Hulu) (WINNER)

Slow Horses (Apple TV+)

Best Actor in a Drama Series

Jeff Bridges – The Old Man (FX)

Ncuti Gatwa – Doctor Who (Disney+)

Eddie Redmayne – The Day of the Jackal (Peacock)

Hiroyuki Sanada – Shogun (FX / Hulu) (WINNER)

Rufus Sewell – The Diplomat (Netflix)

Antony Starr – The Boys (Prime Video)

Best Actress in a Drama Series

Caitriona Balfe – Outlander (Starz)

Kathy Bates – Matlock (CBS) (WINNER)

Shanola Hampton – Found (NBC)

Keira Knightley – Black Doves (Netflix)

Keri Russell – The Diplomat (Netflix)

Anna Sawai – Shogun (FX / Hulu)

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Tadanobu Asano – Shogun (FX / Hulu) (WINNER)

Michael Emerson – Evil (Paramount+)

Mark-Paul Gosselaar – Found (NBC)

Takehiro Hira – Shogun (FX / Hulu)

John Lithgow – The Old Man (FX)

Sam Reid – Interview with the Vampire (AMC)

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Moeka Hoshi – Shogun (FX / Hulu) (WINNER)

Allison Janney – The Diplomat (Netflix)

Nicole Kidman – Special Ops: Lioness (Paramount+)

Skye P. Marshall – Matlock (CBS)

Anna Sawai – Pachinko (Apple TV+)

Fiona Shaw – Bad Sisters (Apple TV+)

Best Comedy Series

Abbott Elementary (ABC)

English Teacher (FX)

Hacks (HBO | Max) (WINNER)

Nobody Wants This (Netflix)

Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Somebody Somewhere (HBO | Max)

St. Denis Medical (NBC)

What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Best Actor in a Comedy Series

Brian Jordan Alvarez – English Teacher (FX)

Adam Brody – Nobody Wants This (Netflix) (WINNER)

David Alan Grier – St. Denis Medical (NBC)

Steve Martin – Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Kayvan Novak – What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Martin Short – Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Best Actress in a Comedy Series

Kristen Bell – Nobody Wants This (Netflix)

Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Natasia Demetriou – What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Bridget Everett – Somebody Somewhere (HBO | Max)

Jean Smart – Hacks (HBO | Max) (WINNER)

Kristen Wiig – Palm Royale (Apple TV+)

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Paul W. Downs – Hacks (HBO | Max)

Asher Grodman – Ghosts (CBS)

Harvey Guillén – What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Brandon Scott Jones – Ghosts (CBS)

Michael Urie – Shrinking (Apple TV+) (WINNER)

Tyler James Williams – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Liza Colón-Zayas – The Bear (FX / Hulu)

Hannah Einbinder – Hacks (HBO | Max) (WINNER)

Janelle James – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Stephanie Koenig – English Teacher (FX)

Patti LuPone – Agatha All Along (Disney+)

Annie Potts – Young Sheldon (CBS)

Best Limited Series

Baby Reindeer (Netflix) (WINNER)

Disclaimer (Apple TV+)

Masters of the Air (Apple TV+)

Mr Bates vs the Post Office (PBS)

The Penguin (HBO | Max)

Ripley (Netflix)

True Detective: Night Country (HBO | Max)

We Were the Lucky Ones (Hulu)

Best Movie Made for Television

The Great Lillian Hall (HBO | Max)

It’s What’s Inside (Netflix)

Música (Prime Video)

Out of My Mind (Disney+)

Rebel Ridge (Netflix) (WINNER)

V/H/S/Beyond (Shudder)

Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television

Colin Farrell – The Penguin (HBO | Max) (WINNER)

Richard Gadd – Baby Reindeer (Netflix)

Tom Hollander – FEUD: Capote vs. The Swans (FX)

Kevin Kline – Disclaimer (Apple TV+)

Ewan McGregor – A Gentleman in Moscow (Paramount+)

Andrew Scott – Ripley (Netflix)

Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television

Cate Blanchett – Disclaimer (Apple TV+)

Jodie Foster – True Detective: Night Country (HBO | Max)

Jessica Lange – The Great Lillian Hall (HBO | Max)

Cristin Milioti – The Penguin (HBO | Max) (WINNER)

Phoebe-Rae Taylor – Out of My Mind (Disney+)

Naomi Watts – FEUD: Capote vs. The Swans (FX)

Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television

Robert Downey Jr. – The Sympathizer (HBO | Max)

Hugh Grant – The Regime (HBO | Max)

Ron Cephas Jones – Genius: MLK/X (National Geographic)

Logan Lerman – We Were the Lucky Ones (Hulu)

Liev Schreiber – The Perfect Couple (Netflix) (WINNER)

Treat Williams – FEUD: Capote vs. The Swans (FX)

Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television

Dakota Fanning – Ripley (Netflix)

Leila George – Disclaimer (Apple TV+)

Betty Gilpin – Three Women (Starz)

Jessica Gunning – Baby Reindeer (Netflix) (WINNER)

Deirdre O’Connell – The Penguin (HBO | Max)

Kali Reis – True Detective: Night Country (HBO | Max)

Best Foreign Language Series

Acapulco (Apple TV+)

Citadel: Honey Bunny (Prime Video)

La Máquina (Hulu)

The Law According to Lidia Poët (Netflix)

My Brilliant Friend (HBO | Max)

Pachinko (Apple TV+)

Senna (Netflix)

Squid Game (Netflix) (WINNER)

Best Animated Series

Batman: Caped Crusader (Prime Video)

Bluey (Disney+)

Bob’s Burgers (Fox)

Invincible (Prime Video)

The Simpsons (Fox)

X-Men ’97 (Disney+) (WINNER)

Best Talk Show

Hot Ones (YouTube)

The Daily Show (Comedy Central)

The Graham Norton Show (BBC America)

John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s in L.A. (Netflix) (WINNER)

The Kelly Clarkson Show (NBC/Syndicated)

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS)

Best Comedy Special

Ali Wong: Single Lady (Netflix) (WINNER)

Jim Gaffigan: The Skinny (Hulu)

Kevin James: Irregardless (Prime Video)

Nikki Glaser: Someday You’ll Die (HBO | Max)

Rachel Bloom: Death, Let Me Do My Special (Netflix)

Ramy Youssef: More Feelings (HBO | Max)

READ NEXT: Film news: Jurassic World Rebirth trailer, it’s time to be scared of dinosaurs again