Critics Choice Awards and Writers Guild Awards Announce 2026 Honorees Amid WGA West Staff Strike

Critics Choice and Writers Guild Awards Celebrate Achievements Amidst WGA Staff Strike

The 31st annual Critics Choice Awards and the 78th annual Writers Guild Awards recently recognized achievements in film and television.

While the Critics Choice Awards ceremony proceeded in Santa Monica, California, the Writers Guild of America West canceled its Los Angeles awards event due to an ongoing strike by its staff union.
"One Battle After Another" and "Sinners" were prominent film winners at both ceremonies, while "Adolescence" and "The Pitt" received top television honors.

31st Critics Choice Awards: Santa Monica Ceremony Unfolds

The 31st Critics Choice Awards ceremony took place on Sunday at the Barker Hanger in Santa Monica Airport, California. Chelsea Handler hosted the event for the fourth consecutive year.

Ryan Coogler's "Sinners" led film nominations with 17 nods, including Best Picture, Best Director for Coogler, and Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan. Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another" received 14 nominations, securing wins for Best Picture and Best Director. Guillermo del Toro's "Frankenstein" and Chloe Zhao's "Hamnet" each garnered 11 nominations.

"Sinners" received four awards, including Best Original Screenplay, Best Casting and Ensemble, Best Score, and Best Young Performer for Miles Caton. "The Naked Gun" was recognized as Best Comedy, and "The Secret Agent" won Best Foreign Language Film.

In television, Netflix productions accumulated 31 nominations, with "Adolescence" leading individual series with six nominations. "Nobody Wants This" followed with five nominations. HBO Max received 27 nominations, with "Hacks" and "The Pitt" each obtaining four.

The drama series "Adolescence" secured wins in four categories: Best Limited Series, Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television for Stephen Graham, Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television for Owen Cooper, and Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television for Erin Doherty.

78th Writers Guild Awards: New York Event Honors Top Writers

The 78th annual Writers Guild Awards recognized outstanding writing in film, television, and other media. The New York ceremony was held on Sunday, March 8, at the Edison Ballroom and was hosted by Roy Wood Jr.

• Original Screenplay: "Sinners," written by Ryan Coogler.
• Adapted Screenplay: "One Battle After Another," written by Paul Thomas Anderson, adapted from Thomas Pynchon's novel "Vineland."
• Documentary Screenplay: "2,000 Meters to Andriivka," written by Mstyslav Chernov for Frontline Features. Chernov also received the Paul Selvin Award.

WGA eligibility rules led to the exclusion of some Oscar screenplay nominees, including "Sentimental Value," "It Was Just an Accident," "The Secret Agent," and "Sirāt."

• Drama Series: "The Pitt" (HBO | Max).
• Comedy Series: "The Studio" (Apple TV).
• New Series: "The Pitt" (HBO | Max).
• Limited Series: "Dying for Sex" (FX/Hulu).
• Episodic Drama: "7:00 A.M." from "The Pitt," written by R. Scott Gemmill.
• Episodic Comedy: "Prelude" from "The Righteous Gemstones," written by John Carcieri, Jeff Fradley, and Danny R. McBride.
• Comedy/Variety Series: "Last Week Tonight With John Oliver" (HBO | Max).
• Comedy/Variety Specials: "Marc Maron: Panicked" (HBO | Max).
• Animation: "Shira Can’t Cook" from "Long Story Short," written by Mehar Sethi.
• TV & Streaming Motion Pictures: "Deep Cover" (Prime Video).
• Daytime Drama: "The Young and the Restless" (CBS/Paramount+).

Several individuals were recognized with non-competitive awards at the WGA ceremonies:

• Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television Writing Achievement: Don Reo.
• Ian McLellan Hunter Award for Career Achievement: Terry George.
• Walter Bernstein Award: Stephen Colbert.
• Richard B. Jablow Award for Devoted Service to the Guild: Diana Son.

WGA West Staff Strike Leads to Los Angeles Ceremony Cancellation

The Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) canceled its Los Angeles awards ceremony due to an ongoing strike by its non-supervisory staff union, the Pacific Northwest Staff Union (PNWSU). The strike commenced on February 17, with the union citing alleged unfair labor practices during negotiations for their first contract.

WGAW President Michele Mulroney stated that the cancellation was intended to prevent presenters and participants from crossing a picket line.

The Writers Guild of America East, which collaborates with the WGAW on contracts, operates as a separate union with its staff union organized under United Steelworkers and is not currently on strike. Contract talks between the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers are scheduled to begin on March 16.