Owen Cooper Shines at 2026 Critics Choice Awards: 16-Year-Old Star Takes Lead in ‘Adolescence

The anticipation for the Best Picture category this year is palpable, as a diverse lineup of films vies for the coveted award. Among the contenders, “Bugonia” from Focus Features has captured audiences with its compelling storytelling and vivid cinematography.

In the mix is also Netflix’s haunting adaptation of “Frankenstein,” which has been praised for its innovative take on the classic tale. Focus Features makes another appearance with “Hamnet,” a film that has enchanted viewers with its historical depth and emotional resonance.

Another Netflix feature, “Jay Kelly,” has made waves with its gripping narrative and powerhouse performances, securing its place as a strong contender. Rounding out the list is A24’s “Marty Supreme,” a film that has charmed critics and audiences alike with its unique vision and artistic flair.

As these films vie for top honors, the competition highlights the rich diversity and creative prowess present in today’s cinematic landscape.

Jay Kelly (Netflix)

Marty Supreme (A24)

One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

Sentimental Value (Neon)

Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Train Dreams (Netflix)

Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)

 

BEST ACTOR

Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme (A24)

Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

Joel Edgerton – Train Dreams (Netflix)

Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon (Sony Pictures Classics)

Michael B. Jordan – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent (Neon)

 

BEST ACTRESS

Jessie Buckley – Hamnet (Focus Features)

Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (A24)

Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value (Neon)

Amanda Seyfried – The Testament of Ann Lee (Searchlight Pictures)

Emma Stone – Bugonia (Focus Features)

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Benicio del Toro – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein (Netflix)

Paul Mescal – Hamnet (Focus Features)

Sean Penn – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

Adam Sandler – Jay Kelly (Netflix)

Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value (Neon)

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Elle Fanning – Sentimental Value (Neon)

Ariana Grande – Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)

Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value (Neon)

Amy Madigan – Weapons (Warner Bros.)

Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners (Warner Bros.)Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

 

BEST YOUNG ACTOR / ACTRESS

Everett Blunck – The Plague (Independent Film Company)

Miles Caton – Sinners (Warner Bros.) – WINNER

Cary Christopher – Weapons (Warner Bros.)

Shannon Mahina Gorman – Rental Family (Searchlight Pictures)

Jacobi Jupe – Hamnet (Focus Features)

Nina Ye – Left-Handed Girl (Netflix)

 

BEST DIRECTOR

Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

Ryan Coogler – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Guillermo del Toro – Frankenstein (Netflix)

Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme (A24)

Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value (Neon)

Chloé Zhao – Hamnet (Focus Features)

 

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Noah Baumbach, Emily Mortimer – Jay Kelly (Netflix)

Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme (A24)

Ryan Coogler – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Zach Cregger – Weapons (Warner Bros.)

Eva Victor – Sorry, Baby (A24)

Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value (Neon)

 

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar – Train Dreams (Netflix)

Park Chan-wook, Lee Kyoung-mi, Don Mckellar, Jahye Lee – No Other Choice (Neon)

Guillermo del Toro – Frankenstein (Netflix)

Will Tracy – Bugonia (Focus Features)

Chloé Zhao, Maggie O’Farrell – Hamnet (Focus Features)

 

BEST CASTING AND ENSEMBLE

Nina Gold – Hamnet (Focus Features)

Douglas Aibel, Nina Gold – Jay Kelly (Netflix)

Jennifer Venditti – Marty Supreme (A24)

Cassandra Kulukundis – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

Francine Maisler – Sinners (Warner Bros.)Tiffany Little Canfield, Bernard Telsey – Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)

 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Claudio Miranda – F1 (Apple Original Films)

Dan Laustsen – Frankenstein (Netflix)

Łukasz Żal – Hamnet (Focus Features)

Michael Bauman – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

Autumn Durald Arkapaw – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Adolpho Veloso – Train Dreams (Netflix)

 

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

Kasra Farahani, Jille Azis – The Fantastic Four: First Steps (Marvel Studios)

Tamara Deverell, Shane Vieau – Frankenstein (Netflix)

Fiona Crombie, Alice Felton – Hamnet (Focus Features)

Jack Fisk, Adam Willis – Marty Supreme (A24)

Hannah Beachler, Monique Champagne – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Nathan Crowley, Lee Sandales – Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)

 

BEST EDITING

Kirk Baxter – A House of Dynamite (Netflix)

Stephen Mirrione – F1 (Apple Original Films)

Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme (A24)

Andy Jurgensen – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

Viridiana Lieberman – The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix)

Michael P. Shawver – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

 

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Kate Hawley – Frankenstein (Netflix)

Malgosia Turzanska – Hamnet (Focus Features)

Lindsay Pugh – Hedda (Amazon MGM Studios)

Colleen Atwood, Christine Cantella – Kiss of the Spider Woman (Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions)

Ruth E. Carter – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Paul Tazewell – Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)

 

BEST HAIR AND MAKEUP

Flora Moody, John Nolan – 28 Years Later (Sony Pictures)

Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel, Cliona Furey – Frankenstein (Netflix)

Siân Richards, Ken Diaz, Mike Fontaine, Shunika Terry – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Kazu Hiro, Felix Fox, Mia Neal – The Smashing Machine (A24)

Leo Satkovich, Melizah Wheat, Jason Collins – Weapons (Warner Bros.)

Frances Hannon, Mark Coulier, Laura Blount – Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)

 

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon, Daniel Barrett – Avatar: Fire and Ash (20th Century Studios)

Ryan Tudhope, Nikeah Forde, Robert Harrington, Nicolas Chevallier, Eric Leven, Edward Price, Keith Dawson –F1 (Apple Original Films)

Dennis Berardi, Ayo Burgess, Ivan Busquets, José Granell – Frankenstein (Netflix)

Alex Wuttke, Ian Lowe, Jeff Sutherland, Kirstin Hall – Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (Paramount Pictures)

Michael Ralla, Espen Nordahl, Guido Wolter, Donnie Dean – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Stephane Ceretti, Enrico Damm, Stéphane Nazé, Guy Williams – Superman (Warner Bros.)

 

BEST STUNT DESIGN

Stephen Dunlevy, Kyle Gardiner, Jackson Spidell, Jeremy Marinas, Jan Petřina, Domonkos Párdányi, Kinga Kósa-Gavalda – Ballerina (Lionsgate)

Gary Powell, Luciano Bacheta, Craig Dolby – F1 (Apple Original Films)

Wade Eastwood – Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (Paramount Pictures)

Brian Machleit – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

Andy Gill – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Giedrius Nagys – Warfare (A24)

 

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Arco (Neon)

Elio (Pixar Animation Studios)

In Your Dreams (Netflix)

KPop Demon Hunters (Netflix)

Little Amélie or the Character of Rain (GKIDS)

Zootopia 2 (Walt Disney Animation Studios)

 

BEST COMEDY

The Ballad of Wallis Island (Focus Features)

Eternity (A24)

Friendship (A24)

The Naked Gun (Paramount) – WINNER

The Phoenician Scheme (Focus Features)

Splitsville (Neon)

 

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

It Was Just an Accident (Neon)

Left-Handed Girl (Netflix)

No Other Choice (Neon)

The Secret Agent (Neon) – WINNER

Sirāt (Neon)

Belén (Amazon MGM Studios)

 

BEST SONG

“Drive” – Ed Sheeran, John Mayer, Blake Slatkin – F1 (Apple Original Films)

“Golden” – Ejae, Mark Sonnenblick, Ido, 24, Teddy – KPop Demon Hunters (Netflix)

“I Lied to You” – Raphael Saadiq, Ludwig Göransson – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

“Clothed by the Sun” – Daniel Blumberg – The Testament of Ann Lee (Searchlight Pictures)

“Train Dreams” – Nick Cave, Bryce Dessner – Train Dreams (Netflix)

“The Girl in the Bubble” – Stephen Schwartz – Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)

 

BEST SCORE

Hans Zimmer – F1 (Apple Original Films)

Alexandre Desplat – Frankenstein (Netflix)

Max Richter – Hamnet (Focus Features)

Daniel Lopatin – Marty Supreme (A24)

Jonny Greenwood – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

Ludwig Göransson – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

 

BEST SOUND

Al Nelson, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Gary A. Rizzo, Juan Peralta, Gareth John – F1 (Apple Original Films)

Nathan Robitaille, Nelson Ferreira, Christian Cooke, Brad Zoern, Greg Chapman – Frankenstein (Netflix)

Jose Antonio Garcia, Christopher Scarabosio, Tony Villaflor – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

Chris Welcker, Benny Burtt, Brandon Proctor, Steve Boeddeker, Felipe Pacheco, David V. Butler – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Laia Casanovas – Sirāt (Neon)

Mitch Low, Glenn Freemantle, Ben Barker, Howard Bargroff, Richard Spooner – Warfare (A24)