“Kicking off the year with the Critics Choice Awards feels right,” Handler joked in November when she was confirmed as host. “Nothing says ‘new beginnings’ like a room full of critics ready to tell you how you did last year.”
But Chelsea isn’t the only star returning to the CCAs, as the 2026 ceremony is a bit of déjà vu for Wicked stars Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jeff Goldblum and Jonathan Bailey. The Ozian crew followed up their smash 2024 film with its finale Wicked: For Good. And for Best Supporting Actress nominee Ariana, saying goodbye to Glinda—and Cynthia’s Elphaba—with a award season run is a dream come true.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she wrote on her Instagram Story in December, “@criticschoice for this acknowledgement and for including me in this magnificent group of performances. i loved these films, i love these women. i am deeply honored.”
For Chelsea, the cast of Wicked: For Good and all the starts on the Critics Choice Awards red carpet, keep reading…
(E! and USA Network are both part of Versant Media.)
