Michael B. Jordan’s Reaction to Timothée Chalamet’s Best Actor Win at the 2026 Critics’ Choice Awards Turns Heads
Timothee Chalamet’s Critics’ Choice Awards 2026 win lit up the night, but the moment everyone is replaying is Michael B. Jordan’s classy smile and applause as Kate Hudson announced it.
Timothee Chalamet just picked up Best Actor at the 31st Critics Choice Awards for 'Marty Supreme,' and yes, he made history. But the internet immediately zeroed in on Michael B. Jordan reacting from the crowd, which turned the whole moment into a mini two-hander.
The moment Kate Hudson said the name
Kate Hudson read out Chalamet's name, and the camera went straight to Michael B. Jordan. He smiled, clapped, and did the gracious colleague thing, but he also looked a little disappointed. As Chalamet stood up from his table — where he was seated with Kylie Jenner — Jordan glanced over in their direction. When Chalamet started thanking the category from the stage, the broadcast cut back to Jordan again, and he looked a touch melancholy. Honestly, understandable.
The speech: shoutouts, Safdie, and a very public 'I love you'
Before he even hit the mic, Chalamet kissed Jenner and hugged director Josh Safdie, who looked emotional watching his leading man get the moment. Onstage, Chalamet was clearly thrown — the good kind of tongue-tied — and started by acknowledging his fellow contenders by name. He tossed in a little industry-nerd detail about doing table reads years ago in New York with Joel Edgerton and Ethan Hawke, then nodded to Wagner Moura and Michael B. Jordan, even mentioning he'd just rewatched Jordan's 'Sinners.' He singled Jordan out one more time to tell him he loves his work.
He thanked the whole 'Marty Supreme' team (Safdie got another shout), and then wrapped it with a personal note to his partner of three years.
Thank you to my partner of three years. Thank you for our foundation. I love you. I couldn't do this without you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Cut to Kylie Jenner in the crowd, mouthing 'I love you' right back.
Yep, he made Critics Choice history
Chalamet is now the youngest Best Actor winner in Critics Choice history. He is 30 at the time of the win and turns 31 on December 27, 2026.
Who he beat
It was a strong slate. Alongside Chalamet's win for playing Marty Mauser in 'Marty Supreme,' the Best Actor lineup included:
- Leonardo DiCaprio for 'One Battle After Another'
- Joel Edgerton for 'Train Dreams'
- Ethan Hawke for 'Blue Moon'
- Wagner Moura for 'The Secret Agent'
What this means, big picture
Chalamet has already been in the Oscars conversation before — 'Call Me by Your Name' put him on the map there, and 'A Complete Unknown' kept that momentum going. Asked recently about all the attention, he basically said it feels surreal, talking about being on a fancy London hotel rooftop promoting a movie he cares about. Another Oscar nomination on the horizon? Would not be shocking. Stay tuned.