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| "Anora" director Sean Baker, lead actress Mikey Madison, and producer Samantha Quan receive the award for best picture at the 2025 Critics Choice Awards Friday. Kevin Winter | Getty Images |
“Anora” was a top contender entering Hollywood’s awards season.
However, after failing to secure any wins at the Golden Globes, the film’s journey to Oscar success became slightly more challenging.
Despite being nominated in five categories, including best motion picture - musical or comedy, it left empty-handed.
On Friday, “Anora” regained momentum by winning best picture at the 2025 Critics Choice Awards.
The 2025 Academy Awards are still months away, set for March 2, but this win comes just before the final voting period opens for Academy members on Feb. 11, potentially boosting the film's chances ahead.
Sean Baker, the director hailing from New Jersey, accepted the award by highlighting the significance of screenwriting, the movie theater experience, and local cinemas.
“So unexpected,” Baker, 53, remarked about the accolade.
This victory served as the highlight of the 30th Critics Choice Awards, hosted in Los Angeles by Livingston’s own Chelsea Handler, a New Jersey Hall of Famer.
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| Sean Baker and Mikey Madison with the Critics Choice Award for best picture. "Anora" is up for six Oscars. Emma McIntyre | Getty Images |
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Baker, who was born in Summit and spent his childhood in Short Hills and Branchburg, was among several Critics Choice Award winners from New Jersey, representing seven counties in total (see full list of local winners below).
As a teenager, he managed a neighborhood cinema and worked as its projectionist.
“When those who commit their lives to their passion for cinema, film criticism, and film journalism see something positive in your work, even a little, it means the world, so thank you all so much,” the director said while accepting the award.
Baker wrote, directed, edited, and produced “Anora” (read NJ Advance Media’s October interview with the director).
The movie features Mikey Madison (”Once Upon a Time In Hollywood,” “Scream,” “Better Things”) delivering a standout performance as Anora “Ani” Mikheeva, a Brooklyn sex worker who encounters the son of a Russian oligarch, portrayed by Mark Eydelshteyn.
Madison and Samantha Quan, Baker’s spouse and co-producer, joined him on stage to celebrate the win, along with producer Alex Coco and another cast member, Armenian actor and comedian Vache Tovmasyan.
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| Mikey Madison and Mark Eydelshteyn in "Anora." Neon |
“We created this modest film with a $6 million budget, which is considered micro-budget these days,” Baker stated. “We filmed on actual film stock, shot in New York City, and that was possible because of my amazing cast and crew who endured tough conditions, ensuring every penny showed on screen. Independent film requires us to push hard to remain on the big screen. That’s what I want to emphasize. We made this film for the big screen. Thank you to everyone who watched it in theaters.”
Baker expressed gratitude to Neon, the distributor, for supporting an extended theatrical run for the movie, which premiered in October.
“We must think about the theaters,” he emphasized. “That’s where we all fell in love with movies, in cinemas. They’re facing tough times. We lost a thousand theaters during COVID, and they continue to disappear daily. That’s where we enjoy films. Let’s support our local theaters, okay?”
Over the past 15 years, Baker has crafted indie masterpieces like “Starlet,” “Tangerine,” “The Florida Project,” and “Red Rocket,” all focusing on sex workers.
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| Mikey Madison delivered her career-defining performance as Brooklyn sex worker Anora "Ani" Mikheeva. Neon |
“Anora” is nominated for six Oscars, including best picture, best director, best actress, best original screenplay, and best editing.
Russian actor Yura Borisov, who portrays hired muscle Igor in the film, is nominated for best supporting actor.
The film began its journey to the Academy Awards in May when it clinched the Palme d’Or, the highest honor at the Cannes Film Festival.
Here are the other Jersey winners from the 2025 Critics Choice Awards:
Zoe Saldaña, ‘Emilia Pérez’
Zoe Saldaña, a strong contender for the Oscar for best supporting actress, took another step closer to that achievement with a Critics Choice Award.
Saldaña, who was born in Passaic and raised in Queens and the Dominican Republic, won best supporting actress at the ceremony for her role in Netflix’s “Emilia Pérez.”
She is also known for her roles in the “Avatar” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” franchises, as well as the Paramount+ series “Lioness.”
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| Zoe Saldaña was honored for her performance in ‘Emilia Pérez."
Keivn Winter | Getty Images |
“Whenever you face negative feedback for a role or film, people advise ‘don’t read the reviews,’” Saldaña, 46, said in her acceptance speech. “Then when you get positive feedback, everyone asks ‘did you read the reviews?’ But I value the critic’s role, I do. Sometimes I read them and internalize them, especially insightful and constructive comments like ‘her crying is really distracting,’ ‘she’s in too many franchises,’ or my personal favorite, ‘she’s too blue.’ So tonight, I’ll heed your words and accept this with pride.”
“Emilia Pérez” is a Spanish-language musical drama set in Mexico and produced in France.
Saldaña plays Rita, a lawyer aiding Emilia Pérez — introduced as cartel boss Juan “Manitas” Del Monte — in arranging gender-affirming surgery and transitioning.
“Emilia Pérez” leads the nominations for the 2025 Oscars with 13 nods.
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| Zoe Saldaña and Karla Sofía Gascón in "Emilia Pérez." Netflix |
The movie performed exceptionally well at the Golden Globes in January, securing awards for best motion picture - musical or comedy, best motion picture in a non-English language, and best female supporting actor for Saldaña, along with best original song for Camille and Clément Ducol’s “El Mal” (performed by Saldaña in the film).
Nonetheless, the film faced challenges afterward, particularly following the revelation of offensive anti-Muslim and racist tweets from Saldaña’s co-star, Karla Sofía Gascón.
After the tweets surfaced, director Jacques Audiard and the film’s promotional campaign attempted to distance themselves from Gascón.
She is the first openly transgender actor nominated for best actress at the Oscars.
The controversy surrounding the movie, coupled with criticism in Mexico, did not hinder Saldaña from winning at the Critics Choice Awards or stop the film from earning other accolades.
Netflix’s musical thriller also claimed best foreign language film and best song, again for “El Mal.”
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| Jesse Eisenberg with the Critics Choice Award for best comedy.
Michael Tran | AFP via Getty Images |
'Jesse Eisenberg, ‘A Real Pain'
One moment not broadcast during the Critics Choice Award show:
“A Real Pain” tying for best comedy.
The warmly received film, written and directed by East Brunswick’s Jesse Eisenberg, shared the honor with Marvel’s “Deadpool & Wolverine,” announced briefly between presentations.
The actor, writer, and director discussed the film last year in an interview with NJ Advance Media. Eisenberg drew inspiration from his family’s history in Poland to narrate the story of cousins David and Benji, played by Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin. The duo travels to Poland to fulfill their late grandmother’s wish of showing them where she grew up before World War II.
David and Benji embark on a Holocaust tour to visit the former Jewish communities of Poland and the Majdanek concentration camp. Eisenberg filmed at his great-aunt’s former home in Poland.
Culkin is a frontrunner for best supporting actor at the Oscars for his memorable portrayal of the expressive, attention-seeking whirlwind that is Benji.
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| Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg in "A Real Pain." Searchlight Pictures |
He won the Critics Choice Award for best supporting actor Friday but was absent from the ceremony due to rehearsals for “Glengarry Glen Ross” on Broadway. Culkin, an Emmy winner for “Succession,” also claimed the Golden Globe for best male supporting actor for his performance in the movie.
Eisenberg, who earned his first Oscar nomination for playing Mark Zuckerberg in “The Social Network” (2010), is nominated for the Oscar for best original screenplay for “A Real Pain.”
Cristin Milioti, ‘The Penguin’
Another talent from New Jersey was celebrated for one of the most unforgettable performances on TV last year.
Cristin Milioti won the Critics Choice Award for best actress in a limited series.
Milioti, who grew up in Cherry Hill, plays Sofia Falcone, daughter of the late Gotham City mob boss Carmine Falcone, in HBO’s “The Penguin.”
“Whoa,” said Milioti, 39, while accepting the award. “Thank you so much to everyone I’ve ever met. This has been the role of my wildest dreams.”
She thanked showrunner Lauren LeFranc for her efforts in crafting the character. (See our interviews with Milioti and LeFranc.)
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| Cristin Milioti was honored for her performance as Sofia Falcone in "The Penguin." Kevin Winter | Getty Images |
“I will always be grateful to you for writing a character like Sofia,” Milioti said. “I dreamed of playing a role like this since I was a little kid and continued dreaming of it as an adult.”
“The Penguin,” part of DC’s Batman universe, continues where the events of the 2022 film “The Batman” concluded. The movie introduced Colin Farrell as The Penguin, aka Oswald “Oz” Cobb. Audiences were stunned as Farrell underwent a complete transformation for the role, aided by remarkable makeup and prosthetics that masked his usual appearance.
When the character received his own spinoff series, anticipation was high.
But Cristin Milioti stepped in as Falcone, and viewers quickly realized Gotham had a new star to rival Cobb.
In the show, Sofia Falcone, accused of heinous crimes and released from Arkham State Hospital, remains haunted by her time there — and other issues. A blend of hero and villain, Falcone became a dynamic addition to Batman’s hometown … without Batman.
Farrell also won the Critics Choice Award for best actor in a limited series for “The Penguin.”
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| Cristin Milioti and Colin Farrell as Sofia Falcone and Oz Cobb in "The Penguin." HBO
Paul W. Downs, ‘Hacks’ |
The Emmy-winning series “Hacks” secured its first Critics Choice Award for best comedy series.
Co-creator Paul W. Downs, who grew up in Sussex (the borough), accepted the award alongside actors Hannah Einbinder, Mark Indelicato, and Megan Stalter.
“Hacks” follows veteran stand-up comedian Deborah Vance, played by Jean Smart, and her relationship with young writer Ava Daniels, portrayed by Einbinder.
“Hacks” co-creators Jen Statsky and Lucia Aniello — Downs’ wife — weren’t present at the Critics Choice Awards as they’re filming the fourth season of the Max series with star Jean Smart.
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| "Hacks" co-creator Paul W. Downs with actors Mark Indelicato, Hannah Einbinder, and Megan Stalter, accepting the Critics Choice Award for best comedy series. Kevin Winter | Getty Images |
Downs stars in the show as Deborah and Ava’s manager Jimmy LuSaque Jr.
He performed a bit at the awards show where he went to read a speech prepared by his fellow showrunners, only to discover his phone was dead.
“Does anyone have an iPhone X charger?” he joked to the audience before proceeding.
“Thank you so much to the critics for writing about our show,” said Downs, 42. “You help audiences find it, and sometimes you’ve helped me understand it better.”
He thanked the viewers, cast, writers, and his parents, and encouraged more series to film in Los Angeles.
“This is an industry town, and we should host more productions in LA,” Downs said to applause from the crowd. “And I believe the people in this room have the power to make that happen, so let’s request to shoot our shows here in LA.”
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| Meg Stalter and Paul W. Downs in "Hacks." HBO Max |
It was a significant night for “Hacks.”
Smart won the Critics Choice Award for best actress in a comedy series for the third time, while Einbinder claimed her first award for best supporting actress in a comedy series.
In January, the show won its second Golden Globe for best comedy series, and Smart earned her second Globe for best female actor in a comedy series.
“Hacks,” which premiered in 2021, boasts nine Emmys, including one for best comedy series — beating “The Bear” — and three for best lead actress in a comedy series for Smart.
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