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Critics Choice Awards 2026: Ethan Hawke reacts to Venezuela attack, Jimmy Kimmel roasts Trump – see highlights
The Critics Choice Awards included Kimmel's jabs at Trump and DiCaprio's virtual acceptance of an award due to travel issues.
The Critics Choice Awards unfolded against a charged political backdrop, as global events involving US strikes on Venezuela intersected with Hollywood’s awards season.
Actor Ethan Hawke, who was honored with a Career Achievement Award during awards festivities in Palm Springs, briefly addressed the escalating situation tied to the US military strikes on Venezuela. Speaking to Variety, Hawke said: “I was already upset about the Kennedy Center Honor, and now we’re bombing… Power corrupts. It’s a common theme of mankind. Nothing that’s happening to us, to Americans, to civilians isn’t anything that hasn’t happened to humanity.”
He added: “History is littered with despots and selfish people and greedy people and they make the rules for the kind people. I keep wanting to say what a strange time we’re living in, but… every time period is strange.”
The developments also became a base for political humor on the Critics Choice stage.
Accepting the award for Best Talk Show, Jimmy Kimmel took aim at President Donald Trump, sarcastically crediting him for the “ridiculous things” he does every day. “I want to thank our president, Donald Jennifer Trump, without whom, we would be going home empty handed tonight.” He added that it had been “a banner couple of weeks”.
DiCaprio misses the event
According to Entertainment Weekly, Leonardo DiCaprio was unable to attend the Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala, where he was scheduled to receive the Desert Palm Achievement Award for his role in One Battle After Another.
Travel disruptions and restricted airspace following the US strikes prevented the actor from leaving St. Barts, where he had been vacationing.
In a statement shared with Entertainment Weekly, a spokesperson for the Palm Springs International Film Festival cited “unexpected travel disruptions” as the reason for DiCaprio’s absence, while confirming that the honor would still be presented.
DiCaprio accepted the award via a pre-recorded video. “Movies still matter, not content, but cinema,” he said.
Who attended the event?
The awards events featured numerous high-profile honorees, including Timothée Chalamet, Rose Byrne, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Hudson, Adam Sandler and Elle Fanning.
Hawke also appeared onstage to present Amanda Seyfried with her Desert Palm Achievement Award, where she acknowledged DiCaprio as a personal inspiration.
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