Taye Diggs & Nicole Byer Co-Host the 27th annual Critics Choice Awards March 13th on CW18

The best and brightest in film and television will be honored as Taye Diggs and Nicole Byer team up to co-host the 27th annual Critics Choice Awards LIVE Sunday, March 13th from 6-9pm on CW18.

The acclaimed film, television, and stage star Taye Diggs takes the stage as a master of ceremonies for the fourth consecutive appearance. This year he's joined by actress, comedian, author, and podcaster Nicole Byer as co-host. The ALL AMERICAN and WIPEOUT stars, respectively, take the reigns of the live event being simulcast for the first time on The CW and TBS from the Fairmount Century Plaza Hotel in Century City, California. The show will continue its combined Film and Television awards format, honoring the finest in both cinematic and televised/streaming achievement. Historically, the Critics Choice Awards are the most accurate predictor of Academy Award nominations.

“Excited to be again hosting The Critics Choice Awards with Miss Nicole Byer,” said Diggs. “It’s always a fun time and Miss Byer is hilarious. Very much looking forward to it!”

“Ooooh! What a nice treat, I am so excited to be hosting the Critics Choice Awards with Taye!,” said Byer. “Oh, the gowns, the stars, the attention... on ME on a stage cohosting! I’m very excited for all of it.”

The nominations for films are lead by "Belfast" and "West Side Story," both netting eleven nominations, with "Dune" and "The Power of the Dog" trailing slightly with ten apiece. HBO's "Succession" leads the pack for Critics Choice Awards series nominations with nods in eight categories, with HBO sibling "Mare of Easttown" and Paramount+'s "Evil" scoring five nominations each. Several other programs earned four nominations each, “Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu), “Ted Lasso” (Apple TV+), “The Good Fight” (Paramount+), “This Is Us” (NBC), and “WandaVision” (Disney+).

SEE A FULL LIST OF THE FILM NOMINEES HERE | SEE A FULL LIST OF THE TELEVISION NOMINEES HERE

“This is definitely going to be the best Critics Choice Awards show ever,” promised Critics Choice Association CEO Joey Berlin. “Imagine Taye and Nicole up in front of a big, beautiful room full of all the biggest stars in film and television - all dressed to kill, drinking champagne and hoping to win. It’s going to be a blast!”

Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry will receive the sixth annual SeeHer Award during the awards broadcast for her philanthropy while continuing to break down barriers acting in a multitude of critically acclaimed, diverse roles and most recently adding the title of ‘director’ to her already impressive filmography. Issa Rae will present the Award. The SeeHer Award recognizes a woman who embodies the values set forth by the SeeHer movement, to push boundaries, defy stereotypes and acknowledge the importance of authentic portrayals of women across the entertainment landscape. SeeHer is the leading global movement for accurate portrayals of women and girls in media. Previous award recipients are Viola Davis (2017), Gal Gadot (2018), Claire Foy (2019), Kristen Bell (2020), and Zendaya (2021).

Legendary actor Billy Crystal will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award during the ceremony. The Tony and Emmy Award-winning comedian, actor, producer, writer, and director will be feted for his incredible body of work throughout the years, joining Lauren Bacall, Kevin Costner, Clint Eastwood, Eddie Murphy, and Robert Wise as only the sixth star to receive the honor across the Critics Choice Awards' 27-year history. Jimmy Kimmel with take the honor of presenting Crystal the prestigious award.

The Critics Choice Association is the largest critics organization in the United States and Canada, representing more than 400 television, radio and online critics and entertainment reporters. It was established in 2019 with the formal merger of the Broadcast Film Critics Association and the Broadcast Television Journalists Association, recognizing the blurring of the distinctions between film, television, and streaming content.

Cheer on your favorites during what's sure to be a memorable night as Taye Diggs and Nicole Byer co-host the 27th annual Critics Choice Awards LIVE Sunday, March 13th from 6-9pm, and see Mr. Diggs navigate a complicated family life while leading his high school football team and students to excellence as Coach--and now, acting Principal-- Billy Baker on ALL AMERICAN, Mondays at 7pm on Milwaukee's CW18!