Google searches spiked overnight after Sarah Snook and Jacob Elordi were both named winners at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards, held at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California. Hosted once again by comedian Chelsea Handler, the ceremony served as one of the key signposts on the road to the Oscars and Emmys-style TV honors.

The headline for TV was Snook, who won Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television for All Her Fault. Coverage of her win — and the buzz around her acceptance moment — helped drive the trend on search and social. For a quick recap of the key moments around Snook and Elordi, see ABC’s wrap of the night’s highlights .

On the film side, Elordi landed one of the night’s most talked-about acting prizes, winning Best Supporting Actor for his performance as the Creature in Frankenstein, director Guillermo del Toro’s latest take on the Mary Shelley classic. It’s a major awards-season boost for Elordi, whose career has rapidly expanded from breakout roles into prestige film territory.

The broader winners list also produced a clear frontrunner moment: Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another won Best Picture — a statement win that instantly strengthened its awards-season narrative. If you want the complete roll call across film and television categories, you can reference Entertainment Weekly’s full winners list .

Why Snook’s win matters

Snook’s Critics Choice trophy is significant because it reinforces her post-Succession momentum — and it signals that her latest work is connecting strongly with critics. In a crowded limited-series field, that kind of recognition can quickly reshape the rest of the season’s conversation, from nomination predictions to streaming attention and renewed audience discovery.

For fans, it also adds another layer to her reputation: Snook isn’t simply transitioning beyond an iconic TV role — she’s building a new awards-ready identity, project by project.

Elordi’s prestige step up

Elordi’s win is just as telling. Playing the Creature in Frankenstein is the kind of demanding, transformation-heavy role that can define an actor’s range in the eyes of voters. Even beyond the trophy, the win boosts the film’s visibility — and positions Elordi as more than a headline name: someone who can anchor serious, craft-forward performances.

In awards season, perception shifts fast. A single televised win can turn “buzz” into “momentum,” and momentum into a run that lasts through the next few ceremonies.