Spike Lee, Ryan Coogler, Sterling K. Brown, And Tessa Thompson Among Honorees At Critics Choice Celebration Of Black Cinema & Television
The Critics Choice Association has unveiled its honorees for the 8th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television, spotlighting outstanding achievements in film and television from the Black entertainment community. The star-studded ceremony takes place Tuesday, December 9, 2025, in Los Angeles, and will air exclusively on STARZ in early 2026. Comedian and actor Jay Pharoah returns as host.
Among this year’s top honorees are two of Hollywood’s most celebrated filmmakers — Spike Lee and Ryan Coogler. Lee will receive the Career Achievement Award for his decades of influential work, including classics like Do The Right Thing, Malcolm X, and BlacKkKlansman, as well as his recent project Highest 2 Lowest. Coogler will be honored with the Director Award for his latest film Sinners, a visually groundbreaking and record-breaking celebration of Black culture.
David Alan Grier will receive the Vanguard Award for his acclaimed and wide-ranging career in comedy, film, and theater, while Reginald Hudlin and Shola Lynch will be recognized with the Documentary Award for Apple TV’s Number One on the Call Sheet, a project that highlights the legacy of Black actors in Hollywood.
In the acting categories, Sterling K. Brown earns the Actor Award – Series for Hulu’s Paradise, and Jurnee Smollett takes home the Actress Award – Series for Apple TV’s Smoke. Tessa Thompson will receive the Actress Award – Film for her performance in Hedda, a modern reimagining of Hedda Gabler that premiered at TIFF.
Janelle James is set to receive the Comedy Award for her standout role in ABC’s Abbott Elementary, while Damson Idris will be honored with the Supporting Actor Award – Film for Apple Original Films’ F1. Skye P. Marshall earns the Supporting Actress Award – Series for CBS’s Matlock, which also marks STARZ’s special #TakeTheLead recognition for women-centered storytelling.
Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti will share the Ensemble Award for their roles in Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another. Rising stars will also be celebrated, with Tenika Davis receiving the Breakthrough Performance Award for Spartacus: House of Ashur and Naya Desir-Johnson honored with the Rising Star Award for Sarah’s Oil.
The evening will include a performance by Aiyana-Lee, who appears in Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest.
Executive producer Shawn Edwards summed up the spirit of the event: “This has been a landmark year. Spike Lee continues to inspire with his unmatched vision, Ryan Coogler pushes boundaries with innovation, and a powerful wave of Black women are defining this era in film and television.”
The 8th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television is produced by Madelyn Hammond and Javier Infante of Hammond Infante Productions.