THE 26th ANNUAL CRITICS CHOICE AWARDS RETURNS TO THE CW NETWORK ON SUNDAY, MARCH 7, 2021 WITH HOST TAYE DIGGS

Gala Event Will Broadcast Live from The Barker Hangar in Santa Monica

June 22, 2020 (Burbank, CA) - The Critics Choice Association (CCA) is pleased to announce that the 26th annual Critics Choice Awards will air LIVE on The CW Network on Sunday, March 7, 2021 from 7-10pm ET (delayed PT), with acclaimed film, television, and stage star Taye Diggs returning to host for his third consecutive time. The show will continue its combined Film and Television awards format, honoring the finest in both cinematic and televised/streaming achievement, and take place once again at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, health considerations permitting.

"Now more than ever, people are turning to film and television as a source of comfort, as a means of education, and as a way to connect," said Critics Choice Association CEO Joey Berlin. "With the revised timeline, we are looking forward to celebrating all of the brilliant new work created during this extended season."

TELEVISION AWARDS TIMELINE:

Honoring the finest in television achievement in 2020

November 2, 2020 - Submissions Open

January 4, 2021 - NomComs begin consideration

January 15, 2021 - NomComs render recommendations

January 18, 2021 - Critics Choice Awards TV nominations announced

March 4, 2021 - Final ballots go out to CCA TV Branch members

March 5, 2021 - Deadline for returning final ballots

FILM AWARDS TIMELINE:

Honoring the finest in cinematic achievement in 2020 and January/February 2021

February 1, 2021 - Nominating ballots go out to CCA Film Branch members

February 5, 2021 - Deadline for returning nominating ballots

February 7, 2021 - Critics Choice Awards Film nominations announced

March 4, 2021 - Final ballots go out to CCA Film Branch members

March 5, 2021 - Deadline for returning final ballots

The 25th annual Critics Choice Awards were hosted by award-winning actor Taye Diggs. "Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood" took home four film awards, the most of the night, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor for Brad Pitt, Best Original Screenplay for Quentin Tarantino, and Best Production Design for Barbara Ling and Nancy Haigh. Best Actor and Best Actress awards were bestowed upon Joaquin Phoenix for "Joker" and Renée Zellweger for "Judy," respectively. The Best Director race resulted in a tie between Sam Mendes for "1917" and Bong Joon Ho for "Parasite." Among the television categories, "Fleabag" took home the most awards, winning Best Comedy Series, Best Actress in a Comedy Series for Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for Andrew Scott. Eddie Murphy received the Lifetime Achievement Award and Kristen Bell took home the #SeeHer Award.

Critics Choice Awards are bestowed annually to honor the finest in cinematic and television achievement. Historically, they are the most-accurate predictor of Academy Award nominations

The 26th annual Critics Choice Awards show will be produced by Bob Bain Productions and Berlin Entertainment. The CCA is represented by Dan Black of Greenberg Traurig.

Follow the 26th annual Critics Choice Awards on Twitter and Instagram @CriticsChoice and on Facebook/CriticsChoiceAwards.

Critics Choice Awards host Taye Diggs was most recently seen in The CW's critically acclaimed new series ALL AMERICAN.

His television credits include "Empire," "Private Practice" (NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor), "Rosewood," "The Good Wife," "Murder in the First" (NAACP Image Award nomination), "Daybreak," "Kevin Hill" (NAACP Image Award for Best Actor- Television), "Ally McBeal," "Will & Grace," "Ed," "The West Wing," "New York Undercover" and "Law & Order." Diggs' film credits include Netflix's "Set It Up," "The Best Man Holiday," "Baggage Claim," "Rent," "Chicago (SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture)," "Brown Sugar," "Equilibrium," "Basic," "The Way of the Gun," "The Best Man," "Just a Kiss," "The House on Haunted Hill," "Go," and "Malibu's Most Wanted."

An acclaimed stage actor, Diggs was the first African American to star as the title role on Broadway in "Hedwig and the Angry Inch." Additional theatre credits include "A Soldier's Play" (Second Stage Theatre), "Wicked," "Chicago," "The Wild Party" (Manhattan Theatre Club), "Rent" and "Carousel."

Diggs and collaborator Shane Evans have released three children's books, including their latest "I Love You More Than," as well as "Chocolate Me" and "Mixed Me!".

About the Critics Choice Association (CCA)

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 organized last year 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. For more information, visit: www.CriticsChoice.com.

About The CW

THE CW TELEVISION NETWORK launched in 2006 as America's fifth broadcast network, with programming targeting younger viewers, a demographic highly sought after by advertisers. The CW, a joint venture between Warner Bros. Entertainment and CBS Corporation, broadcasts a six-night, 12-hour primetime lineup, Sunday through Friday. The CW's primetime programming is also available to stream for free, without authentication, on the ad-supported cwtv.com and The CW app, now available on every major OTT platform. In daytime, The CW broadcasts a Monday through Friday afternoon block, and a three-hour Saturday morning kids block. The CW's digital network, CW Seed, launched in 2013, and offers original short-form digital content as well as past seasons of fan-favorite television series. For more information about the network and its programming, visit www.cwtvpr.com.