2024 National Board of Review (NBR) Awards: ‘Wicked’ Flys to the Top with Best Film, Director; Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig Win Acting Prizes

Wicked has been named the Best Film of 2024 by the National Board of Review, the oldest organization to give out film awards, also giving the film the directing prize for Jon M. Chu and the NBR Spotlight Award for the collaboration of stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.

“Wicked represents the pure magic that movies can bring to audiences. Every detail is beautifully crafted and designed, the actors are all exceptional and the music is second-to-none – together it adds up to a transporting experience like no other. The NBR is proud to honor director John M. Chu and his remarkable cinematic vision,” said NBR President Annie Schulhof.

As the org doesn’t include it’s Best Film winner in it’s top 10 (really making it a top 11), the NBR top films of the year are: Anora, Babygirl, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Gladiator II, Juror #2, Queer, A Real Pain and Sing Sing.

Daniel Craig won Best Actor for Queer; and Nicole Kidman won Best Actress for Babygirl. In the supporting categories, Kieran Culkin triumphed after his NYFCC win for A Real Pain and in a big surprise, Elle Fanning was named Best Supporting Actress for her turn in the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, coming out on Christmas Day.

The NBR to Oscar translation is quite a strong one for Best Picture, with only three films in 25 years to miss out on a nomination: 2000’s Quills, 2014’s A Most Violent Year and 2020’s Da 5 Bloods. However, since the Academy expanded its Best Picture lineup from five to 10 in 2009, NBR and the Oscars have only matched once, with 2018’s Green Book.

Brie Larson in Room (2015), Renée Zellweger in Judy (2019) and Michelle Yeoh for Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) are the most recent examples of lead actresses turning their NBR wins into Oscar gold and for Best Actor, Casey Affleck in Manchester by the Sea (2016) and Will Smith in King Richard (2021) made it happen while Oscar Isaac in A Most Violent Year (2014), Tom Hanks in The Post (2017) and Adam Sandler in Uncut Gems (2019) didn’t make the Oscar cut.

Last year’s NBR acting winners Paul Giamatti, Lily Gladstone, Mark Ruffalo and Da’Vine Joy Randolph all earned Oscar nominations with Randolph beginning her season-long sweep here.

Established in 1909, the NBR recognizes excellence in filmmaking. This year, 246 films were viewed by a select group of film enthusiasts, filmmakers, professionals, academics, and students, many of which were followed by in-depth discussions with directors, actors, producers, and screenwriters. Ballots were tabulated by the accounting firm of Lutz and Carr CPA.

The honorees will be fêted at the NBR Awards Gala, hosted by Willie Geist (Host, NBC News’ Sunday TODAY with Willie Geist and co-host, MSNBC’s Morning Joe) on Tuesday, January 7, 2025 at Cipriani 42nd Street, in New York City.

Here is the complete list of winners.

Best Film: Wicked

Best Director: Jon M. Chu, Wicked

Best Actor: Daniel Craig, Queer

Best Actress: Nicole Kidman, Babygirl

Best Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain

Best Supporting Actress: Elle Fanning, A Complete Unknown

Best Ensemble: Conclave

Breakthrough Performance: Mikey Madison, Anora

Best Directorial Debut: India Donaldson, Good One

Best Original Screenplay: Mike Leigh, Hard Truths

Best Adapted Screenplay: Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar, Sing Sing

NBR Spotlight Award: Creative Collaboration of Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande

NBR Freedom of Expression Award: No Other Land

Best Animated Feature: Flow

Best International Film: The Seed of the Sacred Fig

Best Documentary: Sugarcane

Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography: Jarin Blaschke, Nosferatu

Outstanding Achievement in Stunt Artistry: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Top Films (in alphabetical order):
Anora
Babygirl
A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Gladiator II
Juror #2
Queer
A Real Pain
Sing Sing

Top 5 International Films (in alphabetical order):
All We Imagine as Light
The Girl with the Needle
I’m Still Here
Santosh
Universal Language

Top 5 Documentaries (in alphabetical order):
Black Box Diaries
Dahomey
Look Into My Eyes
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
Will & Harper

Top 10 Independent Films (in alphabetical order):
Bird
A Different Man
Dìdi
Ghostlight
Good One
Hard Truths
His Three Daughters
Love Lies Bleeding
My Old Ass
Thelma