5th Hollywood Critics Association (HCA) Awards winners: ‘CODA’ named Best Picture, Andrew Garfield and Kristen Stewart nab lead acting prizes
The 5th Hollywood Critics Association (HCA) awards were held tonight in a live, in-person ceremony at the Avalon in Hollywood, California and CODA was named the Best Picture of 2021. The award was accepted by the films writer-director, Siân Heder, who also took home the prize of Best Adapted Screenplay.
“2021 was a year full of change in the world of cinema with a limited number of films being released theatrically and a seismic shift in the film landscape, which created an opportunity for many films to be seen by audiences worldwide,’ said HCA Founder Scott Menzel. “The Hollywood Critics Association is honored to bestow this year’s awards to some of the best in filmmaking as we hopefully move forward with a new normal and can continue to celebrate the film watching experience in theaters and at home. Congrats to all the winners and thank you for the magic you gave us this year.”
In the Best Director category, the HCA produced a tie with Denis Villeneuve (Dune) and Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog) splitting the prize. The Best Actor and Actress categories went to Andrew Garfield (tick…tick…BOOM!) and Kristen Stewart (Spencer), while the Supporting Actor and Actress categories went to Troy Kostur (CODA) and Ariana DeBose (West Side Story), who were fresh off their SAG Award wins from this past weekend. The Original Screenplay category went to Fran Krantz for Mass.
The group’s honorary award recipients included Natalie Morales (Filmmaker on the Rise Award), Simu Liu (Game Changer Award), Jude Hill (Newcomer Award), the cast of CODA (Spotlight Award), Saniyya Sidney (Star on the Rise Award) and Greig Fraser (Artisans Achievement Award).
King Richard star Aunjanue Ellis received this year’s Inspire Award. The award, which was previously given to Deon Taylor and Lin-Manuel Miranda, is presented to an individual within the entertainment industry whose work inspires others. Kenneth Branagh, the writer and director of Belfast, received this year’s Excellence in Artistry Award. The award highlights and celebrates Branagh’s expansive career as an actor and filmmaker. Javier Bardem (Being the Ricardos) received the group’s inaugural International Icon Award, which recognizes extraordinary artists whose outstanding work have transcended all barriers, impacting a worldwide audience with the universal language of excellence. And Nicolas Cage (Pig) received the groups Acting Achievement Award, celebrating his latest performance as well as amazing body of work the actor has given audiences for close to forty years.
Presenters at the 5th Annual HCA Film Awards included Robin de Jesús, Colman Domingo, Sophia Ali, Cooper Raiff, Rob Morgan, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Brian d’Arcy James, Ron Perlman, Tia Carrere, Sandra Mae Frank, Alexandra Shipp, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Marlee Matlin, Jamie Dornan, Caitriona Balfe, Doug Jones, Reinaldo Marcus Green, Kaitlyn Dever, Alex Wolff, and Ciarán Hinds.
The event was hosted by Tony Award winner Annaleigh Ashford and live-streamed on the official HCA YouTube channel. Ashford has appeared in several Broadway shows, including You Can’t Take It with You, Legally Blonde, and Kinky Boots. She currently stars on the hit CBS series B Positive and was recently cast alongside Kumail Nanjiani in the Hulu original series Immigrant. The red-carpet pre-show was hosted by HCA members Kiyra Lynn and Rick Hong.
All attendees, presenters, nominees and winners were required to have COVID vaccinations and a negative test within 48 hours of the ceremony.
Here is the full list of winners of the 5th Hollywood Critics Association (HCA) awards.
Best Picture
- Being the Ricardos
- Belfast
- CODA
- Dune
- King Richard
- Last Night in Soho
- Licorice Pizza
- The Power of the Dog
- Spencer
- tick, tick…BOOM!
Best Director
- Kenneth Branagh – Belfast
- Sian Heder – CODA
- Denis Villeneuve – Dune
- Reinaldo Marcus Green – King Richard
- Guillermo del Toro – Nightmare Alley
- Rebecca Hall – Passing
- Jane Campion – The Power of the Dog
- Pablo Larraín – Spencer
- Lin-Manuel Miranda – tick, tick…BOOM!
- Steven Spielberg – West Side Story
Best Actor
- Nicolas Cage – Pig
- Benedict Cumberbatch – The Power of the Dog
- Peter Dinklage – Cyrano
- Andrew Garfield – tick, tick…BOOM!
- Will Smith – King Richard
Best Actress
- Jessica Chastain – The Eyes of Tammy Faye
- Emilia Jones – CODA
- Nicole Kidman – Being the Ricardos
- Lady Gaga – House of Gucci
- Kristen Stewart – Spencer
Best Supporting Actor
- Jamie Dornan – Belfast
- Ciarán Hinds – Belfast
- Jason Isaacs – Mass
- Robin de Jesus – tick, tick…BOOM!
- Troy Kostur – CODA
Best Supporting Actress
- Caitriona Balfe – Belfast
- Ariana DeBose – West Side Story
- Aunjanue Ellis – King Richard
- Marlee Matlin – CODA
- Ruth Negga – Passing
Best Cast Ensemble
- Belfast
- CODA
- Don’t Look Up
- The Harder They Fall
- King Richard
Best Animated or VFX Performance
- Stephane Beatriz – Encanto
- Abbi Jacobson – The Mitchells vs. the Machines
- John Leguizamo – Encanto
- Sylvester Stallone – The Suicide Squad
- Jacob Tremblay – Luca
Best Adapted Screenplay
- Siân Heder – CODA
- Maggie Gyllenhaal – The Lost Daughter
- Rebecca Hall – Passing
- Jane Campion – The Power of the Dog
- Steven Levenson – tick, tick…BOOM!
Best Original Screenplay
- Aaron Sorkin – Being the Ricardos
- Kenneth Branagh – Belfast
- Zach Baylin – King Richard
- Edgar Wright and Krysty Wilson-Cairns – Last Night in Soho
- Fran Kranz – Mass
Best First Feature
- Maggie Gyllenhaal – The Lost Daughter
- Rebecca Hall – Passing
- Fran Kranz – Mass
- Lin-Manuel Miranda – tick, tick…BOOM!
- Michael Sarnoski – Pig
Best Film Editing
- Belfast
- Dune
- King Richard
- Last Night in Soho
- tick, tick… BOOM!
Best Cinematography
- Dune
- The Green Knight
- The Power of the Dog
- Spencer
- West Side Story
Best Costume Design
- Cruella
- Dune
- House of Gucci
- Last Night in Soho
- Spencer
Best Production Design
- Dune
- The French Dispatch
- Last Night in Soho
- Nightmare Alley
- Spencer
Best Hair and Makeup
- Being the Ricardos
- Cruella
- Dune
- The Eyes of Tammy Faye
- House of Gucci
Best Score
- Dune
- The French Dispatch
- Last Night in Soho
- The Power of the Dog
- Spencer
Best Original Song
- “Be Alive” from King Richard
- “Beyond the Shore” from CODA
- “Down to Joy” from Belfast
- “Every Letter” from Cyrano
- “No Time to Die” from No Time to Die
Best Visual Effects
- Dune
- Eternals
- Free Guy
- Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
- The Suicide Squad
Best Stunts
- Black Widow
- Dune
- No Time to Die
- Nobody
- Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Best Animated Film
- Encanto
- Flee
- Luca
- The Mitchells vs. the Machines
- Raya and the Last Dragon
Best Documentary Film
- Flee
- The Rescue
- The Sparks Brothers
- Summer of Soul
- Val
Best International Film
- Drive My Car (Japan)
- Flee (Denmark)
- A Hero (Iran)
- Titane (France)
- The Worst Person in the World (Norway)
Best Indie Film
- CODA
- Mass
- Pig
- Shiva Baby
- Spencer
Best Comedy or Musical
- Cryano
- Free Guy
- In the Heights
- tick, tick… BOOM!
- West Side Story
Best Action Film
- The Harder They Fall
- No Time to Die
- Nobody
- Shang Chi
- and the Legend of the Ten Rings
- The Suicide Squad
Best Horror Film
- Fear Street
- Last Night in Soho
- Malignant
- The Night House
- A Quiet Place Part II
Best Short Film
- Blush
- Far From the Tree
- Nona
- Robin Robin
- Us Again
He is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, accredited by the Cannes Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and more, is a member of the International Cinephile Society (ICS), The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics (GALECA), Hollywood Critics Association (HCA) and the International Press Academy. Among his many achieved goals with AwardsWatch, he has given a platform to underrepresented writers and critics and supplied them with access to film festivals and the industry and calls the Bay Area his home where he lives with his husband and son.
- 2024 Camerimage Film Festival: Danish Oscar Entry ‘The Girl With the Needle’ Wins Golden Frog - November 23, 2024
- 2025 Oscar Predictions: BEST PICTURE and BEST DIRECTOR (November) - November 22, 2024
- 2025 Oscar Predictions: SUPPORTING ACTOR (November) - November 21, 2024
2024 Camerimage Film Festival: Danish Oscar Entry ‘The Girl With the Needle’ Wins Golden Frog 
Interview: ‘Gladiator II’ Cinematographer John Mathieson on Reuniting with Ridley Scott and Continuing the Legacy and Lore 
Interview: Alan Menken and Glenn Slater on Creating the Songs and Score for ‘Spellbound’ and the “Perfectly” Cast Rachel Zegler 
2025 Oscar Predictions: BEST PICTURE and BEST DIRECTOR (November)