You may notice a pattern in my coverage of the 2025 Award Season, which continues with the 2025 Critics’ Choice Awards. Demi Moore always gets the spotlight. Not just because of the unforgettable performance she gave to place her in the race for the trophies, my favourite of last year. It is also because she stands as proof that success and rightfully deserved credit can still come to you.
In a career spanning decades, Moore was a blockbuster icon of the 80s and 90s until experiencing a decline in demand at the turn of the century. Her performance in The Substance is her career resurgence and her first acknowledgment of major Hollywood awards.
Demi Moore may have played a fading Oscar winner in the inflammatory body horror movie, but this award season is certainly seeing her take the spotlight with her Best Actress winning streak.
Her speech at the Golden Globes last month was a prevailing reflection on her long journey to breaking the limits she was once bound to. And once again, her reflection on her long-awaited credit stole the show.
“This has been such a wild ride, I can’t tell you when I started this journey on this film, I could never imagine being here,” the 62-year-old said as she collected her award at the ceremony in Santa Monica, Los Angeles. “This is so far beyond anything I could have hoped for.”
She also aligned her acknowledgment with that of the Horror genre, which had previously been notoriously omitted from Award Ceremonies, now The Substance, along with Heretic and Nosferatu are among the hopefuls at the Oscars.
She concluded by addressing audiences watching at home, those struggling with achieving their dreams, whether in the film industry or other professions. “Just because it hasn’t happened yet, does not mean it isn’t happening! Stick with it and know that dreams do come true!”
They certainly do, Demi! I look forward to seeing you (finally) adding the Oscar to your already stacked shelf!
Here is the list of other winners at The 2025 Critic’s Choice Awards:
Best Picture
Anora
Best Actor
Adrien Brody – The Brutalist
Best Movie Made for Television
Rebel Ridge
Best Foreign Language Series
Squid Game
Best Actress
Demi Moore – The Substance
Best Director
Jon M Chu – Wicked
Best Song
“El Mal” – Emilia Pérez – Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, Camille
Best Costume Design
Paul Tazewell – Wicked
Best Hair and Makeup
Stéphanie Guillon, Frédérique Arguello, Pierre-Olivier Persin – The Substance
Best Visual Effects
Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe, Gerd Nefzer – Dune: Part Two
Best Production Design
Nathan Crowley, Lee Sandales – Wicked
Best Score
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross – Challengers
Best Adapted Screenplay
Peter Straughan – Conclave
Best Original Screenplay
Coralie Fargeat – The Substance
Best Foreign Language Film
Emilia Pérez
Best Drama Series
Shōgun
Best Editing
Marco Costa – Challengers
Best Actress in a Drama Series
Kathy Bates – Matlock
Best Young Actor / Actress
Maisy Stella – My Old Ass
Best Cinematography
Jarin Blaschke – Nosferatu
Best Actor in a Drama Series
Hiroyuki Sanada – Shōgun
Best Supporting Actor
Kieran Culkin – A Real Pain
Best Comedy
A Real Pain & Deadpool & Wolverine
Best Comedy Series
Hacks
Best Actress in a Comedy Series
Jean Smart – Hacks
Best Actor in a Comedy Series
Adam Brody – Nobody Wants This
Best Supporting Actress
Zoe Saldaña – Emilia Pérez
Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television
Cristin Milioti – The Penguin
Best Limited Series
Baby Reindeer
Best Animated Feature
The Wild Robot
Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television
Colin Farrell – The Penguin
Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Moeka Hoshi – Shōgun
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Tadanobu Asano – Shōgun
Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television
Jessica Gunning – Baby Reindeer
Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television
Liev Schreiber – The Perfect Couple
Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Michael Urie – Shrinking
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Hannah Einbinder – Hacks
Best Acting Ensemble
Conclave
