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Critics Choice Awards host Chelsea Handler called the 2024 comedy-drama film Anora a biopic of First Lady Melania Trump at the awards ceremony. 2025 marked Handler's third consecutive year hosting the awards.
On February 7, 2025, host Chelsea Handler mentioned multiple recent happenings in the world of entertainment during her opening monologue at the Critics Choice Awards. These included Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni's ongoing legal battle, the film Wicked, and Anora. Talking about the critically-acclaimed 2024 film, she stated:
"It was a huge year for biopics…Anora, about Melania Trump."
Chelsea Handler's comments at the Critics Choice Awards seemingly compare the U.S. President's wife to a sex worker as Anora depicts the life of one.
Anora tells the story of the titular character, a Brooklyn-based sex worker, who hastily marries Vanya Zakharov, the son of a Russian oligarch, and the events that follow. Directed by Sean Baker, the film stars Mikey Madison as Anora and Mark Eydelshteyn as Vanya.
Baker's latest directorial was among the most acclaimed films of 2024 and won the Palme d'Or at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. It also received six Academy Award nominations and five Golden Globes nominations. The film won the Best Picture Award at the Critics Choice Awards.
Critics Choice Awards 2025: Chelsea Handler alludes to Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively's legal drama at the event
On February 7, Chelsea Handler referred to Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni's ongoing legal battle. Lively and Baldoni have both filed lawsuits against each other, with the actress accusing her co-star of s*xual harassment and inappropriate workplace conduct. Baldoni has denied her allegations and accused Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, of defamation.
Speaking about the Lively versus Baldoni case, host and comedian Chelsea Handler stated:
"It is important in times like [the LA wildfires] to have a distraction, and that’s why I want to personally extend my gratitude to Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively. Thank you for providing us with that distraction. I’m grateful. I think we’re all grateful and I think we're good."
She alluded to Lively and Baldoni's 2024 film, It Ends With Us, and added:
"I think everybody in this room, no matter whose side you’re on, we can all agree to accept that there’s probably not going to be a sequel. It ends with us, guys."
Chelsea Handler also commented on Ariana Grande's reported off-screen relationship with her Wicked co-star, Ethan Slater. The latter played a munchkin in the film. Handler congratulated Grande on her relationship, claiming she "found love with a munchkin."
Wicked, Emilia Perez, and The Substance won three awards each during the Critics Choice Awards. Adrian Brody won the Best Actor award for his performance in The Brutalist while Demi Moore won the Best Actress award for her work in The Substance. The film also bagged the awards for the Best Original Screenplay, and Best Hair and Makeup at the ceremony.
Zoe Saldana won the Best Supporting Actress nod for Emilia Perez and Kieran Culkin won the Best Supporting Actor award for A Real Plan. Emilia Perez received two other awards for Best Song and Best Foreign Language Film.
Jon M. Chu won Best Director for Wicked with the film's two other awards coming in the categories of Best Production Design and Best Costume Design.
